Issue 6, 2019

Coal analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: a tutorial review

Abstract

Coal is one of the world's most abundant primary energy sources. Real-time coal analysis technology is imperative for coal blending, combustion optimization, pollution reduction, and pricing. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been a promising candidate for coal analysis because of its uniquely fast, in situ, and online capabilities. Coal is a sedimentary rock with a complex and heterogeneous composition, and therefore, laser–coal interaction exhibits multiple phenomena. A systematic study of the experimental conditions required for stable coal–plasma formation and evolution is a headway for enhancing LIBS results. In coal-fired power plants, LIBS offers three installation sets, namely, inline, at-line, and offline, with minimal space requirements and ease of retrofit. Moreover, LIBS is a safer technique with lower installation and maintenance costs and fits the concern of coal-fired power plants for multielemental detection in fast records. Coal analysis mainly includes calorific heat value determination, proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, and other related analyses. LIBS data is handled with continuously developing mathematical and statistical modeling techniques to provide the smart extraction of the required spectral information for coal analysis. In this tutorial review, we summarize the previous research contributions utilizing LIBS for coal analysis, including fundamentals and key factors, operation modes, data processing, and analytical results. Over and above, LIBS contribution in fly ash analysis and certain literature concerning combustion diagnostics might be included to present a simple guideline for researchers interested in LIBS applications for coal utilization.

Graphical abstract: Coal analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: a tutorial review

Article information

Article type
Tutorial Review
Submitted
16 Janv. 2019
Accepted
21 Febr. 2019
First published
22 Febr. 2019

J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2019,34, 1047-1082

Coal analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy: a tutorial review

S. Sheta, M. S. Afgan, Z. Hou, S. Yao, L. Zhang, Z. Li and Z. Wang, J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2019, 34, 1047 DOI: 10.1039/C9JA00016J

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements