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The study presents the effect of cutting height (10, 15 and 30 cm) on yield, nutritional value and chemical composition of silage corn. The experiment was carried out under dryland conditions and the silage corn was harvested with three types of self-propelled silage harvesters. Cutting height increased linearly with increasing operating speed of silage harvesters. For all types of silage harvesters, the cutting height of 30 cm had a statistically significant (p=0.05) effect on losses of yields. The numerical value of the R2 factor (from R2 = 0.8978 to 0.9896) shows a strong dependence in all harvesters for all three cutting heights. The regression coefficients (b) show a significant deviation from the theoretical cutting height at 10 and 15 cm (b = 0.6676 and b = 0.6715), and very significant (b = 2.0249) at the theoretical cutting height of 30 cm. With an increase in cutting height, the nutritional value of silage increased. At a cutting height of 30 cm, during the test period in all types of harvesters, the crude protein (CP) content was significantly (p=0.05) higher than at a cutting height of 10 cm (harvester C = 6.94% at 10 cm, harvester B = 8.15% at 30 cm). The cutting height of 30 cm influenced a significantly (p=0.05) lower crude fiber (CF) content of harvester Claas Jaguar 850 (21.19%), compared to John Deere 6810 (24.33%) at a height of 10 cm. The crude ash content (CAsh) did not vary significantly under the influence of cutting height. Starch content was statistically higher (p=0.05) in all types of silage harvesters during the test at a cutting height of 30 cm (28.2% harvester New Holland FX 28, 33.8% harvester Claas Jaguar 850). The content of calcium (Ca) was significantly higher at a height of 30 cm for harvesters John Deere 6810 and Claas Jaguar 850 in the third year, while no significant difference was found for harvester New Holland FX 28. For phosphorus (P), there was no significant difference depending on the cutting height, but it did exist depending on the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable estimation of chemical sorption from water to solid phases is an essential prerequisite for reasonable assessments of chemical hazards and risks. However, current fate and exposure models mostly rely on algorithms that lack the capability to quantify chemical sorption resulting from interactions with multiple soil constituents, including amorphous organic matter, carbonaceous organic matter, and mineral matter. Here, we introduce a novel, generic approach that explicitly combines the gravimetric composition of various solid constituents and poly-parameter linear free energy relationships to calculate the solid-water sorption coefficient (Kd) for non-ionizable or predominantly neutral organic chemicals with diverse properties in a neutral environment. Our approach demonstrates an overall statistical uncertainty of approximately 0.9 log units associated with predictions for different types of soil. By applying this approach to estimate the sorption of 70 diverse chemicals from water to two types of soils, we uncover that different chemicals predominantly exhibit sorption onto different soil constituents. Moreover, we provide mechanistic insights into the limitation of relying solely on organic carbon normalized sorption coefficient (KOC) in chemical hazard assessment, as the measured KOC can vary significantly across different soil types, and therefore, a universal cut-off threshold may not be appropriate. This research highlights the importance of considering chemical properties and multiple solid constituents in sorption modeling and offers a valuable theoretical approach for improved chemical hazard and exposure assessments.

When rockbursts and coal and gas outbursts simultaneously occur in a coal mine, changes in gas adsorption (concentration of ambient methane) and displacement of coal and rock must occur. The co-associated minerals in coal reservoirs can affect the mechanical properties and methane adsorption capacity, which are commonly disregarded. It is important to construct compound molecular structure models of coal and rock and conduct molecular dynamic simulations to gain a microscopic understanding of underground disasters. In this work, the molecular structure models of anthracite and coking coal–rock compound models containing different contents of calcite and kaolinite were constructed, and the methane adsorption amount and mechanical properties considering temperature, pressure, and mineral contents were simulated and analysed. The results showed that the methane adsorption amount of the compound models increased rapidly, then increased moderately, and stabilized eventually with increasing adsorption pressure, and the Langmuir fitting findings were good. The saturation adsorption amount of methane in the coal models linearly decreased with increasing temperature, while the methane adsorption heat increased. The presence of minerals adsorbed a certain amount of methane, and the methane adsorption amount increased with increasing mineral contents. The mechanical properties of coal molecules changed when mineral molecules such as calcite and kaolinite were present, which had opposite contribution effects. The addition of kaolinite minerals to the coal molecular model always increased the bulk modulus and shear modulus, while the addition of calcite decreased the bulk modulus of the anthracite, causing an increase in the brittleness of the models. The results of the study further explain the adsorption behaviour and mechanical properties of methane in coal and minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic elements in coal are often regarded as a nuisance being responsible for most of the problems arising during coal utilization. Commonly found group of minerals in coal are major (quartz, pyrite, clays, and carbonates), minor and rare earth elements. Three Indian coals were subjected to gravity fractionation to study the association of major, minor, and rare earth elements. It showed that concentration of elements like Al, Ca, and Fe is much lesser in lighter gravity fraction than the heavier gravity fraction. Elements like Fe and Mn were higher at 1.50 gravity fractions with respect to its nearby gravity, while Co content was little higher in lighter fraction. Major toxic elements such as As, Pb, and Cr can be reduced by almost 3–4 times by washing coal. The rare earth elements Y, Lu, Ce, Dy, and La are embedded with mineral matter of the coal. Gravity fractionations, distributing the ash content, and elements link with organic materials. This study showed that along with coal beneficiation, separation of valuable elements in different gravity fractions to be monitored so that the coal beneficiation could be a win-win strategy for upgradation of coal quality and pave the route for extraction of economically important elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine coal reject samples (FCRs) derived from the South African (SA) feed-coal preparation are unsuitable for gasification/combustion. In this novel investigation, two SA FCRs were taken from a thermal-export plant (TEP) and steam-station (STEM) for the coal-property comparison study and pyrolysis/gasification reactivity. H2S/SO2/CO2/Cadmium/Arsenic/volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions/dust/particulate-matter pollution linked to pyrite-spontaneous combustion and the interaction of organic sulfur and calcium in FCRs are serious threats to the global human health and atmospheric environment. Numerous investigations primarily focused on SA unoxidized FCR (STEM sample) rather than oxidized FCR (TEP sample) and beneficiated fractions. Furthermore, no Raman/X-ray diffraction (XRD)/density-separation/thermogravimetric results for the TEP (40–400 µm; 83% recovery) and STEM (111–500 µm; 20% recovery) samples have been previously reported. FCRs/their beneficiated