Pyrolysis—gas chromatography of Australian coals. 2. Bituminous coals

✍ Scribed by Alan L. Chaffee; Geoffrey J. Perry; R.B. Johns

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 764 KB
• Volume: 62
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-2361
• DOI: 10.1016/0016-2361(83)90088-1

✦ Synopsis

Pyrolysisgaschromatography

(Py-g.c.) was used tocharacterizequantitativelya seriesof high-to lowvolatile bituminous Permian Australian coals. The levels of n-alkanes, n-alkenes and triterpenoids released by pyrolysis all decrease as a function of increasing rank and thus, the coal samples can be classified into three distinct groups. Carbon Preference Indices (CPl's) for alkanes and alkene/alkane ratios also decrease as a function of rank. The triterpenoids have exclusively the hopane skeleton. The hopane isomeric distributions exemplify the geological maturity of bituminous coals relative to brown coal (lignite). A significant correlation has been established between the level of n-alkanes and nalkenes released under Py-gc. conditions and the predicted oil yield by pyrolysis of these coals. Further development and application of the techniqueshould enable much to be learnt relating to the quality and yield of flash pyrolysis tars as well as the original coal macromolecular structure.