Carbonation as a binding mechanism for coal/calcium hydroxide pellets. [Quarterly] technical report, March 1, 1993--May 31, 1993

This research is an investigation of calcium hydroxide, a sulfur-capturing sorbent, as a binder for coal fines. The reaction of carbon dioxide with calcium hydroxide, referred to as carbonation, is being studied as a method of improving pellet quality. Carbonation forms a cementitious matrix of calcium carbonate. The effect of particle size and compaction pressure on pellet strength was studied using a laboratory hydraulic press. Particle distributions with mean sizes of 200, 90 and 40 microns were tested. The results indicate that pellet strength increased with decreasing particle size and increasing compaction pressure when calcium hydroxide was used as a binder. Pellets containing 10 wt% calcium hydroxide increased in strength by approximately 40% when air dried for one day. This increase in strength is attributed to carbonation of the calcium hydroxide via atmospheric carbon dioxide. Corn starch, an adhesive binder, was tested at the finest particle size. Pellet strength did not increase as a function of increasing compaction pressure. At the finest particle size and highest compaction pressure (18,750 psi), dried pellets formed with 2 wt% corn starch were equivalent in strength to pellets containing 5 wt% calcium hydroxide.