fractions were characterized by the different coal analyses. Results indicate that the FCRs have similar properties compared to gasification/combustion feed coals with the exception of higher mineral matter (39% versus 29%), higher vitrinites (43% against 24%) and higher alkali index (8 versus 5) in the TEP sample. Thermogravimetric gasification experiments illustrate higher reaction rates/higher carbon conversion for the TEP sample than the STEM sample. Raman/XRD detected aromatic/aliphatic hydrocarbons/minerals, which positively contribute to the coal's reactivity. Results provide a baseline toward FCRs utilization in pyrolysis/gasification applications on the basis of their reactivity, and a minimization of higher disposal-costs/health-hazards/air-pollution/fines volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of melatonin (MEL) application on pepper plants grown in calcareous environments at different growth stages. High pH negatively affects mineral nutrient uptake. The possible effects of exogenous MEL application on mineral nutrient uptake were investigated in pepper plants exposed to pH stress. In the experiment, the Miray pepper cultivar seedlings were used, and 0 and 5 μM MEL were applied to the seedlings at the stage of 4 full leaves. Two days after application, seedlings were planted in 5‑liter pots to which 0, 1, and 4% agricultural lime (CaCO3) were added to the 1:1 (w:w) peat: perlite mixture. Leaf and root samples were taken twice, 30 days (flowering stage) and 90 days (fruiting stage) after transplanting the seedlings from plants planted in MEL treated and added lime medium. In these samples, there are vegetative growth criteria (plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry weight), some biochemical properties (total phenolic, proline, malondialdehyde, chlorophyll, and anthocyanin), and some biochemical properties (total phenolic, some mineral matter contents) were studied. In general, the negative effects of lime application on vegetative growth were mitigated by applying MEL. It was determined that plant height increased with MEL application and ranged from 42.89 cm (1 Ca‑5 MEL) to 25.11 cm (4 Ca‑0 MEL) at the flowering stage. The leaf area increased from 467.60 cm2/plant (4 Ca‑0 MEL) to 1098.23 cm2/plant (1Ca‑5 MEL). The application of MEL decreased the proline and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, while the chlorophyll and anthocyanin contents increased. Examining the applications in terms of mineral matter uptake in general, the P, K, Ca, Mg, Cu, and Mn contents in leaves increased during flowering. The P, K, Mg, Cu, and Fe contents in roots increased with the 1% Ca and MEL applications. According to the test results, applying MEL in calcareous environments positively affects plant growth by regulating plant growth, improving biochemical properties, and regulating the uptake of mineral nutrients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In hydrotreating the reactivity of the mineral matter of the oil shale from the five layers of the Tarfaya deposit and the M layer of the Timahdit deposit, both located in Morocco, is different. This reactivity is a function of the climates of the geological eras: Z0 (Tertiary era: cold climate), Z1 (Maestrichtian: hot climate), Z2 (Senonian: cold climate), Z3 (Turonian: warm climate) and Z4 (Cenomanian: warm climate). This explains why the Z3 and Z4 layers are the most reactive, also due to the location of the low peak temperatures as established by derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) for these two layers. There was also a disproportion between the DTG peak area values and the reactivity of the mineral material. The composition of dolomite CaMg(CO3 )2 in the Z1 layer is responsible for the low reactivity observed for this layer. Oil shale is a sedimentary rock which is composed of a complex mixture of organic and mineral matter. It is a natural mineral resource, and constitutes a richness of Morocco, with the most important deposits being Tarfaya of marine origin and Timahdit of lacustrine origin. A comparison was made between the reactivity of the mineral matter of layers Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 (deposit of Tarfaya) and M (deposit of Timahdit) by using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with its derivative. This is a technique of analysis consisting in following the loss in mass of a compound according to the temperature in dynamic regime at three speeds of heating: 9 °C/min, 15 °C/min and 21 °C/min. This analysis was carried out for the hydrotreating reaction (hydrogen carrier gas) for the 5 layers of Tarfaya: Z0, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and the M layer of Timahdit. The influence of the climate of the sedimentation geological stage of the different layers of the Tarfaya deposit was discussed in order to understand the corresponding reactivity.

Potato is one of the essential food products used in human nutrition, and the time and amount of nitrogen fertilization are very important to ensure tuber quality in potato cultivation. This research was carried out in Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies Research and Application area in order to determine the effect of different nitrogen doses on the tuber mineral content of potatoes. Agria potato variety was used as material and urea fertilizer (46 % N) was used as nitrogen source. In the study, 6 different nitrogen doses (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 kg/da) were applied. Plots were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. According to the results of the analysis of variance made with the data on the properties examined, the effect of nitrogen doses on the tuber nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese and copper contents was found to be significant. However, it had no effect on phosphorus, calcium and sulfur. The highest nitrogen content in the tuber was obtained from 50 kg/da, potassium, magnesium and manganese content 10 kg/da, iron content 20 kg/da, zinc content 0 kg/da and copper content 20 kg/da. It was found that the nitrogen content in the tuber increased with a rise in the amount of nitrogen from 0 kg/da to 50 kg/da. However, it was determined that raise increased the amount of some elements up to a certain level but did not show any effect on other mineral substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Mineral matter in the investigated coals, floors, and roofs substantially vary. • Mineral matter in the investigated coals, floors, and roofs has multiple sources. • Inorganics in coal were derived from the Kangdian tops and the Paleo-Tethys region. • The floors and roofs were mainly derived from ELIP high-Ti basalts. • The latest Permian sedimentation was controlled by tectonic activity along faults. Recent studies have found that the provenance for water-transported sediments in some coal seams in the Late Permian and Early Triassic sequences from SW China have changed from mafic rocks of Emeishan Large Igneous Province (ELIP) to intermediate-felsic and alkaline igneous rocks from the ELIP and Paleo-Tethys convergent margins. However, the mechanism of provenance changes for mineral matter in the late Permian coals from SW China remains unclear. This paper uses the detailed mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the latest Permian coal-bearing strata from the Huopu coal deposit in SW China to identify the potential detrital provenances of mineral matter. The mineralogy of the Huopu coals is dominated by kaolinite, quartz, and calcite. Fracture-filling kaolinite, calcite, quartz, anatase, as well as closely coexisting fracture-filling kaolinite, quartz, and chamosite, were possibly formed by multiple-stage solution injections. The Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 values, REY distribution patterns (REY, rare earth elements and Y), as well as Nb/Yb vs. Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 and Zr/TiO 2 vs. Al 2 O 3 /TiO 2 diagrams all indicate that the roof and floor sediments of the coal seam were sourced mostly from the ELIP high-Ti basalts. In contrast, the inorganic matter of the coals was derived from the Kangdian tops exposing (1) the Proterozoic meta-granitic complex; (2) the ELIP's volcanic complex including, in addition to basalts, alkaline and intermediate-felsic lavas and small intrusions; and (3) volcanic ashes from the Paleo-Tethys convergent margins. The latest Permian sedimentation in the Huopu coal deposit is suggested to have been controlled by tectonic activity along the Xiaojiang Fault that separates the inner ELIP from the Western Yangtze Cratonic Basin (WYCB). This activity is characterized by repeated uplifts of the inner ELIP associated with some downward movements in the WYCB and vice versa. The ELIP uplift and WYCB subsidence may have led to intensive erosion of the ELIP basalts and marine transgression producing the clastic sediments, while the ELIP's downward movement associated with some WYCB uplift may have promoted peat deposition and erosion of the Kangdian tops exposing both the ELIP intermediate-felsic volcanic rocks and the older meta-granitic complexes. Both sedimentation regimes were evidently accompanied by volcanic activity on the Paleo-Tethys convergent margins, but preservation of the volcanic ash layers was possible only during more quiescent peat-accumulation periods. The reduced detrital supply in these periods would result in a higher proportion of the intermediate-felsic pyroclastic debris disseminated in the coals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, Moroccon Tarfaya oil shale was treated by acids and different solvents under supercritical conditions, successively. Experimental results showed clearly that residual mineral matter had a significant effect on the yield and composition of the resulting organic fraction. Indeed, theoil yields obtained from some samples, 43% and 56%, respectively, were much higher than that from the sub-layer, 18%. In addition, the yield of recuperation and quality of extracted oils were largely dependent on the nature of solvents (toluene, water, shale oil). Thus, phenol was shown to be a very efficient modifier for the supercritical extraction of organic matter from Tarfaya oil shale with toluene, affording a good yield of recovery and a suitable maturation of organic matter. The pitches prepared by mixing phenol and toluene contained more aromatics and had a high char yield (46%) at 950 °C compared to those obtained by extraction with supercritical toluene alone.

When rockbursts and coal and gas outbursts simultaneously occur in a coal mine, changes in gas adsorption (concentration of ambient methane) and displacement of coal and rock must occur. The co-associated minerals in coal reservoirs can affect the mechanical properties and methane adsorption capacity, which are commonly disregarded. It is important to construct compound molecular structure models of coal and rock and conduct molecular dynamic simulations to gain a microscopic understanding of underground disasters. In this work, the molecular structure models of anthracite and coking coal–rock compound models containing different contents of calcite and kaolinite were constructed, and the methane adsorption amount and mechanical properties considering temperature, pressure, and mineral contents were simulated and analysed. The results showed that the methane adsorption amount of the compound models increased rapidly, then increased moderately, and stabilized eventually with increasing adsorption pressure, and the Langmuir fitting findings were good. The saturation adsorption amount of methane in the coal models linearly decreased with increasing temperature, while the methane adsorption heat increased. The presence of minerals adsorbed a certain amount of methane, and the methane adsorption amount increased with increasing mineral contents. The mechanical properties of coal molecules changed when mineral molecules such as calcite and kaolinite were present, which had opposite contribution effects. The addition of kaolinite minerals to the coal molecular model always increased the bulk modulus and shear modulus, while the addition of calcite decreased the bulk modulus of the anthracite, causing an increase in the brittleness of the models. The results of the study further explain the adsorption behaviour and mechanical properties of methane in coal and minerals.

In hydrotreating the reactivity of the mineral matter of the oil shale from the five layers of the Tarfaya deposit and the M layer of the Timahdit deposit, both located in Morocco, is different. This reactivity is a function of the climates of the geological eras: Z0 (Tertiary era: cold climate), Z1 (Maestrichtian: hot climate), Z2 (Senonian: cold climate), Z3 (Turonian: warm climate) and Z4 (Cenomanian: warm climate). This explains why the Z3 and Z4 layers are the most reactive, also due to the location of the low peak temperatures as established by derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) for these two layers. There was also a disproportion between the DTG peak area values and the reactivity of the mineral material. The composition of dolomite CaMg(CO3 )2 in the Z1 layer is responsible for the low reactivity observed for this layer. Oil shale is a sedimentary rock which is composed of a complex mixture of organic and mineral matter. It is a natural mineral resource, and constitutes a richness of Morocco, with the most important deposits being Tarfaya of marine origin and Timahdit of lacustrine origin. A comparison was made between the reactivity of the mineral matter of layers Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 (deposit of Tarfaya) and M (deposit of Timahdit) by using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with its derivative. This is a technique of analysis consisting in following the loss in mass of a compound according to the temperature in dynamic regime at three speeds of heating: 9 °C/min, 15 °C/min and 21 °C/min. This analysis was carried out for the hydrotreating reaction (hydrogen carrier gas) for the 5 layers of Tarfaya: Z0, Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4 and the M layer of Timahdit. The influence of the climate of the sedimentation geological stage of the different layers of the Tarfaya deposit was discussed in order to understand the corresponding reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Harran Journal of Agricultural & Food Science is the property of Harran University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, in which the effects of different applications of vermicompost on the yield and quality of San Andreas strawberry variety were investigated 15, 30, 45, 60 g vermicompost was applied per plant. First flowering, first and last harvest dates, number of fruits per plant, yield per plant (g/plant), fruit weight (g), fruit flavor, macro and micro nutrient content, organic acid amounts were examined. The results showed that the differences between treatments in yield per plant were statistically significant. The highest total yield per plant was obtained from V45 and V30 applications with 972.8 g and 878.9 g respectively and the lowest yield was obtained from the control application with 384.2 g per plant. The largest fruits were obtained from the V60 (19.5 g) application. It was determined that nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, iron, zinc and boron concentrations in the leaves of strawberry plants fertilized with vermicompost were higher than the control. The highest values in organic acid values were determined in oxalic, propionic, malonic, lactic, fumaric and succinic acids in V60 application (5.62, 11.16, 49.00, 104.98 µg/100 g respectively). It seems that the application of vermicompost fertilizer in strawberry cultivation has a positive effect on yield and quality characteristics.

