FT-IR Investigation of the Structural Changes of Sulcis and South Africa Coals under Progressive Heating in Vacuum : Correlation with Volatile Matter

Abstract EN

The analysis of gas evolving during the pyrolysis of two very different rank coals was studied by using FT-IR spectroscopy.

These coals, coming from Sulcis (Sardinia, Italy) and from South Africa, respectively, were subjected to progressive heating up to 800°C in vacuum.

The thermal destruction of coal was followed by monitoring the production of gases in this range of temperature.

The gases evolving in the heating from room temperature to 800°C were collected at intervals of 100°C and analysed by infrared spectroscopy.

The relative pressures Pri=Pi/PmaxiT were plotted against temperature.

These graphs clearly show the correlation among qualitative gas composition, temperature, and the maximum value of emissions, thus confirming FT-IR analysis as a powerful key for pyrolysis monitoring.