Zl. Xie et al., Formation of NOx and SOx precursors during the pyrolysis of coal and biomass. Part IV. Pyrolysis of a set of Australian and Chinese coals, FUEL, 80(15), 2001, pp. 2131-2138
The formation of HCN and NH3 from the pyrolysis of a small set of Chinese a
nd Australian coals were studied using a novel fluidised-bed/ fixed-bed rea
ctor and a fluidised-bed/tubular reactor. The fluidised-bed/fixed-bed react
or has some features of a fluidised-bed reactor and of a fixed-bed reactor,
allowing the evaluation of the effects of coal properties on the formation
of HCN and NH3 to be carried out on a similar basis for a wide range of co
als. The thermal cracking of volatiles was investigated in a tubular reacto
r in tandem with the fluidised-bed/fixedbed reactor where the nascent volat
iles were generated in situ from the pyrolysis of coal. Our experimental re
sults indicate that, in addition to coal rank, the petrographic composition
and/or geographic origin of the coal are important factors influencing the
formation of HCN and NH3 during pyrolysis. Among the few Chinese and Austr
alian coals studied, the inertinite-rich Chinese coals tend to give more NH
3 during pyrolysis than the Australian coals of similar carbon contents. It
is believed that the structure of inertinites of less caking properties fa
vours the formation of H radicals in the pyrolysing solid over a 'correct'
temperature range to overlap with the activation and subsequent hydrogenati
on of the N-containing ring systems for the formation of NH3 in the solid.
If the coal properties favour the release of coal-N as volatiles, the forma
tion of HCN in the gas phase is more likely. Under the current experimental
conditions, where volatiles may be deposited on the reactor wall, the form
ation and destruction of the sooty materials on the reactor wall play an im
portant role in the formation of HCN from the cracking of volatiles. (C) 20
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