Experiment No:

Experiment Name: Determination of the Moisture Content, Ash Content and Volatile Matter and Fixed
Carbon Content of Coal.

ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this experiment is to assess the moisture, ash, and volatile matter content of the
provided fuel sample, coal, using a dryer and a muffle furnace. A certain amount of charcoal was placed
in a crucible and weighed three times. The weight was deducted from the preceding one each time to
calculate the moisture, ash, and volatile matter content. After drying in a dryer to determine moisture
content, the charcoal was placed in a muffle furnace twice to determine ash content and volatile matter
content. These weights were computed as a percentage.

INTRODUCTION:
A fuel is any material that is produced to react with other substances in such a way that chemical or
nuclear energy is released as heat or utilized for work. Originally applied only to materials capable of
producing chemical energy, the idea has recently been extended to other sources of thermal energy
such as nuclear energy (via nuclear fission or nuclear fusion).

Chemical fuels are substances that release energy by reacting with substances around them, most
notably by the process of combustion. Chemical fuels are divided in two ways. First, by their physical
properties, as a solid, liquid or gas. Secondly, based on their occurrence: primary (natural fuel) and
secondary (artificial fuel).

The coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in
layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be
regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure. Coal is
composed primarily of carbon along with variable quantities of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur,
oxygen, and nitrogen. A fossil fuel, coal forms when dead plant matter is converted into peat, which in
turn is converted into lignite, then sub-bituminous coal, after that bituminous coal, and lastly anthracite.
This involves biological and geological processes that take place over a long period.

Conversion of coal:

Peat → Lignite → Sub-bituminous → Bituminous → Anthracite

There are several different types of coal that have different properties usually dependent on their age
and the depth to which they have been buried under other rocks. In some parts of the world (for
example New Zealand), coal development is accelerated by volcanic heat or crustal stresses. The degree
of coal development is referred to as a coal’s “rank,” with peat being the lowest rank coal and anthracite
the highest.

To analyze the percentage of components of the coal, there are two ways can be defined. They are
ultimate analysis and proximate analysis. The ultimate analysis determines all coal component elements,
solid or gaseous and the proximate analysis determines only the fixed carbon, volatile matter, moisture
content and ash percentages. The ultimate analysis is determined in a properly equipped laboratory by a
skilled chemist, while proximate analysis can be determined with a simple apparatus.
Proximate analysis:

Proximate analysis indicates the percentage by weight of the Fixed Carbon, Volatiles, Ash, and Moisture
Content in coal. The amounts of fixed carbon and volatile combustible matter directly contribute to the
heating value of coal. Fixed carbon acts as a main heat generator during burning. High volatile matter
content indicates easy ignition of fuel. The ash content is important in the design of the furnace grate,
combustion volume, pollution control equipment and ash handling systems of a furnace.

Moisture:

Moisture is an important property of coal, as all coals are mined wet. Groundwater and other
extraneous moisture are known as adventitious moisture and is readily evaporated. Moisture held
within the coal itself is known as inherent moisture and is analyzed quantitatively.

 Moisture Increases heat loss, due to evaporation and superheating of vapor.

 Moisture Helps, to a limit, in binding fines.
 Aids radiation heat transfer.

Determination of moisture carries out by placing a sample of powdered raw coal in an uncovered
crucible and it is placed in the oven kept at 108 ± 2℃ along with the lid. Then the sample is cooled to
room temperature and weighed again. The loss in weight represents moisture.
loss ∈weight
%free moisture content= × 100
initial weight of coal
Volatile matter:

Volatile matter is products given off by a material as gas or vapor, determined by definite prescribed
methods. One of its main industrial uses is in determining the properties of coal. In coal, volatile matter
is those substances, other than moisture, that are given off as gas and vapor during combustion. This is
usually a mixture of short- and long-chain hydrocarbons/aromatic hydrocarbons and some sulfur.

Volatile Matter-

 Proportionately increases flame length and helps in easier ignition of coal.

 Sets minimum limit on the furnace height and volume.
 Influences secondary air requirement and distribution aspects.
 Influences secondary oil support

Fresh crushed coal is weighed, placed in a covered crucible, and heated in a furnace at 900 ± 15 ℃. The
sample is cooled and weighed. Loss of weight represents volatile matter.
loss∈weight
%volatile matter content = ×100
initial weight of coal
Ash:
Ash content of coal is the non-combustible residue left after coal is burnt. It represents the bulk mineral
matter after carbon, oxygen, sulfur, and water (including from clays) has been driven off during
combustion. Analysis is straight forward, with the coal thoroughly burnt and the ash material expressed
as a percentage of the original weight. It can also give an indication about the quality of coal. Ash
content may be determined as air dried basis and on oven dried basis. The main difference between the
two is that the latter is determined after expelling the moisture content in the sample of coal.

Ash-

 Ash Reduces handling and burning capacity; Affects combustion efficiency and boiler efficiency.
 Increases handling costs.
 Causes clinkering and slagging.

Fixed carbon:
The fixed carbon content of the coal is the carbon found in the material which is left after volatile
materials are driven off. This differs from the ultimate carbon content of the coal because some carbon
is lost in hydrocarbons with the volatiles. Fixed carbon is used as an estimate of the amount of coke that
will be yielded from a sample of coal. Fixed carbon is determined by removing the mass of volatiles
determined by the volatility test, above, from the original mass of the coal sample.

