Determination of organic oxygen in petroleum cokes and coals

The accuracy of the oxygen value is important in calculating heat balances for boiler efficiency studies in coke and coal industry, and these data are used for determining the suitability of coals for coking, liquefaction, or gasification processes. Nowadays, organic oxygen is normally estimated by subtracting the determined percentages of all other constituents (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, and ash content) from 100, so the errors in the determined values are reflected in the estimated organic oxygen value. This paper describes a rapid and reliable methodology for the analysis of organic oxygen in petroleum cokes and coals using a pyrolysis furnace followed by IR detection, calculating the detection and quantification limits and the uncertainty of the method. The accuracy of the method has been also checked by analyzing reference materials and determining all the constituents (C, H, N, S, and ash content) of the petroleum cokes and coals analysed in this study. The organic oxygen data have been also correlated with the volatile matter as the oxygen containing compounds constitute part of the total volatile matter and this parameter is important in the selection of coals and in the evaluation of coking of coke which will determine the use of the coke. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.