Real-Time Monitoring of Ash, Sulphur, and Elemental Contaminants by Neutron-Gamma Spectroscopy

70649 The conventional means of measuring the elemental composition of coal involve obtaining a representative sample for analysis in a laboratory. Disadvantages include both sampling error and time delay associated with sampling, lab analysis, and data retrieval. Commercial on-line analyzers are available, but they are very expensive and typically do not report on the presence of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, or lead. This project will develop a real-time, on-line coal analyzer that measures ash, sulphur, and trace contaminants, including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead. In addition, the analyzer will be provided in a commercially-available form with a price less than $200,000. In Phase I, an analyzer mock-up will be assembled with neutron sources, shielding/moderating materials, detector, and electronics. The minimum concentration levels required for the constituent elements in ash and for trace-level contaminants will be determined. An appropriate analyzer configuration will be determined so that an analyzer built in Phase II can be installed at a coal facility for use in conjunction with contaminant removal in coal gasifiers. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The analyzer should have applicability at all commercial gasifiers in order to enable the efficient removal of contaminants. In addition, an affordable (<$200,000) coal analyzer would provide economic benefits for the real-time monitoring of ash, sulfur, and BTU at most coal-fired power stations.