FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF DRIED LOW RANK COALS

The chemical and physical properties of coal are strongly affected by the upgrading process employed. This paper evaluates the feasibility of upgrading a low rank/grade coal using an oven drying method. The objective of this research work is to study the drying characteristics of low rank coals and to understand the factors affecting the quality of dried low rank coals. The results on drying kinetics, re-absorption of coal samples and proximate analysis of coal sample before and after drying are discussed. It was found that the upgrading process produced coal with better heating value and combustion characteristics than those of the raw coal samples.