AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT: Detemination of Crossing Point Temperature of coal by

CP.T. Apparatus.
Objective: To study the spontaneous heating susceptibility of coal
In this method the coal sample is heated in a combustíon tube
Description of Method:
it at a
in a furmace/bath at rising temp. with oxygen/air passing through
predetermined rate till the coal temp. crosses the bath temp. The temp. at which

the temperatures of coal and bath both coincide is termed as Crossing Point

Temperature. It is also called as relative ignition temperature.

It consists of vertical tubular furnace which has an
Description of Apparatus: i) a

internal diameter of 50mm and heating capacity of 3kW.the furnace is provided

with a temperature controller (PID Controller).

nGlass Combustion Tube: It is of 26mm internal diameter and 150mm in length.
which
The combustion tube has a spiraling glass tube of 6mm diameter around it
is connected to the bottom of the combustion tube for air inlet and a small outlet

tube at the top acts as an air and gas outlet.

in)Flow meter with flow control valves: To measure the flow of air or oxygen and

low control valves to control the floww of air/oxygen.

iv) A Potassium hydroxide for removing co in the incoming air.

vi)A Sulphuric acid bubbler to remove moisture from air.

vii) A Drying Tower containing Calcium Chloride for removing moisture from air/oxygen.

absorb oxygen when the Nitrogen cylinder is to be used( in case

vii) Alkaline Pyrogallol to
of Adiabatic Method)

PROCEDURE FOR THE EXPERIMENT: 4g of coal sample of -100+200mesh

size(112micron) is placed in the combustion tube followed by glass wool at the
bottom most portion and a small sieve of 200mesh (72micron) on the glass wool.
The reaction tube is then placed in the tubular furnace and a thermocouple is
inserted at the centre of the sample. The entrapped air and gasses are removed
from the coal sample for 3 minutes without disturbing the packing. The furnace
is switched on and average rate of heating is adjusted to 1'c/minute,
 Simultaneously oxygen/air is allowed to pass through the sample with an average

flow rate at 80ml/min or 100m/min. As the furnace is PID controlled follow the
required procedure for temperature programme of the same, The Temperatures of
the
the furnace(bath) and the Sample are recorded at every Sminutes interval till
temperature of coal crosses over the bath temperature and goes beyond the

furnace temperature. The temp.at which the temp of bath & sample (i.e.coal)
coincides is known as Crossing Point Temperature of Coal
Observation and Calculation:
Conclusion: The crossing point temperature ofthe supplied coal is found to be 169
SIGNIFICANCE/RELEVANCE: Coal of low CPT Highly susceptible to sgpntanesS

heating
Coal of high CPT :Less susceptible to spontanens heaing
CPT: 120 -140 highly susceptible
CPT: 140- 160 moderately susceptible
CPT>160 poorly susceptíble
It is seen that CPT- decreases with increases in percentages of Volatile matter, ZEn
înereases with
Moisture and fixed carbon value. On the other hand CPT value
increase of Ash content. It has also found that CPT at 1 'cmin has beter

correlation with Proximate Analysis parameters than 2 c/min.