The Development of New Methods for Coal Sulfer Forms & Sulfur in Ash Determination

• Main Author: Forsythe, Robert
• Format: Others
• Published: TopSCHOLAR® 1993
• Subjects: Chemistry; Organic Chemistry; Physical Sciences and Mathematics
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/2352; https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3344&context=theses

The development of new procedures to determine the amount and/or types of sulfur in coal and coal products is an ongoing process for coal scientists This development is driven by the problems and inconveniences of the current ASTM methods In this thesis, the work done at Western Kentucky University in the development of two new sulfur determination procedures will be described. The first procedure can be used as an alternative method for coal sulfur forms analysis with results comparable to the ASTM method. This procedure involves heating the coal samples at 365°C and 440°C for thirty minutes to selectively remove sulfur forms from the coal. The difference in the amount of sulfur remaining in the residues is the amount of pyritic sulfur in the coal This value, along with the ASTM D 2492 sulfate sulfur value can be used to calculate the amount of organic sulfur present in the coal. The second procedure described is an alternative method for measuring the amount of sulfur in coal ash. This method involves standardizing a Leco SC-432 sulfur analyzer using iron(II) ammonium sulfate and a modified weight method. The ash sample is then mixed with a carbon promoter and the total sulfur present in the ash determined. The problems encountered in the development of these two procedures and the advantages of these methods compared to the current ASTM procedures will be discussed.