Mineral matter effects on char structural evolution and oxidation kinetics during coal char combustion

The authors report on recent investigations of the evolution of char structure during carbon burnout and the role of mineral matter in determining this structure. Char samples collected in a carefully controlled laminar, flame-supported entrained flow reactor have been characterized using a number of microscopy tools. Observations of the inorganic structure of chars produced at a variety of combustion conditions are coupled with in-situ optical measurements of the char particle population with an eye towards identifying the mechanism of mineral interaction and its effects on carbon burnout kinetics during pulverized coal char combustion. Preliminary results show a surprising amount of inorganic mineral in solid solution with the carbonaceous matrix. This intimate mixing of organic and inorganic constituents may affect reactivity by both blocking oxygen access to active carbon sites and influencing the microscopic carbon structure that evolves during combustion