Coal Technology Lecture Notes

INTRODUCTION TO THE SUBJECT

HISTORY
Coal was one of man's earliest sources of heat and light. It has been said that the
Chinese knew the use of coal to a slight extent before the Greeks did; The Chinese were
known to have dug it more than 3,000 years ago.

Coal is a non-renewable fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were
preserved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation, thus sequestering
atmospheric carbon. Coal is a readily combustible black or brownish-black rock. It is a
sedimentary rock, but the harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as
metamorphic rocks because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure.
Coal is often referred to as "buried sunshine," because the plants which formed coal
captured energy from the sun through photosynthesis to create the compounds that
make up plant tissues. The most important element in the plant material is carbon,
which gives coal most of its energy.

Coal Mining: Underground scene showing full baskets (corves) of coal being loaded on a
tram wagon using a crane. (London 1760)

By: Agha Shafi Jawaid Pathan (1)

 Coal Technology Lecture Notes

DEFINITION AND IMPORTANCE

Coal is a combustible organic (Sedimentary) rock composed primarily of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen. Coal is a physically and chemically complex substance that has
been defined in different ways over the years. Currently, the most widely accepted
definition is that adopted by the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM) which
is as follows:
“Coal is a readily combustible rock containing more than 50 percent by weight and more
than 70 percent by volume of carbonaceous material including inherent moisture, and
formed by the accumulation and burial of plant material along old river banks, deltas,
lagoons, marshes, etc. Differences in the kinds of plant materials (type), in degree of
metamorphism (rank), and in the range of impurity (grade) are characteristic of Coal and
are used in Coal classification”.

Increasing metamorphism results an increase in Coal rank. Lignite, sub-bituminous,

bituminous, and anthracite coals are produced by increased pressure and heat resulting
from the depth of burial. As the coal's rank increases so does its hardness, brittleness,
brightness, and energy potential. Coal is burned to produce energy (for Power
generation and Steel manufacturing). It is also an important source of chemicals used to
make medicine, fertilizers, pesticides, and other products.

Coal is one of major energy source which is contributing in world’s energy systems with
the share of 23.80 % and 23.75 % of production and consumption respectively. But the
utilization of coal as a fuel is a potential threat to the environment. Undesirable
products, which are generated during the combustion, contaminate atmosphere, water
and soil. In order to obtain clean fuels, the liquefaction and gasification of the world’s
mot abundant fuel i.e., coal, have gained increasing attention. The energy sector
requires efficient and clean energy supplies.

By: Agha Shafi Jawaid Pathan (2)