Article
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Energy Recovery Potential of Obomkpa Coal
Version 1
: Received: 19 April 2020 / Approved: 19 April 2020 / Online: 19 April 2020 (13:00:08 CEST)
How to cite: Nyakuma, B.B. Energy Recovery Potential of Obomkpa Coal. Preprints 2020, 2020040344. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0344.v1 Nyakuma, B.B. Energy Recovery Potential of Obomkpa Coal. Preprints 2020, 2020040344. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202004.0344.v1
Abstract
This study presents preliminary findings on the physicochemical, calorific, and thermal properties of a newly discovered coal from Obomkpa town in Aniocha-North Local Government Area of Delta State in Nigeria. The Obomkpa (BMK) coal sample was subjected to fuel characterisation through ASTM standards and techniques for determining elemental, proximate, and calorific coal properties. The results indicated that BMK coal contains high carbon, oxygen, volatile matter, fixed carbon, and ash. The higher heating value of BMK was 19.66 MJ/kg, which indicates it could be ranked as either lignite A or subbituminous C coal. The thermal properties indicated that BMK experienced significant mass loss (ML) under oxidative (combustion) and non-oxidative (pyrolysis) conditions due to thermal degradation of organic rock macerals (inertinite and vitrinite). Furthermore, BMK experienced mass loss (ML=59.27%–76.56%) along with residual mass (RM = 23.44–40.73%) under oxidative (combustion) and non-oxidative (pyrolysis) conditions. Thermal degradation occurred in three (3) stages; drying (30 °C to 200 °C), devolatilization (200 °C – 500 °C and 600 °C), and lastly, coke degradation and ash formation. Furthermore, the DTG peaks for the drying and devolatilization of BMK during the oxidative (combustion) process occurred at lower temperatures compared to the non-oxidative (pyrolysis) process. Hence, the results submit oxidative (combustion) is a more thermally efficient process compared to the non-oxidative (pyrolysis) process. Lastly, the findings indicate BMK is a potential feedstock material for future coal power generation, steel, iron ore or cement production.
Keywords
Obomkpa; macerals; vitrinite; coal; combustion; pyrolysis; Nigeria
Subject
Engineering, Energy and Fuel Technology
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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