02 Liquid fuels (sources, properties, recovery) time. The variable force loading enabled the shear rate to be maintained well below the critical one, and thereby to measure the apparent viscosity of coal pellets as Newtonian fluids over 1” temperature range from 600 to 800 K. Upon heating at 10 K min- , the apparent viscosity of Goonyella coal pellet decreased from about 10” Pa s at 640 K down to a minimum of about lo4 Pa s at 755 K, and increased up to lo9 Pa s at 800 K. In a course of heating as above, the viscosity of Blind Canyon coal pellet decreased above 600 K, underwent a minimum of about lo6 Pa s at 715 K, and increased up to 10” Pa s at 770 K. Decreasing the heating rate from 10 to 3 K min-’ caused the minimum viscosities of the pellets to increase by l-2 orders of magnitude.
03102146 Synthetic fuel briquet comprising coal dust, water and a reactive organic compound, and a process for making such synthetic fuel
03/02145 Preparation and use of coal binder composition from hydrocarbon emulsions for manufacture of synthetic fuel and fuel briquettes
03/02149 The optimization of the fast neutron and gammaray transmission set-up for moisture measurement of coke
Kriech, A. J. and Dobbs, T. E. U.S. US 6,530,966 (Cl. 44-542; ClOLSI 00), 11 Mar 2003, Appl. 595,066, 16 June 2000. Binder compositions for converting coal waste into fuel including a distillable petroleum hydrocarbon emulsified with a surfactant and water are provided. The invention also includes methods for making the binder compositions. The methods include blending a distillable petroleum hydrocarbon petroleum hydrocarbon with water (about 2575:75-25 oil:water) and a surfactant at 0.25-5 wt% based on binder emulsion weight. In another aspect, a fuel briquette product is provided which includes the reaction product of carbonaceous fine particles and a binder composition of this invention. The binder composition is provided in an amount necessary to increase the hydrophobic characteristics of the carbonaceous fine particles. In one embodiment the binder compositions is present in an amount between x1.5% and =4.0% of the total weight for synthetic fuel. Methods are also provided for making fuel from fine carbonaceous materials, by adding a binder composition of this invention.
03/02146 Reaction rates for the oxidation of highly sulphurlsed petroleum cokes: the influence of thermogravimetric conditions and some coke properties Salvador, S. et al. Fuel, 2003, 82, (6), 715-720. The reaction with air of a large number (22) of high-sulphur petroleum cokes was studied by temperature-ramped thermogravimetric analysis. The kinetic parameters for each coke were established, based on BET surface areas. The oxidation rates were found to vary with sample mass. This was a result of limitations on oxygen transfer, despite the small masses and low heating rates used. Limitations were present both externally (from the crucible mouth to the bed surface) and internally (from the sample surface to the bed interior). A method to take these effects into account was adopted, based on an analysis of the relevant diffusion rates. Application of this method reconciled the rate data for four different sample masses, except at high temperatures. The formation of a partially fused ash crust is believed to be the reason for this latter effect. The activation energies of the cokes varied between 195 and 280 kJ molt’, and the absolute rates varied by a factor of 10. They were between 1000 and 10000 times higher than the average reactivity of carbon as reported in the literature. The elevated apparent rates are believed to have two causes, one in the combustion process and the other in the interpretation of the results. The first cause is the strong catalytic effect of the inorganic components, although the ash contents ranged only from 0.3 to 1.5%. The most active metal is vanadium, which is present in significant concentrations. The effectiveness of V205 as a gasifying catalyst is believed to be due to its low melting point. Increasing sulphur content in the cokes produces no perceptible change in the combustion rates. The second cause for poor combustion correlation is the inadequacy of BET surface area for expressing combustion rates.
03102147 Study of the curing temperature effect on binders for smokeless briquettes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy Blesa, M. J. et al. Vibrational Spectroscopy, 2003, 3 1, (l), 8 l-87. The effect of curing temperature on binders used to prepare smokeless fuel briquettes was studied by FTIR spectroscopy (FTIR). The binders studied were humates and molasses. Selected zones of the FTIR spectra such as 1800-1500 cm-’ were carefully studied to follow the evolution of the carbonyl groups and its relation with the formation of structures that stabilize briquettes after curing. The aliphatic hydrogen content of the blends prepared with molasses tends to decrease with the curing temperature and the amount of carboxylic groups tends to increase either with humates or molasses. The most relevant changes occurred at 200” of curing temperature when briquettes are prepared with molasses.
