Japan STA Program: Rapid Coal Pyrolysis for the Production of Coke

9415287 Saito本奖项为麻省理工学院化学工程系、日本筑波国立资源与环境研究所的Hiroshi Saito博士提供为期12个月的日本科学技术振兴机构博士后奖学金。Saito博士将与能源资源部的Atsushi Inaba博士合作，进行一项名为“日本STA计划：快速煤热解生产焦炭”的研究项目。在炼铁过程中，焦炭作为燃料、还原剂和粘结剂，通常由优质煤炭化而成。由于优质煤供应的枯竭，钢铁行业正专注于利用低品位煤生产焦炭。对从低品位煤中制取优质焦炭的要求了解有限，尽管有经济动机，但仍制约了生产。Saito博士和Inaba博士将使用热重分析仪（TGA）进行热煤热解，以研究压力和温度对不同等级煤热降解动力学速率的影响。然后，研究小组将利用自由落体装置检查颗粒分布和大小，并利用热重分析实验结果模拟热降解。该项目将提供低品位煤的动力学数据、传质数据和模型，然后铁工业可以使用这些数据来有效地利用煤作为能源和原材料资源。＊＊＊

9415287 Saito This award supports a 12-month Science and Technology Agency of Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. Hiroshi Saito, Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at the National Institute for Resources and Environment, Tsukuba, Japan. Dr. Saito will work with Dr. Atsushi Inaba in the Energy Resources Department, on a research project entitled, "Japan STA Program: Rapid Coal Pyrolysis for the Production of Coke." In the production of iron, coke serves as fuel, reducing agent and binding agent and is usually produced by carbonizing premium coal. Due to depleting premium coal supplies, the iron industry is focusing on utilizing lower grade coals to produce coke. A limited understanding of the requirements for making good coke from lower grade coal restrains production despite economic motivations. Dr. Saito and Dr. Inaba will conduct thermal coal pyrolysis using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to study the effects of pressure and temperature on the thermal degradation kinetic rates of various grades of coal. The team will then utilize a free-fall apparatus to examine particle distribution and size and to simulate thermal degradation using the results of the TGA experiments. The project will provide kinetics data, mass transfer data and models for low grade coals which can then be used by the iron industry to efficiently use coal as an energy and raw material resource. ***