COAL GRADES SPECIFICATION

(A) Non-COKING COAL

Grade Grade Specification

‘A’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 6200 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘B’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 5600 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 6200 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘C’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 4940 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 5600 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘D’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 4200 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 4940 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘E’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 3360 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 4200 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘F’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 2400 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 3360 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

‘G’ Useful Heat Value exceeding 1300 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram but not
exceeding 2400 Kilo Calories Per Kilogram.

(B) COKING COAL

STEEL-I Ash content not exceeding 15 percent.

STEEL-II Ash content exceeding 15 percent but not exceeding 18 percent.

WASHERY-I Ash content exceeding 18 percent but not exceeding 21 percent.

WASHERY-IIAsh content exceeding 21 percent but not exceeding 24 percent.

WASHERY-III Ash content exceeding 24 percent but not exceeding 28 percent.

SC I Grade Ash + Moisture content not exceeding 19 percent.

SC II Grade Ash + Moisture content exceeding 19 percent but not exceeding 24

Percent.

(C) ROM ROM consists of both Steam and Slack. Grades for ‘ROM’ should be
taken for both steam and slack unless otherwise mentioned.

(D) P Provisional

(E) LF Long Flame

(F) ‘Useful Heat value’ is defined by the following formula

UHV = 8900 – 138 (A% + M%)
Where UHV = Useful Heat Value in Kilo Calories per Kilogram.
A = Ash content in Percentage.
M = Moisture content in percentage.

In the case of coal having moisture less than 2% and volatile content less than
19% the Useful Heat Value shall be the value arrived at as above reduced by 150 Kilo
Calories Per Kilogram for each 1% reduction in volatile content below 19 & fraction pro-
rata. Both moisture and ash shall be determined after equilibrating at 60 Percent Relative
Humidity and 400C Temperature as per relevant causes of Indian Standard Specification
No. IS : 1350 : 1959

(G) “Long Flame” coal

Long flame coals shall be defined by the parameters as laid down in Table
2 of Indian Standard No. IS : 770 – 1964 – General Classification of Coals. The relevant
part is extracted below:-
Group Volatile matter Range of gross CV in Range of dried moisture %
(Unit Coal Basis) K.Cal / Kg. 400C 60 Percent RH at 400C

B4 Over 32 8060 to 8440 3 to 7

B5 Over 32 7500 to 8060 7 to 14

The determination of volatile matter and moisture shall be carried out on coal
samples as per procedure laid down in Indian Standard Specification No. IS : 1350 1964
Determination of gross Calorific Value Shall be carried out in accordance with procedure
laid down in IS : 1350 1970 or any subsequent revision thereof.
The above classification shall not apply to coals other than the Bituminous or Sub
Bituminous coals as specified under Indian Standard Specification No. IS : 770 -1964.

Combustion

In brief combustion is a chemical reaction with the evaluation of heat and light.

Basic combustible elements in any fuels are carbon, Hydrogen and sulphur.
Properties and heat values of different fuels mainly depends on the variation of above
constituents.
Reaction taking place and heat liberated by burning of these basic elements are
below:
Carbon - 8100 k.cal/kg
Hydrogen - 34400 k.cal/kg
Sulphur - 2240 k.cal/kg

Carbon + Oxygen - Carbon Dioxide.

C + O2 - CO2

Hydrogen + Oxygen - Water vapour.

2H2 + O2 - 2H2O

Sulphur + Oxygen - Sulphur Dioxide.

S + O2 - SO2

Complete combustion
 When all the constituents of fuel oxidized to their highest state of oxidation is
called complete combustion.

For complete combustion of fuel following are the weight of oxygen:

1. Carbon 1 Kg + 2.66 Kg oxygen = 3.66 kg Carbon dioxide.

2. Hydrogen 1 Kg + 8.0 Kg oxygen = 9.00 kg Water vapour
3. Sulphur 1 Kg + 1.0 Kg oxygen = 2.00 kg Sulphur Dioxide.

We know that atmosphere is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and a very small

amount of inert gases. The proportions by weight and volume are:

Volume Weight
Oxygen 20.9% 23.2%
Nitrogen 79.1% 76.8%

So, suppose that a particular type of fuel contains carbon as the only combustible. So, for
complete combustion of carbon, it will combine with all of the 21% of O2 which the air
contains to form 21% by volume of CO2. 79% of nitrogen will remain unchanged.

Thus if there is no excess air, the analysis of the flue gas by burning this particular flue
will be as follows:

Oxygen 0%
Carbon Dioxide 21%
Nitrogen 79%
Total 100%

If there is 100% excess air, sunburn oxygen equals that burnt to carbon dioxide
and the gas analysis is:

Oxygen 10.5%
Carbon Dioxide 10.5%
Nitrogen 79%
Total 100%

If there is 50% excess air the unburnt oxygen is half that burnt to carbon dioxide,
and the gas analysis is :

Oxygen 7%
Carbon Dioxide 14%
Nitrogen 79%
Total 100%
The elements of a fuel :
The fuel contains Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur, Moisture, Ash. In the
following table, the percentage of CO2 & O2 for different fuels with the corresponding
percentage of excess air has been given:

Kind of fuel Ingredients Percent excess air

0 20 40 60 80 100

Anthracite CO2 19.5 16 13.8 12 10.7 9.6

O2
Bituminous CO2 18.6 15.5 13.2 11.5 10.1 9.2
O2 0 3.3 6 8 9.5 10.6

Fuel oil CO2 15.5 12.6 10.6 9.3 8.2 7.4

O2 0 3.7 6.4 8.1 9.6 10.8

Natural gas CO2 12.2 10 8.5 7.5 6.5 5.7

O2 0 4 6.5 8.5 9.9 10.9

A typical flue gas analysis for bituminous coal firing under various conditions is
given below:

Combustion Conditions CO2% O2% CO% %N

Poor 9.0 10.5 0.5 80

Average 12 7.5 0.1 80.4
Good 15 4.0 0.1 80.8

Primary elements of combustion

There are three “T”s in basic combustion.

1. Temperature: is one of the first criteria in the combustion. For any fuel, it is to
be heated to its ignition temperature to start self combustion. Then it start
generating its own heat, so the temperature is most important in combustion of
fuel.

2. Turbulence: is second factor in combustion. For combustion of solid fuel without

turbulence it is very difficult. Normally solid fuel contains ash. Combustion takes
place on the surface of any fuel. After burning a layer of ash deposits on the
surface. For further combustion to continue, the ash layer is to be dislodged
 exposing fresh surface for combustion. This can be achieved by creating
turbulence in the combustor.

3. Time: is the last but most important factor. If sufficient time is not allowed for
total combustion, unburnt fuel will be carried out alongwith flue gas as well as
through ash.

FIRING PROCEDURE :

1. Hand firing
2. Fire thickness : a uniform thickness of 150 to 175mm cube gives yhe best
result.
3. Mechanical firing
4. Mechanical stoker of W.T.Boilers particle size varies from 6mm to 20mm.
5. Fluidized bed combustion firing : Particle size varies up to 6mm to 10mm.

PRINCIPLES OF FLUIDISATION AND FLUIDISED BED COMBUSTION

COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT FIRING TECHNIQUES

 METHOD PARTICLE SECTIONAL EXCESS FLUE VOLUMETRIC
SIZE HEAT AIR % GAS HEAT
LOADING VELOCITY RELEASE 106
106 KCAL/M2H M/S KCAL/M2H

OIL - 2-4 10-15 25-30 0.25-0.88

COAL

PF FIRED 0.01-0.1 1-4 20-25 12-14 0.1-0.25

STOKER 20-50 1.2-1.9 30-50 12-14 0.22-0.27

FLUIDISED 1.5-3.5 1-3 10-20 12-14 1.5-3.5

BED

ASH DISPOSALS
There are 3 types of ashes are formed
1. Bed ash
2. Fly ash and ESP Ash

Disposal of Bed ash can be done by Crushing and Pumping and the disposal of
Fly ash or ESP can be done through Dense phase and Lean phase.

GAS DISPOSAL
Gas disposal has to be complied according to the norm provided by the pollution
control board (i.e at present norms of maximum 350 mg/nm3).