BOTSWANA POWER CORPORATION

MORUPLE POWER STATION

DETERMINATION OF ASH CONTENT IN COAL

1. Method Summary

A certain amount of pulverized (<0.2 mm) coal samples is placed in a muffle furnace,
heated to a certain temperature (815 ± 10) ℃, at a pre-determined rate to burn to a constant
mass. The remaining residue is calculated as a percentage mass of the coal and constitutes the
ash content of the coal sample.

2. Test procedure

① Weigh approximately (1.0000±0.1)g of the test sample into a porcelain crucible and
spread evenly. Switch the muffle furnace on and press the “mode” button to select the “slow ash”
program, which will initially raise the temperature to 500 and heat for 30min, followed by
raising to 815 and heating for 1hour.
② Place the ash pan into the oven (initial temperature should not exceed 100 ℃ inside the
muffle furnace), shut the door and open all vents (the door hook, exhaust pipe and chimney
vent).
③ Remove the pan from the oven and place on a magnetic board or granite surface, and
leave to cool for about 5 min, then cool in a desiccator to room temperature (about 20 min).
Weigh the sample and calculate the percentage loss.
④ Check the mass change by heating at (815 ± 10) ℃ for 20min and re weighing, if the
difference in mass for two consecutive ignitions does not exceed 0.001 0 g then the loss is
acceptable. For samples whose ash content is less than 15.00%, the mass change need not be
checked.

3. Data Treatment

Calculate the ash content in the coal sample on Air-dried basis using the equation below:
A ad = (m 1 / m) × 100
Where
A ad ----- percentage ash content on air dried basis, in %;
m 1 ----- Residue after burning, in grams (g);
m ----- Initially weighed coal sample, in grams (g).

Compiled by:
U. Seabe