Coal ash fusion temperatures - New characterization techniques, and implications for slagging and fouling

The well-documented shortcomings of the standard technique for estimating the fusion temperature of coal ash are its subjective nature and poor accuracy. Alternative measurements based on the shrinkage and electrical conductivity of heating samples are therefore examined with laboratory ash prepared at about 800 degrees C in crucibles, as well as combustion ash sampled from power stations. Sensitive shrinkage measurements indicate temperatures of rapid change which correspond to the formation of liquid phases that can be identified on ternary phase diagrams. The existence and extent of formation of these phases, as quantified by the magnitude of "peaks" in the test, provide alternative ash fusion temperatures. The peaks from laboratory ashes and corresponding combustion ashes derived from the same coals show clear differences which may be related to the evaporation of potassium during combustion and the reactions of the mineral residues to form combustion ash. A preliminary evaluation of data from nine power stations indicates that shrinkage measurements can provide an alternative approach to characterizing slagging. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.