Laboratory Services for Coal
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SGS MINERALS SERVICES – T3 SGS 525 10-2013 ANALYTICAL SERVICES FOR COAL SGS laboratories offers accurate, cost COAL ANALYSIS effective chemical analysis in accordance with international standards analytical CAPABILITIES services to the coal industry. We provide SGS provides the following analytical the testing you need whether you are services for our customers: a producer, transporter or consumer of • Proximate (moisture, ash, sulfur, coal. Many of our laboratories conform volatile matter, calorific content) to recognized global standards such • Ultimate (moisture, ash, sulfur, as American Society for Testing and carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen Materials (ASTM), International Standards incineration due to chemical changes (by difference)) Organization (ISO) and Japanese Institute during combustion. The total mass of • Fusion temperature of ash of Standards (JIS) for specific registered ash produced can differ somewhat • Free Swelling Index tests. Our qualified technicians operate from those obtained in power plant • Mineral analysis of ash in laboratories with state-of-the-art furnaces because of dissimilar • Trade element analysis instrumentation, providing you with the incineration conditions. • Forms of sulfur utmost attention to accuracy, reputable • Equilibrium moisture ASH ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS methodology, and reliable operating • Hardgrove Grindability Index • Our technicians provide complete ash procedures. • Specific Gravity elemental analysis, identifying the • Oxidation Index following compounds in accordance QUALITY ASSURANCE • Micron Particle Size Distribution with global industry standards: SiO2, • Sieve analysis CaO, Fe2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, K2O, SGS' quality assurance program ensures • Metallurgical coke physical and Mn3O4, BaO, SrO, P2O5, and SO3. our data meets international quality chemical analysis Ash elemental analysis performed by standards. We monitor quality through • Metallurgical coke heological and qualified SGS technicians will provide participation in industry and organizational Petrographic Testing a quantitative evaluation of oxides programs, and our own, unique round that adversely affect the ash fusion robin program administered through the PROXIMATE ANALYSIS temperature within your boiler, which Institute for Inter-laboratory Studies. leads to increased slagging and fouling Our labs use concepts of Total Quality MOISTURE (STANDARD METHOD: ASTM problems. Management (TQM), which continuously D3173, ISO 11722, AS1038.3 ) refines laboratory processes based on ASH FUSION • Moisture is defined as the water that continuous quality feedback. This ensures • The ash fusion temperatures are exists in the coal at the site, time, and consistent operations on a daily basis. determined in oxidizing and reducing under the conditions it is sampled. atmospheres. Ash fusion data SGS laboratories continually monitor The amount of moisture in a sample combined with the ash’s elemental analytical processes through the is determined by measuring the loss analysis can be used to develop application of statistical process control in mass between an as-mined sample empirical relationships between the (SPC). SPC involves plotting the and one that has been heated under ash chemistry and the ash softening results of chemical processes and using controlled conditions to drive off water temperatures. statistical methods to monitor, evaluate, not contained within the chemical and predict process behaviors. SPC is an structure of the coal. SULFUR (STANDARD METHOD: ASTM effective tool that determines if process ASH (STANDARD METHOD: ASTM D3174, D4239, ISO 351, AS1038.6) results are outside either the acceptable range for the chemical process or outside ISO 1171, AS1038.3) • Sulfur content determinations help to evaluatate the potential sulfur the quality standards our labs adhere to. • The ash content of coal is the non- emissions from coal combustion, or Problems are detected and remedied combustible residue left after carbon, for contract specifications purposes. promptly to ensure analytical accuracy. oxygen, sulfur and water has been driven off during combustion. The remaining residue or ash is expressed as a percent of the original coal sample weight. The composition of this final ash differs from the inorganic constituents of the coal prior to SGS MINERALS SERVICES – T3 SGS 525 2 CALORIFIC VALUE (STANDARD METHOD: including moisture, ash, carbon, hydrogen, ASTM D5865, ISO 1928, AS1038.9.3) nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen (by difference). Each element is determined through • The calorific value (or heat of chemical analysis and expressed as a combustion) of coal or coke is the percentage of the total mass of the original heat liberated when the solid fuel coal or coke sample. undergoes complete combustion in oxygen. The fuel sample is burned in a bomb calorimeter and the total heat ADDITIONAL ELEMENTAL energy (in BTU/lb) is measured. This ANALYSIS is a fundamental test in determining the quality of coal and coke. Elemental analysis is utilized to determine the exact percentage of specific VOLATILE MATTER (STANDARD METHOD: elements by analytical chemical means ASTM D4239, ISO 351, AS1038.3 ) in accordance with accepted industry • Volatile matter in coal refers to the standards. SGS will perform complete components of coal, except for chemical analysis on the following water, which are liberated at high additional elements at your request: WATER TESTING temperature in the absence of oxygen arsenic, beryllium, boron, bromine, carbon under rigidly controlled conditions. dioxide, total chlorine, water soluble SGS has the capability of performing The mass of volatiles liberated is chlorine, fluorine, hexavalent chrome, all the water testing required by the determined through a before and inerts (silica), lead, mercury, phosphorus operators of coal facilities. Please contact after weight comparison. Generally (on a coal or ash basis), selenium, sodium, your local coal laboratory for detailed volatile matter is highest in low grades potassium, sulfur forms, and tellurium. information. of bituminous coals and lowest in SGS is a global leader in laboratory hard coals such as anthracite. Volatile analysis. SGS strives to maintain matter is a key component in the TOXICITY TESTING international benchmarks for quality classification of coal and represents a SGS has the capabilities to provide you with and integrity throughout our analytical real health and safety concern as coals complete toxicity analysis for your coal or procedures. Our experienced technicians high in volatiles have an increased risk coke. Quantitative measurements for the will provide you with the following of spontaneous combustion. following elements can be determined chemical analytical services: FIXED CARBON (STANDARD METHOD: in accordance with recognized national • Proximate analysis ASTM D5142, ISO 17246) standards: arsenic, barium, cadmium, • Ultimate analysis chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, and • Calorific value • The fixed carbon content of coal silver. In addition, we can perform toxic • Elemental analysis is determined by subtracting the characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) • Toxicity testing percentages of moisture, volatile extraction analysis, which is used to matter and ash from the original mass As your technical partner, SGS can help you determine the amount of metal in your coal of the coal sample. In practical terms maximize your capabilities and reduce the or coke sample that is likely to be available it is the solid combustible residue risks associated with coal and coke analysis. for leaching into the environment. that remains after a coal has had the volatiles driven off. This differs from the ultimate carbon content of the coal METALLURGICAL COAL because some carbon is lost in the TESTING CONTACT INFORMATION combustion process as hydrocarbons within the volatile components. Fixed SGS provides a full suite of coal and coke Email us at [email protected] carbon is used as an estimate of the tests, including the capability to coke coal www.sgs.com/coal amount of coke that will be yielded samples in three different coking batch from a sample of coal. ovens. These capabilities are detailed in our Metallurgical Coal and Coke brochure. ULTIMATE ANALYSIS The ultimate analysis produces more comprehensive results than the proximate analysis and is used in the determination © SGS Group Management SA – 2013 – All rights reserved - SGS is a registered trademark of SGS Group Management SA of the elemental composition of the coal .