Study on Pyrolysis Characteristics of Coal and Combustion Gas Release in Inert Environment

Abstract

In this study, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to heat the coal samples of six different coalification degrees from room temperature to 1000°C at 20°C·min−1 under nitrogen atmosphere. The influence of coal degree and pyrolysis temperature on the content of pyrolysis products of coal was analyzed by the TG/DTG curve. FTIR spectroscopy was used to obtain the IR spectra of generated gases and study their variation at different temperatures in the process of coal heating without oxygen, and the gas release during pyrolysis was discussed. The results showed that the pyrolysis reaction initiated at 400°C and ended at 800°C. The maximum mass loss occurred in the temperature range of 480 to 500°C. The values of maximum and minimum weight loss rates were 32.72 and 18.89%, respectively. The mass loss during the pyrolysis process corresponded well with the volatile matter contained in the sample. Permanent gas analysis and IR spectrum analysis indicated that when the temperature was 600°C, the peak value of methane (CH4) appeared at 3016 wave, indicating the generation of CH4 at this time. When the temperature reached 700°C, the peak area of 2360 wave increased, all coal samples began to release carbon dioxide (CO2), release rate of CH4 gas decreased, and yield of CO2 was maximized. At 800°C, all peaks of 3160 wave disappeared, indicating that there was no unreacted short-chain release at this temperature. At the same time, the pyrolysis reaction tended to remove the excess hydrogen-oxygen conjugates in the carbon structure and release them in the form of water vapor.