| A batch reactor study of coal beneficiation using methanol was conducted in two phases. Preliminary tubing-bomb reactor experiments, phase one, led to the selection of experimental conditions for the second phase, which was conducted in an autoclave. A Box-Behnken incomplete factorial design was used for the second phase, in which the effects of time, temperature, and solvent density were investigated on sulphur removal, along with coal, and methanol weight losses. In addition to this, some step-out experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of solvent-to-coal ratio and a different feed coal. A Herrin (Illinois No.6) coal, referred to as IBC-101 in the Illinois Basin Sample Coal Program, was the feed coal for most experiments. The other feed coal, referred to as IBC-108, is a physically cleaned blend of 80% Herrin (Illinois No.6) and 20% Springfield (Illinois No.5). The coals have a total sulphur content of 4.32 and 2.63 wt% of which 70 and 85% is organic sulphur, respectively.;With regard to meeting the federal guideline for thermal power generation emissions of sulphur dioxide, without co- or post-combustion sulphur removal, of 258 g/GJ, the best result attained was 600 g/GJ.;Phase two covered reaction times of 0 to 30 minutes, where 0 minutes was taken as the time when the operating temperature was reached, temperatures from 400 to 450... |
