Chemical properties and petrographic composition of coal and fly ash: Examples from Indiana mines and power plants

摘要

In the eastern United States, only a few power plants exclusively burn coal mined from a single seamand from a single mine. Consequently, in the majority of cases, the properties of bulk coal combustion byproductscannot be traced back to a specific coal seam. This study is based on data from two coal mines, onemine from the Danville Coal Member of the Dugger Formation (Pennsylvanian) and the other from the SpringfieldCoal Member of the Petersburg Formation (Pennsylvanian), and two power plants that burn single-source coalfrom these two mines. Coals sampled at the mines (both raw and washed fractions) were analyzed forproximate/ultimate/sulfur forms/heating value, major oxides, trace elements, x-ray diffraction, and petrographiccomposition. The Danville coal is characterized by a sulfur content below 1 percent, whereas the Springfield is ahigh sulfur coal (S >5%). Both seams have comparable ash content (～11%). The properties of the fly ash fromthese coals reflect properties of the feed coal as well as local combustion and post-combustion conditions. Sulfurcontent, spinel concentration, carbon content and carbon types of the fly ash are the parameters that most closelyreflect the properties of the coal source.