Concentrations of heavy metals in fly ash from a coal-fired power plant with respect to the new Finnish limit values

In Finland, the new limit values for heavy metals in fertilizers used in agriculture and in forestry came into force in March 2007, and for materials used as earth construction agents, in June 2006. From the utilization point of view, it was notable that the total heavy metal concentrations (Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Mo, Zn, As, Ni, Ba, and Hg) in fly ash from a coal-fired power plant were lower than those limit values. The concentrations of the easily soluble elements Ca, Mg, Na, P, and Zn in the fly ash were between 3.5 and 35 times higher than those found in the coarse mineral soils of Finland. Fly ash is a potential agent for soil remediation and for improving soil fertility. If inorganic materials and by-products are utilized in earthworks, the content of harmful compounds must be low and the harmful components must be tightly bound to the matrix. Therefore, a five-stage sequential extraction procedure was used to evaluate the extractability of different elements in fly ash into the following fractions: (1) the water-soluble fraction, (2) the exchangeable fraction (CH₃COOH), (3) the easily reduced fraction (NH₂OH-HCl), (4) the oxidizable fraction (H₂O₂ + CH₃COONH₄), and (5) the residual fraction (HF + HNO₃ + HCl).     

Significant coal combustion contribution to water-soluble brown carbon during winter in Xingtai, China: Optical properties and sources

To understand the characteristics of atmospheric brown carbon (BrC), daily PM_2.5 samples in Xingtai, a small city in North China Plain (NCP), during the four seasons of 2018-2019, were collected and analyzed for optical properties and chemical compositions. The light absorption at 365 nm (abs_{λ=365 nm}) displayed a strong seasonal variation with the highest value in winter (29.0±14.3 M/m), which was 3.2∼5.4-fold of that in other seasons. A strong correlation of abs_{λ=365 nm} with benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF) was only observed in winter, indicating that coal combustion was the major source for BrC in the season due to the enhanced domestic heating. The mass absorbing efficiency of BrC also exhibited a similar seasonal pattern, and was found to correlate linearly with the aerosol pH, suggesting a positive effect of aerosol acidity on the optical properties and formation of BrC in the city. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis further showed that on a yearly basis the major source for BrC was biomass burning, which accounted for 34% of the total BrC, followed by secondary formation (26.7%), coal combustion (21.3%) and fugitive dust (18%). However, the contribution from coal combustion was remarkably enhanced in winter, accounting for ∼40% of the total. Our work revealed that more efforts of “shifting coal to clean energy” are necessary in rural areas and small cities in NCP in order to further mitigate PM_2.5 pollution in China.     

A new shock tube configuration for studying dust-lifting during the initiation of a coal dust explosion

The traditional defence against propagating coal dust explosions is the application of dry stone dust. This proven and effective safety measure is strictly regulated based on extensive international experience. While new products, such as foamed stone dust, offer significant practical benefits, no benchmark tests currently exist to certify their dust lifting performance in comparison to dry stone dust. This paper reviews the coal dust explosion mechanism, and argues that benchmark testing should focus on dust lifting during the initial development of the explosion, prior to arrival of the flame. In a practical context, this requires the generation of shock waves with Mach numbers ranging from 1.05 to 1.4, and test times of the order of 10's to 100's of milliseconds. These proposed test times are significantly longer than previous laboratory studies, however, for certification purposes, it is argued that the dust lifting behaviour should be examined over the full timescales of an actual explosion scenario. These conditions can be accurately targeted using a shock tube at length scales of approximately 50 m. It is further proposed that useful test time can be maximised if an appropriately sized orifice plate is fitted to the tube exit, an arrangement which also offers practical advantages for testing. The paper demonstrates this operating capability with proof-of-concept experiments using The University of Queensland's X3 impulse facility.     

A framework for human error risk analysis of coal mine emergency evacuation in China

Evacuation from underground coal mine in emergency as soon as possible makes the difference between life and death. Human factors have an important impact on a successful evacuation, but literature review shows that there is a lack of consideration of human error risk during coal mine emergency evacuation in China. To address the above problems, in this paper, we established a framework for human error risk analysis of coal mine emergency evacuation, consisting of scenario and task analysis, risk assessment and risk reduction. A general evacuation procedure which is applicable for different causes is detailed through the scenario and task analysis. A new method based on expert judgment, named OGI-Model, is proposed to evaluate the reliability of human safety barrier. In this new approach, human safety barrier is divided into three sub-barriers, i.e., organization safety sub-barrier (OSSB), group safety sub-barrier (GSSB), and individual safety sub-barrier (ISSB). Each sub-barrier consists of a series of concrete measures against specific evacuation actions. An example is provided in this paper to demonstrate the use of this framework and its effectiveness.     

