TRANSFORMATION KINETICS OF ORGANIC SULFUR FORMS IN ARGONNE PREMIUM COALS DURING PYROLYSIS

The evolution of H2S and light hydrocarbon products from pyrolysis of Argonne Premium coals were determined from temperature programmed deco mposition (TPD) data by the method of heating rate variation. A kineti c model based on a discrete distribution of activation energies has be en developed and used for the analysis of the TPD data. The results fo r H2S indicate that the decomposition of organic sulphur forms precede s most of the conversion of carbonaceous solid to volatile matter duri ng pyrolysis. This trend is consistent with X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy findings that little sulphidic sulphur remains after low temperature pyrolysis of coals.