PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS OF UPGRADED WESTERN CANADIAN COALS

Three Western Canadian coals with different ranks have been upgraded by evaporative drying in several atmosphere at temperatures up to 500-degrees-C. Data from proximate and ultimate analyses, along with equilibrium moistures and heating values, have been evaluated by principal component analysis. The results indicate that significant changes in the products occur above 400-degrees-C for lignite and above 300-degrees-C for subbituminous B and high-volatile C bituminous coals. No significant differences are observed when the data for the upgraded coals are compared with published data for naturally occurring Western Canadian and US coals of the same rank.