Ash Content and Fixed Carbon Calculation:

The cover from the crucible used in the last test is removed and the crucible is heated over the Bunsen
burner until all the carbon is burned. The residue is weighed, which is the incombustible ash. The
difference in weight from the previous weighing is the fixed carbon. In actual practice Fixed Carbon or FC
derived by subtracting from 100 the value of moisture, volatile matter, and ash.
loss∈weight
%ash content= ×100
initial weight of coal wihout moisture
%fixed carbon=100−(%moisture+%volatile matter+%ash)

APPARATUS:
 Translucent silica crucible
 Charcoal
 Muffle furnace
 Dryer

METHODOLOGY:
Moisture content measurement:
 Dry the silica crucible in an oven and weight.
 Spread out mesh coal sample on the crucible. Weight the crucible again to find the exact mass of
the sample.
 Heat the crucible without any cover in the oven at about 105 ± 5℃ for 1 hour.
 Take out the crucible from the oven, cover it with the lid and cool.
 Weight the crucible to find the loss in weight of coal due to presence of moisture.
Volatile matter measurement:
 Heat a clean crucible and its lid at 900 ± 15 ℃ for 7 minutes in muffle furnace.
 Allow the crucible and lid to cool on a metal plate for a minute and in Desiccator for 10 minutes.
 Weight the crucible and lid together. Put sample and weight again to know the exact mass.
 Insert the crucible with the lid on it into the furnace at 900 C and keep there for a period of 7
minutes.
 Weigh the crucible with the lid to know the weight loss due to expulsion of volatile matter.
Ash content measurement:
 Follow the steps 1 to 3 of moisture determination.
 Insert the open crucible in the furnace at 815 ℃ for an hour.
 Remove the crucible; allow it to cool for 10 minutes on the slab and 15 minutes in the
desiccator.
 Weigh the crucible to find the mass left which is the ash content of the coal.

Muffle Furnace
Crucible with coal

DATA:
Components (at different Weight (gm) Loss of weight (gm)
temperature)
Crucible 22.75 -
Crucible + coal 24.966 2.216 (coal)
Crucible + coal (105 ℃ ) 23.185 0.435 (moisture content)
Crucible + coal (400℃ ) 22.759 0.39 (Carbonaceous matter)
Crucible + coal (750℃ ) 22.754 0.004 (ash content)
Crucible + coal (925 ℃) 22.695 0.059 (volatile matter)
CALCULATION:
Here,

Crucible Weight = 22.75 gm

Crucible Weight along with Coal = 24.966 gm New weight by drying at 105℃ = 23.185 gm

Initial weight of Coal = (24.966 – 22.75) gm Final Weight of Coal = 24.966 – 23.185 gm = 1.781 gm

= 2.216 gm

So, the amount of Moisture Content is = 2.216 – 1.781 gm = 0.435 gm

Free Moisture Content = (loss in weight / initial weight of coal) *100 = (0.435 / 2.216) *100 = 19.629%

After heating at400 ℃ , the weight = 22.759 gm

So, the Carbonaceous Matter = (23.185 – 22.795) gm = 0.39 gm

Next day, it was heated at 750℃ and the weight is = 22.754 gm

And the Ash Content = (22.754 – 22.75) gm = 0.004 gm

So, the % Ash Content = (loss in weight / weight of coal without moisture) *100

= {0.004 / (23.185 – 22.75)} *100 = 0.9195% (Dry Basis)

Again, the % Ash Content = (loss in weight / initial weight of coal) *100 = (0.004 / 2.216) *100

= 0.180% (Wet Basis)

Finally, the crucible with the remaining content was heated to 925℃ and the weight is = 22.695 gm

And the % Volatile Matter Content = (loss in weight / initial weight of coal) *100

= (22.754 – 22.695) *100 = 5.9%

Finally,

Fixed Carbon Content = (100 - % Free Moisture Content - % Volatile Matter Content - % Ash Content)

= 100 – (19.629 + 5.9 + 0.180) [ Ash content calculated for wet basis]

= 74.291%

RESULT:
 %Free moisture content = 19.629%
 % Volatile matter content = 5.9%
 %Ash content = 0.180% (wet basis)
 %Fixed carbon content = 74.291%
 %Ash content = 0.9195% (Dry basis)
 Proximate analysis of coal
19.63%

5.90%

0.92%
0.18%

74.29%

Moisture Volatile matter Ash(dry) Ash(wet) Fixed carbon

DISCUSSION:
The process was very much time consuming. And there was only one muffle furnace, so we may have
some fluctuation in result for this reason. But there was no major problem occurs by our group. We
tried our best to get the best possible result.

CONCLUSION:
The composition of coal varies widely and hence it is necessary to analyze and intercept the results from
the point of commercial classification. For selection of coal for different applications is mainly made
based on high volatile content, low moisture content and low ash content. The ash content of all the
samples falls within the expected range of 3-15%

PRECAUTIONS:
 The apparatus must be clean.
 Avoid breathing over the surface of apparatus during experiment.

REFERENCE:
 https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/coal/
 https://www.griffincoal.com.au/coal-education/coal-types/
 https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2008/05/the-chemical-composition-of-coal-
and-its-negative-impact-52584.html
 https://www.scribd.com/doc/215173482/total-moisture-content-of-coal
 https://www.epa.gov/coalash/coal-ash-basics
 Lab manual.