124
4 Spontaneous Combustion of Coal
Table 4.2 Coal tests on
separated organic components
Order (1 = highest)
(4 = lowest
Explosion pressure and rate of pressure
rise
–
1
Pure Bitumen (extract)
2
Vitrinite + bitumen
3
Whole coal less extractable bitumen
4
Inertinite-rich coal
of the solid bitumen infilling cells/cavities in the Bowen Basin coal is a result of
generation of gas from the bitumen. The resultant residue has become more aromatic.
The same study noted that vitrinite in the Bowen Basin coals did not reveal aromatic
‘carbon–hydrogen stretching’, but shows distinct aliphatic stretching bands. The
relatively high concentration of aliphatic compounds in the Bowen Basin vitrinites
must indicate a perhydrous nature as also concluded from other studies (Glikson and
Fielding 1991).
References
Avila C, Wu T, Lester E (2014) Petrographic characterization of coals as a tool to detect spontaneous
combustion potential. Fuel 125:173–182
Cloke M, Lester E (1994) Characterisation of coals for combustion using petrographic analysis: a
review. Fuel 73:315–319
Cotterell ME (1997) The effect of coal maceral composition on spontaneous combustion. BE Thesis,
Department of Mining and Materials Engineering. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 70 pp
Crelling JC, Skorupska MN, Marsh H (1988) Reactivity of coal macerals and lithotypes. Fuel
67:782–785
Feng KK, Chakravorty RN, Cochrane TS (1973) Spontaneous combustion; a coal mining hazard:
1973. CIM Bull 75–84
Glikson M, Fielding C (1991) The Late Triassic Callide Coal Measures, Queensland, Australia:
Coal petrology and depositional environment. Int J Coal Geol 17:313–332
Glikson M, Golding SD (1998) Organic matter maturation as an indicator of hydrothermal processes
in sedimentary basins. In: Arehar, Hulston (eds) Water-rock interaction, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp
101–104
Glikson M, Boreham CJ, Thiede DS (1999) Coal composition, temperature and heating rates; a
determining factor in hydrocarbon species generated. In: Mastarelz M, Glikson M, Golding SD
(eds) Coalbed methane; scientific, environmental and economic evaluation. Kluwer Academic
Press, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp 257–269
Glikson M, Golding SD, Boreham CJ, Saxby JD (2000) Mineralization in Eastern Australian coals:
a function of oil generation and primary migration. In: Glikson M, Mastalerz M (eds) Organic
matter and mineralization. Kluwer Academic Publ, pp 314–326
Glikson M., Fisher R., Golding SD, Masserotto P (2001) Coalbed Methane Project in Huaibei Basin,
China: organic petrology and mineralogy. In: The 53rd meeting of the international committee
for coal and organic petrology, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp 59–63
Humphreys D (1979) A Study of the Propensity of Queensland Coals to Spontaneous Combustion.
ME thesis (unpublished), The University of Queensland: Brisbane
4 Spontaneous Combustion of Coal
Table 4.2 Coal tests on
separated organic components
Order (1 = highest)
(4 = lowest
Explosion pressure and rate of pressure
rise
–
1
Pure Bitumen (extract)
2
Vitrinite + bitumen
3
Whole coal less extractable bitumen
4
Inertinite-rich coal
of the solid bitumen infilling cells/cavities in the Bowen Basin coal is a result of
generation of gas from the bitumen. The resultant residue has become more aromatic.
The same study noted that vitrinite in the Bowen Basin coals did not reveal aromatic
‘carbon–hydrogen stretching’, but shows distinct aliphatic stretching bands. The
relatively high concentration of aliphatic compounds in the Bowen Basin vitrinites
must indicate a perhydrous nature as also concluded from other studies (Glikson and
Fielding 1991).
References
Avila C, Wu T, Lester E (2014) Petrographic characterization of coals as a tool to detect spontaneous
combustion potential. Fuel 125:173–182
Cloke M, Lester E (1994) Characterisation of coals for combustion using petrographic analysis: a
review. Fuel 73:315–319
Cotterell ME (1997) The effect of coal maceral composition on spontaneous combustion. BE Thesis,
Department of Mining and Materials Engineering. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 70 pp
Crelling JC, Skorupska MN, Marsh H (1988) Reactivity of coal macerals and lithotypes. Fuel
67:782–785
Feng KK, Chakravorty RN, Cochrane TS (1973) Spontaneous combustion; a coal mining hazard:
1973. CIM Bull 75–84
Glikson M, Fielding C (1991) The Late Triassic Callide Coal Measures, Queensland, Australia:
Coal petrology and depositional environment. Int J Coal Geol 17:313–332
Glikson M, Golding SD (1998) Organic matter maturation as an indicator of hydrothermal processes
in sedimentary basins. In: Arehar, Hulston (eds) Water-rock interaction, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp
101–104
Glikson M, Boreham CJ, Thiede DS (1999) Coal composition, temperature and heating rates; a
determining factor in hydrocarbon species generated. In: Mastarelz M, Glikson M, Golding SD
(eds) Coalbed methane; scientific, environmental and economic evaluation. Kluwer Academic
Press, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp 257–269
Glikson M, Golding SD, Boreham CJ, Saxby JD (2000) Mineralization in Eastern Australian coals:
a function of oil generation and primary migration. In: Glikson M, Mastalerz M (eds) Organic
matter and mineralization. Kluwer Academic Publ, pp 314–326
Glikson M., Fisher R., Golding SD, Masserotto P (2001) Coalbed Methane Project in Huaibei Basin,
China: organic petrology and mineralogy. In: The 53rd meeting of the international committee
for coal and organic petrology, Copenhagen, Denmark, pp 59–63
Humphreys D (1979) A Study of the Propensity of Queensland Coals to Spontaneous Combustion.
ME thesis (unpublished), The University of Queensland: Brisbane