October 2005
PF 05-07 Profiles
‘Online analysis can play
a major role in
minimising generation
costs’
Coal quality and constituents from
the same mine can vary enormously. In
the past, obtaining accurate
measurements to determine coal
properties such as ash, moisture and
elemental content could be a time
consuming and lengthy process. Online
coal analysers began to be developed in
earnest in the late 1970s in Australia,
Europe and the United States. They
have been in use, mainly by coal-
producers, in coal mines and handling
and preparation facilities since the mid-
1980s and more recently in coal-fired
power plants. Their task is to provide
almost instantaneous information on
properties, mainly ash, moisture and
elemental composition. Today, online
analysers are also used to improve coal
flow and distribution, carry out in-
duct/boiler outlet gas measurement as
well as carbon in ash monitoring.
Development of online
analysis
Since the late 1980s, application of
coal analysers in coal-operations plants
shifted from merely monitoring to
process control and shipment
verification (consignment quality).
Changes in heavy-media gravity, silo
blend proportions and haul truck
dispatch, among other operations began
to be based on immediate results gained
from the online analysers. Many
producers realised rapid payback on
their analyser investment by reducing
the variability in coal quality. The
greater product consistency results in
improved recovery, better mine
utilisation, lower costs and more
contract flexibility.
Traditionally, coal quality in coal-
Online analysis and
coal-fired power plant
‘The performance of online
analysers depends strongly
on initial installation and
maintenance’
fired power plant is determined by
obtaining a suitable sample and sending
it to a laboratory for detailed analysis
using standard methods. Obtaining
representative samples of the many
thousands of tonnes of coal in a
consignment is difficult. Coal taken
from the top or sides of a pile will
almost always be different in quality
from the rest of the pile due to size
segregation and weathering/oxidation.
Furthermore, onsite as well as off-site
laboratory analyses can be time
consuming and hence do not
necessarily reflect current operating
conditions. The results are therefore not
only delayed, but also in many cases,
non-representative due to the
continuing change in the coal fed into
the boilers and the size of the sample
tested. They can also be unreliable
because of the combined potential for
error in sampling, preparation and
laboratory analysis. Online analysers
sample larger volumes and provide
faster and therefore more representative
information on the coal feed. Realtime
information on coal quality helps
efficient management of coal stockpiles
and improves plant performance.
Coal quality impacts
It has been said that of all the coal
quality impacts the most important is
pollutant emissions. Other coal quality
impacts on boiler involve corrosion,
deposition, combustion stability,
burnout and unburnt carbon in ash (see
figure). Ash deposition and slagging
can cause problems with some coals
(such as Powder River Basin (PRB)
coals). Unburnt carbon in ash can be
impacted by mill performance and
‘Repeatability combined
with speed, ease of
integration and reliability
are important’
grind quality, fuel/air distribution and
fitting of combustion modification
systems such as low NOx burners
(LNBs). SO2 emission reduction are
usually achieved either with the
installation of flue gas desulphurisation
(FGD) systems or switching to lower
sulphur coals. NOx emissions are
reduced by combustion modifications
or the installation of NOx abatement
and control systems. The Australian
Coal Association Research Program
(ACARP) manual of modern coal
testing methods, states that the use of
online analysis techniques may assist in
resolving some of the problems when
firing thermal coal in utility boilers.
The type of coal fired in a boiler
impacts steam generating equipment,
performance and total plant emissions.
As properties of coals and their ash,
moisture and elemental content vary
widely, it is advisable that all coals that
may be fired in a boiler should be
tested and monitored to indicate
chemical analyses, heating value and
grindability. Today, online analysers
are becoming more widely used in coal-
fired power plants. A more recent
development in the use of online
analysis is to measure coal flow into the
boiler, not only to improve efficiency
by balancing coal flow distribution to
burners for uniform combustion but
also to reduce the emissions from these
units.
CO2 emissions
CO2 emission trading in the
European Union began in January 2005.
The CO2 emission calculation is based
on three factors which are multiplied
together. These are: activity data,
 heat tranfer

fouling erosion and

slagging corrosion

combustion
stability and
burn out

ESP FGD pollutant

emission

pollutant
formation
pf pipework
erosion
handleability

mill wear
and
explosions

IEA Clean Coal Centre is a

Coal quality impact in pulverised coal power plant collaborative project of member
countries of the International
Energy Agency (IEA) to provide
information about and analysis of
emission factor and oxidation factor. order to reduce NOx emissions from coal technology, supply and use.
The activity data is the amount of fuel baseline conditions. This is because IEA Clean Coal Centre has
consumed multiplied by its net calorific reducing NOx emissions is closely contracting parties and sponsors
value (CV). The emission factor is the linked to the combustion process and is from: Australia, Austria, Canada,
carbon content of the fuel and the a natural candidate for optimisation. China, Denmark, the European
oxidation factor is the carbon content of The use of such systems is discussed in Union, India, Italy, Japan,
the ash. Emission control technologies detail in a previous IEA Clean Coal the Netherlands, New Zealand,
for CO2 are not currently used at Centre publication and is not discussed South Africa, Sweden, the UK
commercial scale. Improving plant further in this review. and the USA.
efficiency contributes towards reducing
Finally
CO2 emissions in coal-fired plant.
Application of online coal quality and In this review, developments in
other analysers discussed in this review online analysis techniques and
can result in reducing the amount of application since the mid 1990s are
coal fired at a facility, increasing plant presented. Coal-quality characterisation,
efficiency, reducing emissions and as well as coal-flow and particle size
maintaining the level of carbon in ash, distribution, in-duct/boiler outlet gas,
simultaneously. and carbon in ash monitoring,
measurement and control in pulverised
Online analysis techniques
coal power plants are also discussed.
Online analysis of coal is based on
exposing a sample to a field of energy
from a suitable source and detecting the
resultant emissions. The inherent
natural radioactivity of the coal can also
be measured. Different techniques are Each issue of Profiles is based on a
used to measure ash, moisture and the detailed study undertaken by IEA Gemini House
elemental composition of the coal. Clean Coal Centre, the full report of 10-18 Putney Hill
These techniques are discussed in detail which is available separately. This London SW15 6AA
in other IEA Clean Coal Centre particular issue of Profiles is based on United Kingdom
publications. the report:
Data acquisition systems holding all Tel: +44 (0)20 8780 2111
measured parameter information in Online analysis and coal-fired Fax: +44 (0)20 8780 1746
coal-fired power plants, including power plant e-mail: mail@iea-coal.org.uk
online analysis data, are today being Herminé Nalbandian > Internet: www.iea-coal.org.uk
used to create models and simulations. CCC/100, ISBN 92-9029-416-7,
Furthermore these are being used in 66 pp, September 2005,
‘intelligent’ computer-based plant £255*/£85†/£42.50‡
optimisation processes. Many * non-member countries
knowledge-based computer systems are † member countries
in use or under development mainly to ‡ educational establishments within member
countries
optimise the combustion process in