An experimental facility for the study of coal pyrolysis at 10 atmospheres

This paper introduces an experimental facility to study coal pyrolysis at 1 0 atm (1.0 MPa). The system processes a stream of coal entrained in argon g as through an inductively heated furnace at 1850 K. Due to the different ab sorptive properties of the coal and gas, the coal. is heated to temperature s on the order of 1100 K, while the gas remains relatively cool, quenching the products of primary pyrolysis. The extent of devolatilization is contro lled by varying the residence time of the coal within the furnace. in this way, the products of primary coal devolatilization can be resolved in time from the onset of devolatilization to the attainment of ultimate yields. Ch ar and tar yields are measured at each residence time, while major nonconde nsable gases are resolved into C-1-C-3 hydrocarbons, oils, carbon oxides, w ater, hydrogen, and nitrogen species. To validate the accuracy of the test method, the complete product distribution from individual runs are analyzed to formulate mass and elemental C/H/N balances. The performance of the tes t facility is illustrated with test results for a high-volatile bituminous coal.