The Synergistic Effect Between Coal Macerals During Hydropyrolysis

Abstract

Using TGA technology, the volatile matter yields during hydropyrolysis of Chinese Shenmu coal and its derived high purity macerals under different heating rates and pressures were investigated. The Δ W, calculated by the difference between the volatile matter yield of parent coal and that of macerals, is used to evaluate the synergistic effect of macerals during hydropyrolysis. The results showed that with increasing pressure and decreasing heating rate, the Δ W increases. At temperature of 500°C and pressure of 3 MPa, the difference of volatile matter yield between parent coal and vitrinite reaches the maximum and the Δ W also occurs the highest value of 14.1%, suggesting the existence of the synergistic effect between macerals during hydropyrolysis. Based on the structural characteristics of macerals and the basic knowledge of hydropyrolysis, the possible explanation for the synergism are proposed.

Keywords:

• hydropyrolysis
• maceral
• synergistic effect
• TGA technique
• volatile yield

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research Projects (No. 2004CB217704-3). The authors would also like to thank Prof. Wenhua Li and Dr. Xiangfei Bai for providing the samples.

Notes

^a V-C: vitrinite-concentrate, I-C: inertinite-concentrate.