Experimental study of the rapid devolatilization of pulverized coals.

Rapid devolatilization of various pulverized coals have been studied in a laboratory bench constituted by a flat flame burner of propane which reproduces thermal conditions of an industrial flame. The particles, which undergo a heating rate of 6.10(6) K-1.s(-1) with a peak temperature of 1100 degrees C, are completely devolatilized within 24 ms. Fifteen coals, included in a wide range (anthracite to subbituminous coal) have been tested. The coal weight loss is globally proportional to the normalized volatile matter content with some exceptions which confirm the advantage of this laboratory bench. The formation of tars or hydrocarbons has been related to the coal weight loss. Carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen devolatilized fraction have been followed with total mass weight loss. In spite of the fact that hydrogen and carbon devolatilized fractions present a good correlation with the total mass weight loss, the nitrogen devolatilized fraction have an anarchic evolution. For high heating rates, the devolatilization of tars observed for the bituminous coals seems to explain this unpredictable phenomenon. These results will be valorized in comparison with those obtained in industrial flame conditions.