With high nutritional value, goji berry is an important fruit for human nutrition and health. Goji berry cultivation is done widely in many countries, farming has become widespread in recent years in Turkey. In study grown goji berry (Lycium barbarum L.) in Turkey are determined the physical and chemical characteristics of fruit (pH, titration acidity, dry matter content, ash content, water activity (aw) value, protein content, HMF content, total phenolic content, total sugar content, reducing sugar content, sucrose content, colour values, mineral contents, organic acid contents, amino acid contents and some plant hormone content). Goji berry fruits have pH value 5.18, titration acidity value 2.16%, dry matter content 89.40%, ash content 4.30%, water activity (aw) value 0.35, protein content 13.18%, HMF content 9.38 mg/kg, total phenolic content 9.05 mg GAE/g, total sugar content 59.26%, decreasing sugar content 57.35%, sucrose content 1.90%, L* value 40.33, a* value 22.97, b* value 33.00, C* value 40.21, H° value 55.15. In addition, the mineral content, organic acid content, amino acid content and some plant hormones of goji berry fruits were determined by analysis.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of barley crushing rates applied to annual legume-grain multi mix harvested in different phenological periods on silage quality and feed value. In the research, 35% Hungarian vetch + 35% fodder pea + 10% oat + 10% triticale + 10% wheat mixture was used as silage material. Hay harvesting was carried out in three different stages (before flowering, 50% flowering, the full flowering period of fodder pea). To determine the effects of the produced roughage on silage quality and feed value, silages were prepared by applying barley crushed at four different doses (0, 5%, 10%, and 15%). Silage samples were left to ferment in vacuum bags at 25 ± 2 oC for 60 days. In the samples taken from the silages opened at the end of fermentation; pH, dry matter, crude protein, crude ash, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent lignin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus analyzes were made. The quality of the roughage was determined by calculating the Fleig score (FS) and relative feed values of the silages. According to the research results, the delay of the cutting stage affected the nutrient content, cell wall components, and fermentation of the silage. While the FS increased with increasing barley ratio, the relative feed value (RFV) was in the best quality. The addition of crushed barley at the level of 15% had a positive effect on the fermentation and silage quality of the silages. The highest RFV value was obtained from the samples harvested in full flowering and 15% crushed barley added. As a result, the silage to be made by adding 15% crushed barley to the mixture of forage crops mowed during the flowering period will be able to meet the quality green fodder needs of the animals in the winter season.

Environmental context: Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials. They can be used as fertiliser and solid amendments in agriculture if treated according to regulatory requirements. If farming applications of biosolids decline due to potential pollution from their heavy metal content, an alternative to traditional methods of biosolid disposal is required. In this context, thermal processing of biosolids is an economically and environmentally suitable option to convert large quantities of biosolids into useful energy. Rationale: Due to more stringent environmental regulations and frequently required long-distance transportation, the traditional disposal of biosolids from wastewater treatment plants in landfills and farms is becoming unsustainable. A potentially economical and environmental option is the thermochemical conversion of biosolids into energy and value-added products. This paper describes the chemical composition and energy content of a representative biosolid sample collected from a major wastewater-treatment plant in Queensland, Australia. Methodology: The thermochemical behaviour and compositional changes in biosolids were investigated under a wide range of pyrolysis and gasification conditions using a horizontal tube furnace (HTF), a fixed-bed reactor and a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). In terms of practical application of by-products, we describe mineral matter transformations in char and ashes during pyrolysis and volatilisation as well as under different gasification conditions. Results: HTF experiments revealed that at pyrolysis below 800°C, mainly organic species were released, while losses of inorganic elements (phosphorus, magnesium and zinc) occurred at higher temperatures. In-situ gasification behaviour of biosolid chars in the TGA reactor showed that the gasification reaction of biosolid chars occurred rapidly at temperatures above 720°C, regardless of the pyrolysis temperatures at which those chars were produced. Mineral matter transformations began at temperatures above 600°C, and mainly involved the transformation of amorphous phases into crystalline oxide and phosphide forms. Under gasification conditions, all crystalline phases appeared as different phosphates and alumino-silicates. Discussion: The methods described here provide different options for the disposal of biosolids from wastewater by adjusting and optimising thermochemical conversion processes. Environmental context. Biosolids are nutrient-rich organic materials. They can be used as fertiliser and solid amendments in agriculture if treated according to regulatory requirements. If farming applications of biosolids decline due to potential pollution from their heavy metal content, an alternative to traditional methods of biosolid disposal is required. In this context, thermal processing of biosolids is an economically and environmentally suitable option to convert large quantities of biosolids into useful energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ombrotrophic peatlands contain a very small percentage of mineral matter that they receive exclusively from atmospheric deposition. Mineral matter deposited on the Šijec bog was characterized using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). We collected solid atmospheric deposition from snow, rainwater, and using passive samplers. Samples were collected at average atmospheric conditions and after two dust events. Size, morphology, and chemical composition of individual particles were determined. We distinguished four main particle groups: silicates, carbonates, organic particles, and Fe-oxyhydroxides. Silicate particles are further divided into quartz and aluminosilicates. Proportions of these groups vary between samples and between sample types. In all samples, silicate particles predominate. Samples affected by dust events are richer in solid particles. This is well observed in passive deposition samples. Carbonates and organic particles represent smaller fractions and are probably of local origin. Iron-oxyhydroxides make up a smaller, but significant part of particles and are, according to their shape and chemical composition, of both geogenic and anthropogenic origin. Estimated quantity and percentage of main groups vary throughout the year and are highly dependent on weather conditions. Dust events represent periods of increased deposition and contribute significantly to mineral matter input to peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Veterinaria Brasilica is the property of Acta Veterinaria Brasilica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to investigate direct and indirect correlations of methodologies of bone quality analysis from brown egg layers, at final of the production cycle. Twelve femurs of Dekalb Brown laying hens, euthanized at 85-week-old, were assessed to evaluate breaking strength (BS), Seedor index (SI), mineral matter (MM), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents, besides cortical (CorD), medullar (MedD) and epiphysis (EpiD) diameters. Correlations and path analysis were obtained with the aid of SAS® University (p ≤ 0.05). The BS directly represented the bone quality and was compared to other methodologies. Greater linear correlations occurred between BS and MM (r = 0.82), MM and Ca (r = 0.72), and BS and Ca (r = 0.70). The MM content displayed the greatest direct effect on the BS (r = 0.53). The Ca content showed a reduced direct effect on the BS (r = 0.18), with indirect effects through MM content (r = 0.44) and EpiD (r = 0.15), however, presented a great total correlation (r = 0.78). Determination of mineral matter content is the main methodology associated with femur breaking strength from brown egg layers at final of the productive cycle. Because of that, this methodology is more reliable to determine bone quality.

