Organic desulfurization of Assam coal and its sulfur-rich lithotypes by sequential solvent extraction to obtain cleaner fuel

In this paper the distribution of sulfur in different lithotypes in Assam coal is reported and an attempt is made for organic desulfurization of Assam coal by directly using original run-of-mine coal as well as by taking its sulfur-rich lithotypes, using sequential solvent extraction to obtain cleaner fuel. More than 80% organic sulfur was found to have been removed by this treatment. The vitrinite content of the coal seemed to play no significant role on the organic desulfurization of the coal and sulfur-rich lithotypes. Successive sequential extraction of coal may help in desulfurization of high sulfur coals to obtain cleaner fuels.