Modes of Formation of Carbon Oxides [COx (x=1 or 2)] from Coals during Atmospheric Storage. Part 2: Effect of Coal Rank on the Kinetics

The processes resulting in the formation of carbon oxides from fossil fuels during storage prior to combustion hold significant interest in the power production industry. Coal, which remains the single most viable energy source is mined, transported, and used in plants worldwide in vast quantities. During that time, it undergoes a series of atmospheric oxidation reactions that result in the emission of carbon oxides. In the first paper dealing with these processes (10.1021/ef100897m), it was shown that the pathways resulting in the emission of carbon dioxide and CO are inherently different. In this work, the kinetics of these oxidation reactions under atmospheric storage conditions were studied. Furthermore, an analysis of the coal petrography sheds further light on the organic sources, which indicate specific functional groups that are responsible for variations in carbon oxide emissions.