The parameters specify coal including ash, volatile matter, and calorific values have great importance in the use of coal as it is or in other forms. Coal is occluded in typical oxide and sulfide wall rocks. Various amounts of these carbonate, sulfide, oxide, and silicate minerals could result in different analyses outcomes for the coal with similar calorific value. The present study investigates the effect of mineral matter content in the coal on the proximate analysis parameters. The coal mixtures were prepared by the addition of different minerals included in the foot and hanging wall rock to the clean coal. Experimental results were compared with the results obtained from the theoretical models reported in the literature. The detailed chemical analysis and mineral compositions supported by the XRD analyses are presented. The results revealed that the carbonate component in the coal changes the ash content and volatile matter values significantly which directly influence the rank of the coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate direct and indirect correlations of methodologies of bone quality analysis from brown egg layers, at final of the production cycle. Twelve femurs of Dekalb Brown laying hens, euthanized at 85-week-old, were assessed to evaluate breaking strength (BS), Seedor index (SI), mineral matter (MM), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) contents, besides cortical (CorD), medullar (MedD) and epiphysis (EpiD) diameters. Correlations and path analysis were obtained with the aid of SAS® University (p = 0.05). The BS directly represented the bone quality and was compared to other methodologies. Greater linear correlations occurred between BS and MM (r = 0.82), MM and Ca (r = 0.72), and BS and Ca (r = 0.70). The MM content displayed the greatest direct effect on the BS (r = 0.53). The Ca content showed a reduced direct effect on the BS (r = 0.18), with indirect effects through MM content (r = 0.44) and EpiD (r = 0.15), however, presented a great total correlation (r = 0.78). Determination of mineral matter content is the main methodology associated with femur breaking strength from brown egg layers at final of the productive cycle. Because of that, this methodology is more reliable to determine bone quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are mostly used in pharmaceutical, nutrition, and nutraceutical fields. Achillea spp. is widely used as nutraceuticals and food. In this study, chemical composition of essential oils, mineral composition, and antioxidant activities of different parts of A. collina were investigated. Flavonoids and polyphenols were detected using total flavonoid and polyphenolic contents assays. The Antioxidant activities were identified using 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP), and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) assays. The essential oil chemical compositions were determined by Gas Chromatography--Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. According to the results, the most active plant part was A. collina leaves with a value of IC50=62.32±1.53 μg/mL. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents (171.66±0.47 mg GAE /g and 8.50±0.43mg QE/g) were found in leaf parts. The essential oil was only obtained from the flower part of the plant. Besides, the major components found in A. collina were 1,8-cineole, camphor, β-linalool, γ- terpinene, γ-terpineol, α-pinene, epi-cyclocolorenone, epi-cyclocolorenone, and p-cymene. The results revealed that leaf samples of A. collina obtained from Bulgarian flora had higher antioxidant effect. The highest macro and microelement contents were Potassium (K)>Calcium (Ca)>Manganese (Mn)>Phosphor (P)>Magnesium (Mg)>Sodium (Na)> Copper (Cu)> Iron (Fe)> Boron (B), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article was to study the effect of pyrolysis temperature and mineral matter on the distribution of the products of C1-C6 hydrocarbons. Pakistani lignite named Lakhra 6B was used to study the effect of inorganic substances on the reactivity of coal. The experiments were performed using pyrolysis gas chromatography to investigate the activity of virgin coal, HCl acid-washed coal, and acid-washed coal with (Ca(C2H3O2)2, Mg(C2H3O2)2, NaC2H3O2, KC2H3O2), added respectively. The products obtained were monitored by a gas chromatograph. The main products identified were methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, 1-butene, n-butane, 1-pentene, n-pentane, and benzene. The results showed that coal conversion to methane increased with an increase in temperature and the amount of this hydrocarbon was high among all the hydrocarbons formed. It was observed that the addition of metal ions affected the yields of the products selectively. The yield of benzene was observed to be high in the case of calcium and magnesium form coals. The other cations form coals produced a smaller quantity of benzene in the temperature range studied. From the results, it can be concluded that metal ions played a selective role in controlling the yield of C1-C6 hydrocarbons products from coal pyrolysis in general and benzene yield in particular.

Introduction−The non-energy use of high-range carbons (an-thracite) has great potential in industries such as metallurgy and in the synthesis of new carbonaceous materials. However, before being used in these applications, they must be treated to remove impurities or unwanted compounds.Objective−To evaluate the efficiency of the process of chemi-cal demineralization of semianthracites through the use of different acids varying the operating conditions of the process.Method−Two samples were chemically characterized: Boavita (B) and Capitanejo (C) from the Boyacá and Santander (Colom-bia) mines, respectively. Ash and mineral matter removal from the samples was evaluated using [HCl] = 5M, HF 40% and HCl 38% at two different reaction times (45 and 60 minutes) and two particle sizes of the material (250 and 500 μm). Results−The minimum values of ash content (bs) reached through the demineralization process for samples B and C, were 0.65 and 0.76% respectively, which were obtained with a particle size of 250 μm and 60 minutes of exposure in each of the acids used in this study. Conclusions−A smaller particle size increases the contact surface and improves the degree of demineralization, regard-less of the time of exposure to acids. The efficiency of the chemi-cal benefit shows yields in the reduction of silicates, aluminates and aluminosilicates to 100%, while for ferric minerals it is above 50%

Chickpea is a good source of carbohydrates and proteins grown in many countries of the world. In this study, the mineral content of 25 chickpea cultivars grown under Yozgat conditions were determined. The experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design with three replications in 2011 year. As a result of analysis of variance, significant differences have been determined among the varieties in terms of all the properties examined. Potassium (K) content of the varieties varied between 7314.3-9980.1 mg kg-1, phosphorus (P) contents between 1969.9-3705.3 mg kg-1, sulfur (S) contents between 1417.2-2224.6 mg kg-1, calcium (Ca) contents between 963.1-1908.4 mg kg-1, magnesium (Mg) contents between 844.2-1267.2 mg kg-1, sodium (Na) contents between 403.2-1027.2 mg kg-1, zinc (Zn) contents between 14.2-23.8 mg kg-1, iron (Fe) contents between 37.5-79.1 mg kg-1, boron (B) contents between 7.1-12.9 mg kg-1, manganese (Mn) contents between 10.9 to 23.2 mg kg-1 and copper (Cu) contents between 5.58-8.22 mg kg-1. Gökçe and 63-C genotypes had values above average for all mineral contents examined. In addition, according to correlation analysis, a statistically significant and positive relationship was determined between all elements except potassium and sulfur.

