XAS combined with TG–DTG study on synergic effect on sulfur transformation during co-pyrolysis of sawdust and lignite

The synergic effect of sawdust (SD) and a lignite can be observed by analyzing their co-pyrolysis behavior. The co-pyrolysis behavior of SD and lignite mixtures was investigated by thermo-gravimetric analysis, and their sulfur transformation was measured by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The pyrolysis process can be divided into three stages for SD and lignite, while four their mixtures. The experimental mass loss of SD and lignite mixture during co-pyrolysis is higher than its theoretically calculated mass loss, especially at the mixing ratio of 1:1. This indicates that synergy occurs during SD and lignite co-pyrolysis process. XAS spectra of sulfur show that SD can promote FeS to decompose before 900 °C during co-pyrolysis, as the peak of FeS decreases in the mixture’s char. However, the experimental sulfur removal of mixtures is lower than the theoretically calculated one. This indicates that synergic effect has no effect on sulfur removal, which is very corresponding to more thiophenes gathering in the mixture’s char, because the peak of thiophenes is very steep for the mixture after pyrolysis. And other sulfurs transformation in the mixture is very similar to that of CF coal. For CF coal and its mixture, sulfate peak increases obviously after pyrolysis, which is mostly caused by absorbing SO2 of alkaline minerals during pyrolysis. This also suggests SD cannot prevent sulfate from forming during co-pyrolysis. Therefore, SD can be added to promote high-pyrite coal to increase sulfur removal, since the decomposition of FeS needs higher temperatures.