Cutright, P. and Gambino, J. U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. US 2003 41,509 (Cl. 44-553; ClO&Ll/lO), 6 Mar 2003, Appl. 935,107. The present invention discloses a compacted synthetic fuel briquette made of at least 90% coal dust, water and a polymeric binder reactive with the coal dust to form a chemical bond with the coal dust and provides a product very similar to coal. The product surprisingly in some cases provides higher BTU value than coal alone (up to 5 to 1000 BTU per ton more than counterpart coal), does not produce the waste inorganic ash at the users’ facility of (or many organic chemicals such as tar) and can reduce the moisture of coal dust and give increased green strength.
Cywicka-Jakiel, T. et nl. Applied Radicrtion and htopes, 2003. 58, (I ). 137~-142. In the present paper, modelling calculations with the Monte Carlo (MCNP4C) code were performed for the optimization of the fast neutron and gamma-ray transmission, set-up, used for the humidity measurement of coke. The optimization focused on maximizing the sensitivity of the neutron flux to humidity changes and on lowering neutron-counting error, both leading to higher accuracy of coke moisture detection. Different materials used for the source shielding and neutron collimation, together with different dimensions of the neutron collimators were studied. The results obtained from the Monte Carlo modelling correlate with the real instrument performance.
03/02150 Tribological application of carbon nanotubes in a metal-based composite coating and composites Chen, W. X. et al. Carbon, 2003. 41, (2), 215-222. Ni-P-carbon nanotube (CNT) composite coating and carbon nanotubei copper matrix composites were prepared by electroless plating and powder metallurgy techniques, respectively. The effects of CNTs on the tribological properties of these composites were evaluated. The results demonstrated that the Ni-P-CNT electroless composite coating exhibited higher wear resistance and lower friction coefficient than Ni-P-Sic and Ni-P-graphite composite coatings. After annealing at 673 K for 2 h, the wear resistance of the Ni-P-CNT composite coating was improved. Carbon nanotubeicopper matrix composites revealed a lower wear rate and friction coefficient compared with pure copper, and their wear rates and friction coefficients showed a decreasing trend with increasing volume fraction of CNTs within the range from 0 to 12 vol.% due to the effects of the reinforcement and reduced friction of CNTs. The favorable effects of CNTs on the tribological properties are attributed to improved mechanical properties and unique topological structure of the hollow nanotubes.
02 LIQUID
FUELS
Sources, properties, recovery 03/02151 A reconsideration of the ‘oil window’ for humic coal and kerogen type Ill source rocks
Petersen, H. I. Journal of Pemhm Geology, 2002, 25, (4), 407-432. Based on natural data-sets and several hydrous pyrolysis experiments on immature humic coals, the conventional ‘oil window’ (0.5%0.6%Rwmi to 1.3-1.35%Rwmi) for humic coals is reconsidered. A worldwide coal data-set comprising coals of Carboniferous-Tertiary age and having vitrinite reflectances from 0.32%R& to 3.6%Roi indicates that initial liquid hydrocarbon generation commences at a virtrinite reflectance of O.S%RDi to 0.6%R,mi, and that a significant liquid hydrocarbon build-up occurs from approx. 0.6%R,;mi to 0.85%R,mi. The start of the ‘oil window’ corresponds to a vltrinite reflectance of 0.85%Rfli; however, the start of the ‘oil window’ can vary significantly for individual coal series, and it may range up to a vitrinite reflectance of l.lS%R,mi. Liquid hydrocarbon generation is negligible at a vitrinite reflectance of approx. l.8%R,-mi, and at 2.0%R,mi the hydrocarbon generative potential is exhausted. A vitrinite reflectance of l.S%Rmi corresponds to the end of the ‘oil window’, and for general use a vitrinite reflectance range of 0.85l.S%R,mi is suggested to define the ‘oil window’ for humic coals and kerogen type III. The end of the ‘oil window’ at l.S%R& is supported by published data, indicating a much higher thermal stability of nCIS+ hydrocarbons than is generally accepted, and therefore limited oil-toFuel and Energy Abstracts
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