Reactivities of Blair Athol and Nang Tong coals in relation to their behavior in PFBC boiler

The combustion reactivities of Blair Athol (BA) and Nang Tong (NT) coals were measured by thermogravimetry to understand their different behaviors in the PFBC boiler. The reactivity of BA was much the same as that of NT coal but their chars showed different characteristics. BA char of higher surface area (25 m(2)/g) showed slightly higher reactivity than that of NT char of smaller surface area (7 m(2)/g). BA coal showed heterogeneous ignition even at its particle size of as large as +355 mum while NT coal showed homogeneous ignition at the average particle size over 75 mum heterogenous one occurring with finer particle size (-75 mum). Higher calorific value of BA volatile matter and higher reactivity of its char than those of NT coal causes of its heterogeneous ignition with an intense DTA peak, which may lead to local heating at its combustion and to yield reactive CaO from limestones causing of bed materials agglomeration in the PFBC. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.