The influence of sulphur in coal on electrostatic precipitability

It has been observed that increased amounts of sulfur in coal affect the characteristics of the fly ash generated in pulverized coal firing. Depending on the characteristics of the ash, an increased presence of sulfur in the coal can influence the surface characteristics of the fly ash differently, but it appears that if sufficient sulfur is present in the coal, then an SO/sub 3//sup 2 -/ will be present on the surface, and this presence will reduce resistivity of the fly ash to a varying extent. The increased presence of sulfur in the coal was observed to result in an agglomeration of small particles into larger particles by the formation of fused eutectic bonds. This influence, which must reduce the fine particles present and result in a larger mass medium diameter from the furnace will have significant influence on collectability characteristics. These observations form the results of the initial investigation of two coals that have been examined in a continuing study of the influence that the presence of sulfur in coal exerts on fly ash in relation to its electrostatic precipitability.