Testing of coal

1) Proximate Analysis of coal:

Determination of moisture, volatile Matter, Ash & Fixed Carbon comprises its proximate
analysis.
2) Ultimate Analysis of Coal:
Determination of total carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Sulphur percentages in coal
comprises its ultimate analysis.
3) Determination of Calorific value of coal:
4) Determination of HGI:
1) Proximate analysis of coal : IS:1350 ( Part-I ) -1984
a) Determination of moisture: Moisture and free water may be defined as follows.
Total moisture:
The coal which has been exposed to contact with water in steam or in a washery, or coal
wetted by rain may carry free or visible water. This water plus the moisture with in the material is
referred as total moisture.
Moisture in air dried lab analysis of coal (I.M):
It is the moisture in coal which has been air dried (Annexure-1) under the laboratory
atmospheric condition prior to analysis and is determined as a part of proximate analysis.
Total moisture (T.M):
Procedure for determination of total moisture has been given in annex-1
Inherend Moisture (I.M):
Sample requirement: Air dried material of 212 Micron size.Ref: Annex-1
Procedure: Weigh sample 1 gm in a weighing vessel and kept it in oven at 108*c for 3hrs. Loss
in wt record as inherend moisture.
Sample size

Wt of sample Heating
device

Temp

Air dried
material (212
Micron)

1 gm

108* c 3Hrs

Oven

Time

Report % of inherend moisture (I.M) on air dried basis.

Calculation
Loss in weight
%of moisture= ------------------- x 100
Wt of sample

Precision for moisture :

The result of duplicate determination shall agree within the following units.
Moisture ( % )
Precision

Up to 3.0%
Over 3.0%

Repeatability
0.1 Units

Reproducibility
0.2 units

3.0% of the arithmetic mean

Of the duplicate value.

6.0% of the arithmetic mean

Of the duplicate value.

b) Determination of volatile matter (V.M):

Sample requirement: Air dried material of 212 Micron size. Reference Annex-1.
Procedure: Weigh sample 1gm in cylindrical crucible and keep it in furnace at 900*c for 7
minutes and records loss in weight.
Sample size

Wt of
sample

Heating device

Temp

Time

Air dried
material (212
Micron)

1 gm

Furnace(excluding
air)

900* c 7 Min

Calculation
Loss in weight
%of V.M = ------------------- x 100
Weight of sample

Report % of volatile matter (V.M) on air dried basis.

Precision for Volatile matter:
Volatile matter (%)
Precision

Repeatability
1.0% of the arithmetic mean
Of the duplicate value.

Reproducibility
1.5% of the arithmetic mean
Of the duplicate value.

2) Determination of HGI ASTM Method D409-71 (1978 ):

HGI of coal indicates it is easiness towards pulverization of coal. It is also to life and
efficiency pulverizing equipments.
Sample requirements: (3.35mm. Air dried material):
Procedure:
Take about 400gram of sample for HGI determination. The sample so taken is
sieved with 16 and 30 STM mesh. The material between 16-30 Mesh is kept aside.
Remaining retained coal on 16 ASTM mesh is again crushed and sieved with 16-30
ASTM mesh. 16-30 mesh material is added to the kept aside material this procedure id
repeated till no material is retained on 16 ASTM mesh. 16-30 mesh is mixed well and
50gram of sample is taken for analysis. Weigh accurately 50gram of 16-30 mesh material
and grind it in standard HGI mesh in for 60 revolutions. After grinding the coal is screened
through 200ASTM mesh. The amount of coal passing through 200ASTM mesh is
weighed.
HGI = 13+6.93W
Where W = quantity of material in grams passing through 200AsTM mesh.

d) Determination of Ash:
Sample requirement: Air dried material of 212 Micron size. Reference Annex-1.
Procedure: Weigh sample 1gm in a dish and keep it in furnace at 815*c for 1 Hrs and record
weight of Ash residue formed.
Sample size

Wt of
sample

Heating device

Temp

Time

Air dried
material (212
Micron)

1 gm

Furnace(including
air)

815* c 1Hrs

Calculation
Wt of ash residue formed

%of Ash =

----------------------- x 100
Weight of sample

Report % of Ash on air dried basis.

Precision

Ash %
Up to 10.0%

Repeatability
0.2 Units

Over 10.0% 2.0% of the arithmetic mean

Of the duplicate value.

Reproducibility
0.4 Units
3.0% of the arithmetic mean
Of the duplicate value.

c) Determination of fixed carbon %:

=100 (I.M + Ash + V.M)
3) Determination of calorific value: IS: 1350 (Part II)-1970.
Higher and lower calorific value:
Higher or gross calorific values:
Hydrogen is found to be present in almost all fuels and when the calorific value if such fuel is
determined hydrogen is converted into steam. Now, when the product of combustion are
condensed to room temperature (25*c) the latent heat of condensation of steam also gets include
in the measured heat. The total heat value to calculate is known as higher or gross calorific value
and thus may be defined as total amount of heat liberated. When 1Min of fuel is burned
completely and combustion products are cooled to room temperature.