Great tits breeding performance and mercury contamination from the paper and pulp industry in the west coast of Portugal

Passerine species have been increasingly used as monitors of metal pollution, especially by making use of non-destructive indicators of bird exposure, such as collecting feathers, faeces or blood. During this study, mercury concentrations were determined in feathers, faeces and blood of nestling great tits (Parus major) in industrial (a paper mill) and rural sites on the west coast of Portugal. The aim of this study was to compare the level of mercury in both areas over the study period, as indicated by nestlings’ mercury levels, while assessing possible contamination effects on the breeding performance and health status of great tits. Over the years, feathers showed a significant annual decrease in mercury contamination in the study area. Blood analyses also revealed a significant annual decrease in mercury concentrations, but no significant differences were detected between areas. Faeces data showed no significant difference between years or areas. We found no direct influence of mercury levels on nestling health status or great tit breeding performance.     

The propagation speed of the cracks in coal body containing gas

The destabilization of coal body containing gas that is caused by the quick propagation of the cracks in coal body containing gas and the high pressure gas, which result into coal and gas outburst. Thus, according to the theory of brittleness rupture mechanics the propagation speed calculation formula of the cracks in coal body containing gas is derived under constant stress and the mechanism of the cracks propagation is analyzed. The propagation speed of the cracks in coal body containing gas is calculated by the experimental work. The research results show that gas pressure make the cracks propagation easier, which is consistent with the analysis result of the propagation speed calculation of the cracks. As well as the propagation speed of the cracks increase with the augment of gas pressure.     

Experimental research on inhibition performances of the sand-suspended colloid for coal spontaneous combustion

Serious mine fire disasters have occurred in Northwest China where there are abundant coal resources. For the shortage of water and loess, a large cost of conventional grouting slurry is needed. However, plenty of sand and fly ash resources have been found there. In order to improve the quality of sand injection and reduce the wastage of water during grouting, a kind of new compound material of sand-suspended colloid, which is composed of mineral inorganic gel and organic polymer, was developed in this paper. And the inhibition performance experiments of the sand-suspended colloid were carried out. The results show that the sand-suspended colloid efficaciously affected the oxidation characteristics above the critical temperature during the acceleration oxidation of the lignite and fat-gas coal samples and restrained the oxidation course by increasing the activation energy, so that it reduced the contents of CO and C₂H₄ and depressed the oxidation rate during the coal spontaneous combustion, and finally inhibited the coal spontaneous combustion.     

Spectrum characteristics analysis of microseismic signals transmitting between coal bedding

This study was performed to investigate the propagation law of microseismic signals transmitting along the direction parallel and vertical to the bedding in the process of coal rock rupture under uniaxial compression. Microseismic signals during the whole process of coal-rock deformation fracture until burst failure was tested by using the coal rock rupture microseismic experimental system. The empirical mode decomposition graphic, Hilbert spectrum and time-frequency spectrum were obtained by using Hilbert-Huang Transform or HHT. Also the microseismic signals transmitting along the direction parallel and vertical to the bedding in the process of coal rock rupture were spectrum comparative analyzed with EMD analysis method. Results show that amplitude and velocity of microseismic signals changed very small along the parallel direction to bedding in the process of propagation, but microseismic signals delayed and amplitude weakened obviously along the vertical direction to bedding. Signal delay and signal attenuation were confirmed that bedding impact on microseismic wave transmitting.     

Mechanism research on coal and gas outburst during vibration blasting

The coal and gas outburst results from plenty of factors, while vibration is the most important factor among them. Therefore, the influences of vibration acting on gas desorption and coal structure had been conducted. And the mechanism of coal and gas outburst induced by vibration was illustrated through examples. The results showed that the gas desorption accelerates under the action of vibration, and then the gas gradient increases. Meanwhile, vibration would increase and expand fractures in the internal coal body, which aggravates the risk of coal and gas outburst greatly. In conclusion, vibration is a more important factor attributable to coal and gas outburst compared with other coal mining method, mining technology and construction method.     

Experimental study on oxygen consumption rate of residual coal in goaf

In order to research the actual oxygen consumption rate of residual coal in goaf, the heating and oxidizing experiment was conducted respectively on five types of single particle size of coal samples and one hybrid particle size of coal samples by using self-developed CSC-B2 test system. This study measured inlet and outlet oxygen concentration of the oxidation tank, and calculated the oxygen consumption rate of each coal sample at different temperatures. For the residual coal in the same goaf, which is regarded as a hybrid particle size of coal consisting of a variety of single granularity of coal, its oxygen consumption rate is the mass weighted average of the rate of each particle size of coal. Accordingly, this paper established the equation of oxygen consumption rate of hybrid particle size of coal samples, taking into account temperature, granularity and oxygen concentration. Then comparison between the calculated value and the actually measured value of oxygen consumption rate of hybrid particle size of coal samples at different temperatures was conducted. And the results reveal that the calculated value basically coincide with the actually measured one. Moreover, the results prove that the established calculation formula for oxygen consumption rate can be used to accurately calculate the actual oxygen consumption rate of residual coal samples. The achievement of this research is of theoretical and practical significance for learning about the characteristics of coal spontaneous combustion and forecasting the self-ignition of residual coal in goaf.