The current research investigates the kinetics of non-isothermal and isothermal pyrolysis of three different coal types (with different ash content) using the thermogravimetric (TGA) method in an argon atmosphere. The effect of mineral matter content on the pyrolysis characteristics was presented within the temperature range 600–1000 °C. The high ash coal sample used in the present study was collected from Talcher region, Orissa State, India. The coal sample was divided into three fractions (1.4, 1.6, 1.8) using the density separation technique to examine the effect of mineral matter or ash content on the coal pyrolysis during isothermal and non-isothermal heating. The results in the current study show that the mineral matter content helps in aiding the devolatilization rates in the pyrolysis process. Compared to the other coals, the 1.8 coal with a high ash content shows the maximum mass loss rate in the devolatilization range. The mass loss rate for the 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8 coals is found to be 1.2 μg/min, 1.2 μg/min, and 1.7 μg/min respectively. In isothermal conditions, the activation energies for 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8 is found to be 4.49 kJ/mol, 4.58 kJ/mol, and 12.5 kJ/mol, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Agricultural Research / Turkiye Tarimsal Arastirmalar Dergisi is the property of Siirt University, Faculty of Agriculture / Siirt Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The changing properties of energy waste force us to look for alternative directions of their use. The aim of the research presented in this paper was to indicate the possibilities of managing fly ashes from bituminous coal and lignite based on the observation of individual particles of these ashes. Innovative research techniques were used, among others: SEM with EDS detector and Image Analysis. Microscopic observations have shown that fly ashes are a heterogeneous material composed of particles occurring in three basic morphological forms: spherical, irregular and fine-detritic. A high proportion of spherical particles was found in bituminous coal ashes (rich in SiO2 and Al2O3), which gives them high pozzolanic activity. This kind of morphology and chemical composition make these ashes a potential material for zeolites synthesis. The amorphic phase of ash from lignite coal has aluminium–silicate-calcium chemical composition, which is what determines pozzolanic and hydraulic properties of these ashes. Magnetic separation of iron-rich particles may be a way to manage the researched ashes. One of the valuable components of hard coal ash are microspheres, which are characterized by high variability in chemical composition, so further utilization will require prior refining. The main component of irregular particles found in ashes is unburned coal and, to a lesser extent, a mineral substance. The separation of all useful components from the tested ashes before their further management will allow the full use of their raw material potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-gasification of renewable biomass and coal is a promising technique to reduce greenhouse gas emission beside increasing gasification performance instead of individual coal gasification. In this study, the co-gasification performance of pine bark (PB) biomass and Barapukurian bituminous coal (BBC) have been assessed using a high-temperature entrained flow gasifier using CO 2 reactant. Results show that increasing biomass concentration increases the carbon conversion, syngas quality and cold gas efficiency (CGE), while reduces emission. For example, an addition of 20% biomass with coal increased the carbon conversion by 21.5, 10.6 and 4.5%-point at temperatures of 1000, 1200 and 1400 °C compared to pure coal gasification. Similarly, increasing biomass ratio in the blend increased the yield of CO by 11–36 vol% under different temperatures. Also, the CGE, fragmentation index (F I = ∑ i n F D o ) and alkali and alkaline earth minerals in ash were increased with increasing biomass ratio in the blend. Overall, at least 50% of coal can be replaced with renewable biomass considering performance and emission characteristics, making the technology more sustainable. • Co-gasification of Barapukurian coal and pine bark biomass have been studied. • Increasing biomass ratio increases the carbon conversion and syngas quality. • Synergistic effect is observed at lower temperature but higher equivalence ratio. • Increasing biomass ratio in the blend increases the AAEM based minerals in ash. • Overall, a 50:50 ratio of coal and biomass is recommended for the co-gasification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relevance of the research is caused by the need to involve renewable biomass (in particular, peat) to generate heat and electrical energy. This will partially solve the problem of resource-deficient regions, depending on the supply of fuel from developed coal deposits. The main aim of the research is the investigation of thermal characteristics and the mineral matter of the peat of a number of large deposits of the Tomsk region to assess the possibility of their energy use. Objects of researches are the samples of low-moor peat from Sukhovskoye and Arkadyevskoye deposits and one of the Tomsk region deposits. Methods. Thermal characteristics of the studied samples were determined according to GOST 33503-2015 (ISO 11722:2013), 55661-2013 (ISO 1171:2010), 55660-2013 (ISO 562:2010). Net calorific values of the peats were determined in the ABK-1 calorimeter (Russia), the elemental composition of the organic matter was determined using the analyzer Vario Micro Cube (Elementar, Germany). Peat mineral matter composition was studied by X-ray fluorescence analysis using an EDX-720-P spectrometer (Shimadzu, Japan) as well as by X-ray diffractometry using a Shimadzu XRD7000 diffractometer (CuKα-radiation) with a Shimadzu CM-3121 monochromator counter. Typical ash melting points were determined according to GOST 2057-94 (ISO 540-81). The structure of the samples under study was examined by scanning electron microscopy using a TM 3000 electron microscope (Hitachi, Japan). Results. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that, due to the high ash content, the use of okolotomsky peat for chamber-type combustion is impractical. However, this resource can be considered as a mineral fertilizer in agriculture due to the presence of such elements as phosphorus, potassium. The high content of carbonates indicates the possibility of its using as an additive to high-sulfur coal to reduce emissions of sulfur oxide SOx. The characteristics of sukhovskoу and аrkadyevsky peat make it possible to consider them as an alternative to imported fuel. The preferred method of energy use of peat from Tomsk region fields is its combustion in a fluidized bed.

Abstract The current research was investigated the mechanism of coal demineralization and the effect of leaching parameters on high ash coal and study the characterization of pre and post-treated coal. The two high ash Indian coal selected from Mahanadi Coalfield Limited, Odisha, pulverized to 375, 230 and 180 µm particle size were undergone simultaneous acid and alkali treatment at a different concentration, temperature and time. The percent demineralization was increased with decrease the size of the particle and rises with leaching parameters. The investigation suggested 180 µm particle size offers efficient demineralization for both coals at 30% NaOH and 30% H2SO4 concentration. The alkali leaching leads to obtaining the demineralization 46% and 42% whereas acid treatment resulted in 34% and 32% of the original coal samples. The extent of demineralization was improved the calorific value of coal. Besides, the degree of demineralization was proved from the FTIR, XRF and FESEM–EDX analysis results. FTIR analysis result showed that the peak intensity of mineral band decreased by the leaching effect and the degree of demineralization was significantly obtained to large extent by the X-ray Fluorescence spectrometer; which elucidates major minerals removed from coal by the leaching effect of acid and alkali solution.

