CHARACTERIZATION OF UPGRADED BROWN COAL (UBC)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Large amounts of coal resources are found throughout Indonesia. The coal resources amount to 58 billion tonnes, of which about 86% are classified as lignite and sub-bituminous coals that are usually referred to as low rank coals (LRCs). The utilization of LRC causes some problems, such as spontaneous combustion and difficulties in transport and handling. Because LRCs have high moisture content, various dewatering and upgrading processes have been developed to generate a more commercially acceptable, lower moisture product. One of these processes is the Upgraded Brown Coal (UBC) process developed by Kobe Steel Ltd. In this study, an Indonesian LRC was processed using the UBC bench scale unit of 100 kg/day at a temperature of 150°C and a pressure of 350 KPa using kerosene as the process media. To prevent the increase of equilibrium moisture content in the dried coal, the addition of low sulfur wax residue (LSWR) was needed. The characteristics of both the raw and the upgraded product have been studied, i.e.: Proximate and ultimate analysis. Combustion characteristics by differential thermal and thermo gravimetric analysis (DTA-TG). Cross point temperature (CPT) to study liability towards spontaneous combustion. Physical characteristics of surface area. Functional group (C‒H and C˭O) analysis using FTIR (Fourier transformation infrared) spectrometry.