Effect of different reaction atmospheres on the sintering temperature of Jincheng coal ash under pressurized conditions

The sintering temperature of coal ash is studied to further understand ash behavior. The objective of this study is to obtain a detailed understanding of the effect of the reaction atmospheres on the sintering temperature under elevated pressure. A series of experiments and analyses have been completed using a pressurized pressure-drop measuring device and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analyzer. The results show that the sintering temperatures decline markedly under all reaction atmospheres with the rise in pressure. The pressure influences the sintering temperatures by affecting the reaction rate and the mineral transformations undergone by the coal ash, as observed from the XRD patterns. The sintering temperatures measured under the reducing reaction atmospheres are lower than those for oxidizing atmospheres. The sintering temperature under N2 is lower than those under other oxidizing atmospheres. The sintering temperature under the gasification atmosphere is close to those under H2 and CO atmospheres, whereas the sintering temperature under a H2 atmosphere is lower than that under a CO atmosphere.