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study used an entrained flow gasifier to assess the pyrolysis and gasification performance of Bangladeshi Barapukurian bituminous coal. The pyrolysis and CO 2 gasification were conducted at temperatures of 1000°C–1400 °C under atmospheric pressure. The carbon conversion, syngas yield and pollutant emissions of coal using two different particle size of 90–106 and 250–300 μm have been analysed under CO 2 concentration of 10–80 vol%. Solid residue (char/ash) was analysed by using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Results show that the release of volatile matter increases up to the temperature of 1200 °C. However, the temperature needs to increase at 1400 °C for the complete carbon conversion. Based on the CO/H 2 ratio, syngas conditioning is required while using a temperature of 1200 °C or above, especially over the stoichiometric CO 2 concentrations. Considering the heating value of syngas for power generation, the use of CO 2 should be limited to less than 20% at a temperature of 1200–1400 °C. Particle size is important for carbon conversion but there is no significant impact on the heating value of syngas. Installation of the syngas cleaning system is required to drop the pollutants emission from the ppmv range to the ppbv range. • This is the first-ever gasification study for Bangladeshi Barapukurian coal using an entrained flow gasifier. • A complete release of volatile matter and full carbon conversion occur at a temperature of 1200°C and 1400°C respectively. • Based on the CO/H 2 ratio, syngas conditioning is required while using a temperature of 1200°C or above. • The key mineral detected from the XRD study of gasified char/ash was β-quartz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a leading food legume primarily grown in marginal areas and consumed all over the world. However, its production is limited owing to zinc (Zn) deficiency in many chickpea-based cropping systems. This study was conducted over two years to evaluate the effect of Zn application through seed treatments on productivity and grain Zn biofortification of kabuli and desi chickpea types in Punjab, Pakistan. Pre-optimised doses of Zn were applied as (i) seed priming (0.001 m Zn) and (ii) seed coating (5 mg Zn kg–1 seed), using ZnSO4.7H2O (33% Zn). Hydropriming (soaking in water) and non-primed dry seeds were used as control treatments. Zinc seed treatments significantly improved leghemoglobin contents, nodulation, grain yield, grain Zn yield, grain bioavailable Zn, grain minerals and grain Zn concentration compared with control treatments in both chickpea types. During both years, kabuli chickpea receiving Zn seed coating had higher grain yield (2.22 and 2.73 t ha–1) and grain Zn yield (103 and 129 g ha–1) than kabuli receiving other treatments. Likewise, during both study years, maximum grain bioavailable Zn (4.58 and 4.55 mg Zn day–1) was recorded with Zn seed coating in both chickpea types. Kabuli chickpea had more grain bioavailable Zn than desi. With regard to seed treatments, desi chickpea was more responsive to Zn osmopriming, whereas kabuli was more responsive to Zn seed coating. In conclusion, Zn seed treatments, as seed priming and seed coating, are effective methods for improving the productivity, grain quality and Zn biofortification of both desi and kabuli chickpea. Zinc (Zn) deficiency is one of the major causes of low chickpea productivity. This study concluded that Zn application, as seed priming and seed coating, is effective and economical for improving the productivity and grain quality, including Zn biofortification, of both desi and kabuli chickpea types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mineral matter is the leading cause of inevitable ash problems (fouling and slagging) during the combustion of coal. Low-temperature ash (LTA) samples of feed coals and the density separated fractions were subjected to high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) to identify the mineral reactions occurred at elevated temperatures under oxidizing conditions. Excluded minerals were mainly contained in the sink fractions, while included minerals were mainly present in the float fractions. QEMSCAN results indicate that the mineral associations in carbominerites and included minerals in Feeds A, B and C and sinks B and C are responsible for the melt formation during HT-XRD experiments. HT-XRD results indicate the presence of mullite, anorthite, and amorphous aluminosilicate materials formed in the thermally treated LTA samples. The formation of these slagging crystalline and glassy phases could be attributed to either crystallization during the cooling of the molten solution, or via solid-state reactions at elevated temperatures. A comprehensive knowledge of the included and excluded minerals can be used to prepare a blended feedstock for combustion processes. The operational ash-related problems in the combustion and gasification processes could be minimized by implementing this comprehensive knowledge of the transformation of coal minerals at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral matter in coals has been found to host valuable elements including germanium, lithium and rare-earth elements (REE), but such content of Australian coals remains under-explored. The aim of this paper is to provide a proof-of-concept study that determines elemental concentrations in the mineral matter of the high-ash, Fort Cooper Coal Measures (FCCM), Bowen Basin, Queensland. Coal in the FCCM has good coking properties but has not been extensively explored owing to its high ash content. This study performs a preliminary assessment of the elements from the coal portion that would typically become waste after washing or combustion. Given that the needs for industrial extraction methods will change over time, cataloguing and documenting the elemental composition of coal may assist future development of multiple products for the benefit of both the coal and mineral industries. This preliminary study has revealed similar elevations of REE and higher-than-average crustal concentrations of lithium, bismuth and scandium in some of the samples. Further analyses will be required on a larger dataset to better understand elemental associations and explore spatial patterns of elemental content that may indicate localised enrichments. Understanding the potential of valuable elements in the FCCM may stimulate interest in multiple-product-coal (or elemental-coal) mining in this under-exploited resource and further encourage the reduction of waste from other Australian coals at the wash-plant stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low rank or low-grade (LRC or LGC) coals are most abundant distribute around the several regions in the world. The contribution of low-rank coal is a significant role in the energy sectors and chemical feedstock to the industries. The hard coal reserves are gradually depleting, and the mining operation at deeper coal seam with greater difficulties as well as the cost of exploration is so high, which has a significant issue for plant economics. Therefore, the low-grade coal can be used as an alternative energy source to minimize these problems. Low-rank coals are usually associated with high mineral matter and moisture content, which exerts substantial impacts on their consumption including pyrolysis, liquefaction, gasification and combustion process. In order to understand the essential treatment of coal for efficient removal of mineral matters and improve coal properties by beneficiation techniques are crucial to developing advanced technologies. The present article provides a comprehensive overview of the various processes concerning demineralization of coal by chemical beneficiation technique. It has been found from the study; the degree of demineralization was greater in chemical beneficiation compared to physical beneficiation. It is because the chemical reagents are attacked to the interior of coal which removes the inorganic materials and finely dispersed minerals from the coal matrix. The chemical methods have separated all types of minerals from the coal matrix. However, the separation of minerals by the physical method depends on the mineral properties. Chemical beneficiation is an appropriate method to reduce both organic and inorganic mineral constituents from the LGC by leaching method. The chemical reagents are diffusing to the interior of coal matrix through the pores and subsequently dissolute the minerals. Throughout the study challenges, the chemical cleaning of low-grade coal has been efficient techniques for reducing the minerals to a minimum level that can be upgraded to high rank coal.