Ref: IS: 436 (PART I / SECTION-I) 1964

REDUCTION OF GROSS SAMPLE
[IS: 436 (PART-I / SEC - I) -1964]

GROSS SAMPLE
For total moisture

For proximate analysis

100 150 Kg
(Wt of gross sample)

450 Kg.
(Wt of gross sample)

Crush to 12.5 mm size

Reduced to 1/4th by coning and

Quartering (112.5 Kg)

Reduced to 5 Kg by
Coning and Quartering

Crush to 12.5 mm size

1.0Kg sample to be kept for 24hrs

For air drying at lab condition

Reduced to 5 Kg by
coning and Quartering

Record loss of Wt.as surface moisture. (x)

Keep this 5 Kg.sample for air drying at lab

Condition for 24hrs.

Reduce to 2.9mm size by further crushing.

Crushed to 3.35mm by further crushing.

10gms of this sample to be taken and keep in

Oven at 108*c for 24 hrs.

Reduced to 2 Kg. by through mixing.

Record loss of wt. as internal moisture. (Y)

Total moisture% = X + Y (1- X / 100)

Report: TM %

Pulverize this 2 Kg sample to 212 micron

Size for proximate analysis.
Report: IM, Ash, VM, FC, GCV and Sulphur.

REPORTING METHODS OF COAL ANALYSIS

Normally three different methods employed for reporting the result.
1.
Air dried basis
2.
As received basis
3.
Equilibrated analysis
1. Air dried basis (ADB): For the preparation of air dried material having size 212 micron refs: Annex 1.
Analysis of coal carried out with air dried sample to be reported as analysis on air dried basis
2. As received basis (ARB): Total moisture and inherend moisture plays an important roll in calculating
analysis on received basis.
As received basis analysis carried out by using following formula

100 TM
As received basis analysis (ARB) = Analysis on ADB x -----------100 - IM
3. Equilibrated analysis: Analysis carried out with equilibrated sample to be reported as analysis
on equilibrated basis.

Preparation of equilibrated sample: Take about 5 gm of air dried sample having size 212
micron in a beaker of 100 ml capacity pour about 20ml hot water on the sample and wet the
sample by gently swirling beaker. Boil the condense in the beaker for about 15 minutes, filter up
the water using quantitative filter paper remove the visible water as far as possible by flushing
the wet coal in between filter paper. Take about 1.5 gm wet coal in Petri dish which is previously
heated and cooled and keep in designator for 72 Hrs the portion of which is half filled with a
solution of sulphuric acid in a water (density - 1.284 at 30*c) to due relative humidity of 60% at
40*c. This will be sample referred as an equilibrated basis, if this sample for moisture
determination. And report this moisture as equilibrated.
For calculation of useful heat value equilibrated moisture and equilibrated ash are important.
UHV = 8900 138 ( A + M )
A = equilibrated ash, M = Equilibrated moisture, IM = Inherend moisture
100 IM (equilibrated basis)
Ash on equilibrated basis = Ash on ADB x ----------------------------------------100 -- IM (ADB)

As per IS : 436 (Part I / Section I) 1964

Reduction of gross sample for analysis
Gross sample

100 to 150 Kg (For total moisture)

Crushed to 1.25mm

450 Kg(For proximate analysis)

Crushed to 12.5 mm

100 to 150 Kg (12.5 mm)

450 Kg. (12.5 mm)

Coning, quartering & reduce to 5 kg

Coning, quartering & reduce to 5 kg

5 Kg (12.5 mm)
Keep for air drying for approx.24 Hrs
After 24 HrsCrushed the material
to 3.35 mm &Reduced to 2 Kg.

5 Kg (12.5 mm)
Out of this weighs 1Kg of
This & keep for air drying
(For approx 24 hrs)

2 Kg. (3.35 mm)

After 24Hrs weigh & record loss in Wt

As a surface moisture. (x)
Crushed this material to 212 micron.
Use this material for proximate analysis.
Crushed the above material to 2.90mm
And mixed thoroughly

Carry out internal moisture by taking the

Above sample (approx 10 Gms). In Oven
At 108*c loss in weight recorded as
Internal moisture (Y)
Total moisture % = x + Y (1 X / 100)

Lower or net calorific value:

In actual practice, the water vapor escape as along with hot combustion gases and thus
or not condensed with a result a lesser amount of heat is available, the amount of heat so
available, is called as Lower Or Net Calorific Value and may be defined as the amount of heat
liberated when 1 unit of fuel is burned completely and the combustion product are allowed to
escape.
Thus NCV = GCV Latent heat of water vapor formed.
Now, since one part by weight of hydrogen gives nine part of weight of water, the above
equation becomes NCV = GCV Wt. of Hydrogen x 9 x Latent heat of steam.
GCV NCV = % of hydrogen x 9 x 587/ 100
NCV = GCV 53 (5 of Hydrogen)

Determination of calorific value by bomb calorimeter:

Sample requirement:
Air dried material of 212 micron size.Ref: annex-1.
Principle:
The coal is burn in a-bomb calorimeter of known heat capacity. Initial temp of
water in the calorimeter is noted after through stirring (Pre-firing, 3 Min cycle). The
current is switched on the fuel in crucible burns with evolution of heat (Post firing, 5 min
cycle). The heat produced by burning of fuel is transferred to water which is stirred
throughout the experiment by the electrical stirrer. After combustion of 5 min cycle delta
T and GCV get displayed and recorded.
Report GCV on air dried basis.
Precision: The result of duplicate determination in one laboratory should agree to
within 30 Calorie/gm, and those between different laboratories to within 65 Calorie/gm.