ACARP ACARP ACARP ACARP
Technical Market Support

Predicting Dilatation Of Coal Blends From Models Of Softening, Bubble Growth And Gas Transport

Technical Market Support » Metallurgical Coal

Published: April 13Project Number: C21057

Get ReportAuthor: David Jenkins, Merrick Mahoney | CSIRO, University of Newcastle

The objectives of this project were to

· Modify/develop existing models of bubble growth and collapse within a viscous fluid, gas evolution and gas flow in porous media that represent the conditions prevailing within the plastic phase of coal;

· Use the developed model to replicate conditions in the dilatometer process, compare results with actual dilatometer measurements and explain the dilatation behaviour;

· Use the model as a predictive tool for coal blends.

 

This report will demonstrate that the objectives have been achieved. The project was conducted in a series of steps.

 

Firstly, a model of the dilatation process was developed based upon component models of gas evolution, particle swelling (due to bubble growth) and gas transport (out of particles, out of the dilatometer tube as well as into bubbles).

 

The developed model was then used to "fit" key parameters to a range of dilatometer experiments on single coals. The parameters represent the number of initial bubble sites in the coal, the fraction of coal particles that remain unsoftened and the inherent permeability of the sample. These quantities all have meaning for the specific coal and are shown to be consistent with other information.

 

Finally, the model was used to compare predictions of the dilatation of a range of binary, ternary and multi-coal blends with experimental values. In most cases, the comparison was very good, but in cases where "non-expanding" coal dominates the blend, the model has difficulty reproducing the measured dilatation curve. There is a need to obtain more dilatometer test results to strengthen the ability of the model in this regard.

 

The successful comparison leads us to conclude that we now have a model that is able to make reasonable predictions of the dilatation of coal blends, once a few basic parameters of the coals comprising the blend are known.

 

It is important to understand that the modelling process used here is based on models of the various phenomena occurring during the heating of coal particles. As a result, the model is more than a predictive tool for dilatation, since it helps considerably in our understanding of the process of conversion of coal into coke. Moreover, there is a compelling argument to extend the application of this work to other methods of testing coking coals. In particular, we see a clear development path for the model to next consider sole-heated oven/Sapoznikov tests. The key difference in those tests from the dilatometer is the presence of a vertical temperature gradient in the sample, which means that particulate coal, plastic phase, semi-coke and coke may all exist simultaneously. Ultimately, success in modelling at that level will lead to modelling of the coke oven charge itself.

Underground

Health and safety, productivity and environment initiatives.

Recently Completed Projects

C34019Longwall Bretby Cable Handling Monitoring With Fibre Optics

This project examined the potential of using fibre optic sensing tec...

C27049Mine Machine Radar Sensor Integration

The aim of this project was to develop an integrated radar sensor an...

C29007Innovative Coal Burst System To Investigate The Influence Of Confinement Loss And Pre-Conditioning On Coal Burst Mechanism

The challenges associated with designing and operating a safe and pr...

Underground

Open Cut

Safety, productivity and the right to operate are priorities for open cut mine research.

Recently Completed Projects

C33035High Water Recovery, Low Cost Desalination Using PV-Powered Membrane Capacitive Deionisation (Mcdi)

Capacitive deionization is a robust, energy efficient and cost effec...

C28035Topsoil Deficits In Site Rehabilitation Accelerated Transformation Of Spoils To Functional Soils

The incorporation of commercial biological amendments (compost, worm...

C34036Tyre Handler Testing Rig Stage 2: Lifting Trials

Tyre handling is a major source of risk in surface mining operations...

Open Cut

Coal Preparation

Maximising throughput and yield while minimising costs and emissions.

Coal Preparation

Technical Market Support

Market acceptance and emphasising the advantages of Australian coals.

Recently Completed Projects

C34060In-Situ Investigation Of Coke Structure Formation Under Stamp Charged Coking Conditions

Stamp charged cokemaking has emerged as an effective technique to im...

C34062Improving The Classification Of Microstructure Distribution In Coke CT Images Using Deep Learning And Lineal Path Calculations

This project builds on a number of earlier projects that have helped...

C29071Source Of Variability Of Reactivity Of Coke In The CSR Test

The Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR) test is used worldwide to det...

Technical Market Support

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from the production of coal.

Recently Completed Projects

C28076Selective Absorption Of Methane By Ionic Liquids (SAMIL)

This third and final stage of this project was the culmination of a ...

C29069Low-Cost Catalyst Materials For Effective VAM Catalytic Oxidation

Application of ventilation air methane (VAM) thermal oxidiser requir...

C23052Novel Stone Dust Looping Process For Ventilation Air Methane Abatement

This multi‐phase project is concerned with the mitigation of m...

Mine Site Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Low Emission Coal Use

Step-change technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently Completed Projects

C17060BGasification Of Australian Coals

Four Australian coals were trialled in the Siemens 5 MWth pilot scale ga...

C17060AOxyfuel Technology For Carbon Capture And Storage Critical Clean Coal Technology - Interim Support

The status of oxy-fuel technology for first-generation plant is indicate...

C18007Review Of Underground Coal Gasification

This report consists of a broad review of underground coal gasification,...

Low Emission Coal Use

Mining And The Community

The relationship between mines and the local community.

Recently Completed Projects

C16027Assessing Housing And Labour Market Impacts Of Mining Developments In Bowen Basin Communities

The focus of this ACARP-funded project has been to identify a number...

C22029Understanding And Managing Cumulative Impacts Of Coal Mining And Other Land Uses In Regions With Diversified Economies

The coal industry operates in the context of competing land-uses that sh...

C23016Approval And Planning Assessment Of Black Coal Mines In NSW And Qld: A Review Of Economic Assessment Techniques

This reports on issues surrounding economic assessment and analysis ...

Mining And The Community

NERDDC

National Energy Research,Development & Demonstration Council (NERDDC) reports - pre 1992.

Recently Completed Projects

1609-C1609Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

Self Heating of Spoil Piles from Open Cut Coal Mines

1301-C1301Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development...

Stress Control Methods for Optimised Development and Extraction Operations

0033-C1356Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals...

Commissioned Report: Australian Thermal Coals - An Industry Handbook

NERDDC