Fundamentals of the Physical-Chemistry of Pulverized Coal Combustion, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1987 NATO Science Series E: Series, Vol. 137

The study of coal for the production of energy is certainly not a new area of research. Many research works were carried out to improve the efficiency of industrial and domestic facilities. In the sixties, however, because of the availability and low cost of petroleum, coal consumption decreased and the research effort in this area was minimum. Meanwhile, the situation has totally changed. Considering the reserves of oil and the instability ofregions where they are located, it is becoming absolutely necessary to develop other sources of energy.The major alternative to oil appears to be coal, at least for the near future. Indeed, the reserves known today represent several centuries of energy consumption.!t is therefore becoming urgent to develop efficient and non polluting technologies to produce energy from coal. The main possibilities are : · liquefaction · gasification · directed combustion. Research and development efforts on liquefaction have been considerably reduced because of high cost of technologies involved and poor prospects for the next two decades. Research works on gasification are progressing; it is a promising approach. However, direct combustion either in pulverized coal furnaces or in fluidized beds is the more promising way of expanding rapidly the utilization of coal. These techniques are already used in some facilities but many environmental problems remain, slowing down their development.

Session.- Coal characterization in Vitiation to coal combustion.- Coal characterization by a Laser microprobe (LAMMA).- Devolatilization.- Kinetics of devolatilization.- A microscopic and kinetic study of coal particle, devolatilization in a Laser beam.- Evaluation of coal pyrolysis kinetics.- Modelling of coal devolatilization with a non-linear heating rate.- Porous morphology of coal. Its transformation during pyrolysis.- The role of volatiles in coal combustion.- Heterogeneous Combustion.- Heterogeneous combustion of residual coke particle..- Pollutants in Coal Combustion.- Pollutants formation and destruction.- Mineral matter in pulverized coal combustion.- Influence of mineral matter on boiler performance.- Staged combustion of pulverized coal.- Optical Diagnostics.- Optical diagnostics for in-situ measurements in pulverized coal combustion environments.- In-situ FT-IR emission/transmission diagnostics in combustion.- The Mie theory and the nature of attenuation of thermal radiation in pulverized coal flames.- Transfer to the Modelling.- Transfer of fundamental results to the modelling of burners and boilers.- Investigation of the influence of furnace geometry and coal properties on furnace performance with the help of radiation transfer model.- Application of mathematical flame modelling to N0x emissions from coal flames.- Practical use of coal combustion research.- Synthesis and Recommendations for Future Work.- Banks of coals.- List of Participants.