Energy content of coal is given in terms of KiloJoules (kJ) per Kilogram (kg) of coal as the Gross calorific value (GCV) or the Higher Heating value (HHV) of coal. [107][108][109], Burning coal is a major emitter of sulfur dioxide, which creates PM2.5 particulates, the most dangerous form of air pollution. Then over millions of years the heat and pressure of deep burial causes the loss of water, methane and carbon dioxide and an increase in the proportion of carbon. Fe The peak of coal's share in the global energy mix was in 2008, when coal accounted for 30% of global energy production. Coal can be used as a feedstock in the production of a wide range of chemical fertilizers and other chemical products. [13], The word originally took the form col in Old English, from Proto-Germanic *kula(n), which in turn is hypothesized to come from the Proto-Indo-European root *g(e)u-lo- "live coal". Formulas for converting energy units and energy content for fuels to be used with generators. This process takes millions of years. [25] In Europe, the earliest reference to the use of coal as fuel is from the geological treatise On stones (Lap. Metallurgical coke is used as a fuel and as a reducing agent in smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. [6] The total amount of coal reserves is approximately 1012 tonnes, the United States is home to the largest individual coal reserves.[6]. [110], Coal smokestack emissions cause asthma, strokes, reduced intelligence, artery blockages, heart attacks, congestive heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, mercury poisoning, arterial occlusion, and lung cancer. Published data about the sources, mines, regions or the procurement data gives an idea about the HHV of coal. Since coal has a heat value of 20,000 kJ/kg, for producing one kw.hr we require (10765 / 20000) 0.538 kg of coal. Energy content of coal is given in terms of KiloJoules (kJ) per Kilogram (kg) of coal as the Gross calorific value (GCV) or the Higher Heating value (HHV) of coal. [41] Small "steam coal", also called dry small steam nuts (or DSSN), was used as a fuel for domestic water heating. A Btu is the amount of heat that will warm approximately 0.12 U.S. gallons—a pound of water—by 1 degree Fahrenheit at sea level. Finely ground bituminous coal, known in this application as sea coal, is a constituent of foundry sand. This is an expression of energy density for fuels measured by weight. The whopping 3,162 million metric tons of hard coal produced by China dwarfs the output of the second and third-ranked producers—the U.S. at 932 million metric tons and India at 538 million metric tons. (June 29, 2015). Coal mining can also cause long lasting fires, and it has been estimated that thousands of coal seam fires are burning at any given time. Why Is It So Hard? [46], 27.6% of world energy was supplied by coal in 2017 and Asia used almost three quarters of it. But the Industrial Revolution dramatically increased the demand for coal. MJ/kg represents the amount of energy stored in a kilogram. 2 In addition to furnace electrodes used in the American steel industry, carbon in the form of graphite is required in newer technologies including lithium battery anodes. The excavated coal must be cleaned, washed, and processed to prepare it for commercial use. As of 2016, coal remains an important fuel as it supplied about a quarter of the world's primary energy and two-fifths of electricity. The extraction and use of coal causes many premature deaths and much illness. Vast deposits of coal originate in former wetlands—called coal forests—that covered much of the Earth's tropical land areas during the late Carboniferous ( Fires can cause the ground above to subside, their combustion gases are dangerous to life, and breaking out to the surface can initiate surface wildfires. The coal ranking is based on levels of geological metamorphosis, fixed carbon, and calorific value. It is the world's largest energy consumer, and coal in China supplies 60% of its primary energy. The price of metallurgical coal is volatile[87] and much higher than the price of thermal coal because metallurgical coal must be lower in sulfur and requires more cleaning. The first part of the conversion is efficiency of the boiler and combustion. [155][156] Coal alone may cost Australia billions,[157] whereas costs to some smaller companies or cities could be on the scale of millions of dollars. All types of coal contain fixed carbon, which provides stored energy and varying amounts of moisture, ash, volatile matter, mercury, and sulfur. + However, the sulfur is precipitated out of the atmosphere as acid rain in a matter of weeks,[125] whereas carbon dioxide remains in the atmosphere for hundreds of years. This value can vary from 10500 kJ/kg to 25000 kJ/kg depending on the quality and type of the coal. The quality of the coal directly influences the selection and optimal implementation of the latest high performance boiler technologies. Fe [91] However state owned electricity utilities such as Eskom in South Africa, Perusahaan Listrik Negara in Indonesia, Sarawak Energy in Malaysia, Taipower in Taiwan, EGAT in Thailand, Vietnam Electricity and EÜAŞ in Turkey are building or planning new plants. Available: Stephen Marshak. [79] In 2019, the Pacific Island nations (in particular Vanuatu and Fiji) criticized Australia for failing to cut their emissions at a faster rate than they were, citing concerns about coastal inundation and erosion. [170] Coal in Turkey benefited from substantial subsidies. Contains carbon, volatile matter, moisture and ash Mostly used for power generation and metallurgy. Petroleum coke (petcoke) is the solid residue obtained in oil refining, which resembles coke but contains too many impurities to be useful in metallurgical applications. [9] As part of the worldwide energy transition many countries have reduced or eliminated their use of coal power, and the UN Secretary General has asked governments to stop building new coal plants by 2020. Due to natural processes such as flooding, these forests were buried underneath soil. "Combustion Training." Note: [1] Peat is considered a precursor to coal. Since coal also contains hydrogen atoms the combustion will form some water vapour as a product (H2O). Refined coal is the product of a coal-upgrading technology that removes moisture and certain pollutants from lower-rank coals such as sub-bituminous and lignite (brown) coals. [10] Coal use peaked in 2013[11] but to meet the Paris Agreement target of keeping global warming to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) coal use needs to halve from 2020 to 2030. While coal has been known and used for thousands of years, its usage was limited prior to the Industrial Revolution. [183][184] Geological processes and decaying organic matter create coal over thousands of years. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, and it continues to burn underground to this day. 92-96, Sep. 1, 1975. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anthracite_Coal.JPG, http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/p1625d/Chapter_C.pdf, https://energyeducation.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Coal&oldid=9710. Energy Source Unit Energy Content (Btu)Electricity: 1 Kilowatt-hour: 3412: Butane: 1 Cubic Foot (cu.ft.) [4] Geological processes buried this peat further, the high pressures and temperatures caused material to lose much of its hydrogen and oxygen atoms, resulting in a carbon rich material referred to as coal. That loss produces coal with a higher carbon content (71 to 77% on a dry ash-free basis). Therefore, interest in using coal tended to increase for higher oil and natural gas prices and during periods of high global economic growth that might have strained oil and gas production. Coal has been used as an energy source for nearly 2000 years. M.A., Professional and Technical Communication, University of North Texas. Additionally, most coal also contains large amounts of other elements, like sulfur, mercury, and sometimes lithium. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Coal exhibits a 109 year reserve to production ratio (as of 2012). They are from miscellaneous sources. Coal releases thermal energy or heat when it is burned, along with carbon and ash. [150], A few Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) coal-fired power plants have been built with coal gasification. Coking vs. Australia tops the worldwide list of exporters, having sent 298 million metric tons of coal overseas in 2010. [12], The largest consumer and importer of coal is China. The biggest coal deposit by volume is the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana, which the USGS estimated to have 1.07 trillion short tons of in-place coal resources, 162 billion short tons of recoverable coal resources, and 25 billion short tons of economic coal resources (also called reserves) in 2013. Broadly defined total subsidies for coal in 2015 have been estimated at around US$2.5 trillion, about 3% of global GDP. China produces more hard coal than any other country by a factor of about three. The energy content of coal varies along with its maturity (older is better), as seen in the table below anthracite has the highest energy content of all the coal types. Coal burnt as a solid fuel in coal power stations to generate electricity is called thermal coal. Steam: Coking coal, also known as metallurgical coal, has low sulfur and phosphorus content and can withstand high heat. Coal is also plentiful; there is a large reserve globally. Earth: Portrait of a Planet, 3rd ed. So the cost of coal per unit of electricity is (3497/100,000) 3.5 cents per unit. The coal continues to burn slowly back into the seam until oxygen (air) can no longer reach the flame front. Sometimes coal seams (also known as coal beds) are interbedded with other sediments in a cyclothem. [55] Sea coal can be mixed with the clay lining (the "bod") used for the bottom of a cupola furnace. Importance of each type. On average, a ton of coal produces 21 to 22 gigajoules of energy. Opposition to coal pollution was one of the main reasons the modern environmental movement started in the 19th century. [33] In Eschweiler, Rhineland, deposits of bituminous coal were used by the Romans for the smelting of iron ore.[30], No evidence exists of the product being of great importance in Britain before about AD 1000, the High Middle Ages. [104] Coal-powered plants emit nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulate pollution and heavy metals, which adversely affect human health.