A commercial elemental on-line coal analyzer using pulsed neutrons

Because of its heterogeneity and the delay involved, traditional laboratory analysis of coal samples does not allow real time control of coal bulk parameters. Large excursions in important parameters (such as sulfur or calorific content) can be expensive and can be avoided with an on-line coal analyzer. The system that we developed utilizes nuclear reactions produced from fast and thermal neutrons and from neutron activation producing isotopes with half-lives longer than a few seconds. Characteristic gamma rays detected with BGO (bismuth germanate) detectors are used for the identification of the various chemical elements. The main features of the analyzer are elemental self-calibration independent of the coal seam; better accuracy in the determination of elements such as carbon, oxygen, and sodium; and diminished radiation risk. A prototype coal analyzer has been built and the first commercial model is currently being developed.