A thermal analysis study of the influence of exchangeable cations on the pyrolysis of Victorian brown coal

Abstract

A thermal analysis study of the pyrolysis of some cation-loaded brown coals has revealed that most of these cations have no significant effect on the total volatile matter released during slow pyrolysis; however, the results of infrared evolved gas analysis show that cation-loaded coals release more CO2 at lower temperatures than an acid-washed reference coal. Among the cations investigated, CU2+, Fe2+ and Pb2+ have the most significant catalytic effect on the pyrolysis of brown coal. The pyrolysis kinetics indicate that the CU2+, Fe2+ and Pb2+ loaded coals have a lower average pyrolysis activation energy than the acid-washed reference coal. © 1992.