 1.Introduction
Coal is one of the main sources of world
energy.Economic growth and industrialization
in developing countries are leading to a rapid
increase in the demand for energy; in other
words, an increased demand in the use of coal,
which is inexpensive and readily available , for
electric power and process heat.
 Lignite is a type of coal which is typically used as fuel
for thermal power plants since it has low heating
value, and high ash and humidity content.
 Nevertheless it is an energy raw material that is used
frequently due to its abundance in the earth's crust.
 Hard coal is classified as a high-calorie coal. Of our
domestic resource potential, 12,4 billion tons is lignite,
and 1,33 billion tons is hard coal.
 The most important hard coal reserves of our country
are in Zonguldak and its vicinity. The total hard coal
reserve in Zonguldak Basin is 1,322 billion tons, while
visible reserve here is at the level of 519 million tons.
(Hard Coal Sector Report 2009)
TABLE
1:
Distribution
of
newfound
lignite
reserves
by
regions,
as
of
May
Lignite Reserve Regions in Turkey
Reserve Amount
Afsin-Elbistan*
1.915 million tons
Elbistan*
420 million tons
Konya-Karapinar
1.280 million tons
Thrace
498 million tons
Manisa-Soma-Eynez
170 million tons
Eskişehir-Alpu
275 million tons
2008
 3.Sulfur in coal
When coal is burned, generally 90% or more of the
sulfur present in it is emitted into the atmosphere as
sulfur oxides (mainly SO2), if no desulfurization
methods are used before, during and after combustion.
SOx is most important pollutant as a real treat to both
the ecosystem and human health.
Sulfur types in coal :
1)Inorganic sulfur
Sulfate-S, Pritic-S, Elemental-S,
2)Organic sulfur
 Actually there are several ways.Take sulfur, for
example. Sulfur is a yellowish substance that exists in
tiny amounts in coal.
 Still, it is important that most of this sulfur be
removed before it goes up a power plant's smokestack.
 One way is to clean the coal before it arrives at the
power plant.
 One of the ways this is done is by simply crushing the
coal into small chunks and washing it. Some of the
sulfur that exists in tiny specks in coal
 It is called PYRITIC
SULFUR.
 Not all of coal's sulfur can be removed like this,
however.
 Some of the sulfur in coal is actually chemically
connected to coal's carbon molecules instead of
existing as separate particles.
 This type of sulfur is called "ORGANIC SULFUR," and
washing won't remove it.
 Most modern power plants — and all plants built after
1978 — are required to have special devices installed
that clean the sulfur from the coal's combustion gases
before the gases go up the smokestack.
 The technical name for these devices is "flue gas
desulfurization units," but most people just call them
"scrubbers" — because they "scrub" the sulfur out of
the smoke released by coal-burning boilers.
 Most scrubbers rely on a very common substance
found in nature called "limestone." We literally have
mountains of limestone throughout this country.
 When crushed and processed, limestone can be made
into a white powder. Limestone can be made to absorb
sulfur gases under the right conditions — much like a
sponge absorbs water.
 Syngas is the abbreviation for Synthesis gas. This is a
gas mixture that comprises of carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
 The syngas is produced due to the gasification of a
carbon containing fuel to a gaseous product that has
some heating value.
 Some of the examples of syngas are as follows
gasification of coal, waste to energy gasification, steam
reforming of natural gas to generate hydrogen.
 Syngas has 50% the energy density of natural gas. It
can be burnt and is used as a fuel source.
 The other use is as an intermediate to produce other
chemicals. The use of syngas as a fuel is accomplished
by the gasification of coal or municipal waste.
 There are commercially available technologies to
process syngas to generate industrial gases, fertilizers,
chemicals, fuels and other products.
 http://www.enerji.gov.tr/index.php?dil=en&sf=webpa
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ges&b=komur_EN&bn=511&hn=&nm=40717&id=40729
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/cctc
/coal101/coal101-2.html
http://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c08/e3-04-0204.pdf
http://www.iit.edu/wiser/research/projects/images/cl
ean_coal_flow.jpg
http://biofuel.org.uk/what-is-syngas.html
 Havvanur BALCI
 İrem Ayça KAVAKLIOĞULLARI