This book contains papers presented at the Engineering Foundation Conference on mineral matter in fuels held on November 2-7, 1997 in Kona, Hawaii. The conference is one of a continuing series that was initiated by the CEGB Mar- wood Engineering Laboratories in 1963. The conference was to be eventually organised by the Engineering Foundation as the need for multi-disciplinary work related to c- trolling ash effects in combustors became apparent. The conference covers both the science and the applications. The papers also present case histories, particularly for current fuel technologies, developments in advanced technologies for power generation and mathematical modelling of these processes. Developments since 1963 have been slow, but steady, due to the complexity of the chemical and physical processes involved. However, the research presented here displays great improvement in our understanding of the mechanisms by which mineral matter will influence fuel use. Steve Benson from EERC presented a review and current status of issues related to ash deposition in coal combustion and gasification. The application of new analytical tools, which have been detailed in the previous conferences, is presented. These include CCSEM, as well as new techniques for char- terising sintering of ash, such as TMA, image analysis, X-ray diffraction crystallography and thermal analysis. The new analytical techniques were extended to encompass widely differing fuels such as biomass. Ole H Larsen from ELSAM Denmark presented a review of these advanced techniques.

The study of coal for the production of energy is certainly not a new area of research. Many research works were carried out to improve the efficiency of industrial and domestic facilities. In the sixties, however, because of the availability and low cost of petroleum, coal consumption decreased and the research effort in this area was minimum. Meanwhile, the situation has totally changed. Considering the reserves of oil and the instability ofregions where they are located, it is becoming absolutely necessary to develop other sources of energy.The major alternative to oil appears to be coal, at least for the near future. Indeed, the reserves known today represent several centuries of energy consumption.!t is therefore becoming urgent to develop efficient and non polluting technologies to produce energy from coal. The main possibilities are : · liquefaction · gasification · directed combustion. Research and development efforts on liquefaction have been considerably reduced because of high cost of technologies involved and poor prospects for the next two decades. Research works on gasification are progressing; it is a promising approach. However, direct combustion either in pulverized coal furnaces or in fluidized beds is the more promising way of expanding rapidly the utilization of coal. These techniques are already used in some facilities but many environmental problems remain, slowing down their development.

Trace Elements in Coal focuses on the compositions, reactions, and properties of trace elements in coal. The book first discusses the origin of trace elements in coal. The formation of peat; geological and geochemical aspects of coal seams; geology of Australian coals; constitution of coal; history of trace elements in coal; and coal mining in Australia are discussed. The text also clarifies the mode of occurrence of trace elements in coal. The identification of minerals in coal; silicon-rich minerals; carbonate minerals; sulfide minerals; lignites and brown coals; and phosphates are discussed. The book then underscores the methods of analysis. Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry; atomic absorption spectrometry; spark source mass spectrometry; and neuron activation analysis are described. The text also focuses on the contents of trace elements in coal; comparisons of coal with shale and soil; relationship of radioactivity and coal; and relevance of trace elements in coal. The book is a good source of data for readers wanting to study the trace elements in coal.

Coal accounts for approximately one quarter of world energy consumption and of the coal produced worldwide approximately 65% is shipped to electricity producers and 33% to industrial consumers, with most of the remainder going to consumers in the residential and commercial sectors. The total share of total world energy consumption by coal is expected to increase to almost 30% in 2035. This book describes the challenges and steps by which electricity is produced form coal and deals with the challenges for removing the environmental objections to the use of coal in future power plants. New technologies are described that could virtually eliminate the sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury pollutants that are released when coal is burned for electricity generation. In addition, technologies for the capture greenhouse gases emitted from coal-fired power plants are described and the means of preventing such emissions from contributing to global warming concerns. Written by one of the world’s leading energy experts, this volume is a must-have for any engineer, scientist, or student working in this field, providing a valuable reference and guide in a quickly changing field.

This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Minerals in Coal" that was published in Minerals