Solid Recovered Fuels (SRF) include non-combustible mineral components (e.g. CaCO3, SiO2, Al2O3) that are required as raw materials for producing clinker and are completely incorporated into the clinker during the thermal recovery of SRF. This paper discusses simple and practicable ways of finding the relative amount of SRF that may be utilised as raw material (given as the recycling index). For this purpose, the entire mineral content of SRF was determined as the ash content and its main components were identified using different analytical methods. • A fusion melt of the previously incinerated sample with subsequent measuring using ICP-OES and XRF as well as a total digestion of the incinerated and non-incinerated sample with subsequent measuring using ICP-OES/ICP-MS were applied. • The results showed a good agreement of all four analytical methods for the elementary oxides Al2O3, CaO, Fe2O3, SiO2, TiO2, P2O5 and MgO (relative deviation from 6.6 to 38.9%) and slightly higher deviations for K2O, Na2O and SO3 (14.2–96.0%). • It was also shown that different incineration temperatures (550 °C, 815 °C and 950 °C) have no effect on the result of the recycling index unless it is assumed that the recycling index equals the ash content.

The ash fusion characteristics and co-gasification activities of different biomasses (corn straw (CS), rice straw (RS) and rice husk (RH)) are investigated in an ash fusion temperature (AFTs) analyzer and a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA). Moreover, the transformation behaviors of mineral matters during CS/RH and RS/RH co-gasification processes are calculated by FactSage software. Results show that the ash fusion characteristic temperatures (AFTs) of CS/RH and RS/RH mixtures both increase with increasing RH ratio, and the maximum ratio of 75% CS and 55% RS in CS/RH and RS/RH mixtures can avoid the melting and slagging problems during co-gasification processes. Under the desirable RH ratio, the gasification activities of CS/RH and RS/RH mixtures increase with increasing CS or RS ratio. Besides, the increased AFTs of CS/RH and RS/RH mixtures are mainly ascribed to the increased contents of high-melting point quartz [SiO 2 and tridymite [SiO 2 and the decreased content of low-melting point silicate with the increase of RH ratio. • Ash fusion characteristic temperatures can be adjusted during biomasses co-gasification. • Transformation behaviors of mineral matters were calculated by FastSage. • Synergistic effect was clarified during biomass co-gasification processes. • Co-gasification is a feasible way to expand biomass applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, experimental study on co-gasification of petroleum coke with coal and coal liquefaction residue (CLR) under CO 2 atmosphere was investigated in a temperature-programmed reactor. The effect of ashes from coal/CLR and metallic oxide on gasification reactivity of petroleum coke was also investigated. The calculated and experimental gasification conversion was compared to analysis the synergetic effect during co-gasification. The results indicated that the petroleum coke has a much lower reactivity than that of coal/CLR chars, while it can be greatly improved by co-gasifying with coal/CLR. The synergetic effect on co-gasification of petroleum coke with coal/CLR was presented as the progress of co-gasification reaction. It was found that the synergetic effect can be enhanced with increasing coal proportion. However, as the increase of coal rank, the synergetic effect gradually weakened during the co-gasification process. In the selected coal/CLR samples, the low rank coal and CLR exhibited a better effect when co-gasifying with petroleum coke. The difference of synergetic effect was probably attributed to the catalytic effect of mineral matters in different coal/CLR. According to composition analyses of various ashes and the co-gasification reactivity of samples, it can be concluded that high content of active components such as Ca- and Fe-in coal/CLR was beneficial to co-gasifying with petroleum coke, while high content of inert Si- and Al- components in coal tended to resist the reaction. • Co-gasification reactivity of petroleum coke with coal/CLR was studied. • The reactivity of petroleum coke can be greatly improved by co-gasifying. • The synergistic effect is closely related to the type of coal. • The Ca-/Fe-components is beneficial for co-gasifying of petcoke with coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three South African feed coal samples for the combustion process were beneficiated to produce carbon-rich and mineral-rich fractions. The mineralogical, petrographical, and chemical properties of these feed coals and their density separated fractions were investigated using XRD, XRF, QEMSCAN, Electron microprobe, and petrography analyses. This work was conducted with the goal of better understanding the processes and operational problems which could possibly occur during coal utilization, with particular focus on the included and excluded mineral matter transformational behavior at elevated temperatures. The conventional float-sink and reflux classification methods used were shown to successfully eliminate liberated minerals and produced maceral-rich float fractions (98%) macerals. The main differences between the feed coals were related to the mode of occurrence of mineral matter. An integration of these different analytical techniques allowed for better determination of the concentrations of mineral matter responsible for industrial ash-related problems. In this paper, we propose that blends of the different density fractions will reduce or minimize clinker and slag formation as well as the abrasive nature of the clinkers or slags. Possible blends to minimise clinker and slag formation include the float and sink fractions of the feed coals in varying proportions based on the specific mineralogical, petrographical and chemical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A broad variety of seven different fuels are ashed at 200, 450, and 815 °C. • Distribution of the ash species depends on type of fuel and it specific origin. • Fuel and particle properties determine the residual carbon in low temperature ash. • The distribution of the ash species affects alkali release and ash fusion behavior. In the present study, seven different fuels – comprising three coals (hard coal, two brown coals), two contaminated biomasses/anthropogenic wastes (refuse-derived fuel/RDF, sewage sludge), and two biomasses (oat husks, bamboo) – are investigated. A complete fuel analysis as well as a determination of the particle size distributions of all ground feedstocks are performed prior to ashing. Ashes of these fuels are generated with the aid of different ashing methods and related temperatures, i.e. a plasma-assisted low temperature ash (LTA) at around 200 °C, a medium temperature ash (MTA) at 450 °C, and a high temperature ash (HTA) at 815 °C. By SEM/EDX analysis, distinct differences in the distribution of ash species based on selected main elements in LTA ash of all fuels are detected. The ash particles generated by the LTA method illustrate both origin and distribution of ash species in the particles close to the initial state due to a comparably low temperature. For this method, the achieved carbon conversion can be directly related to specific fuel and particle properties. A selective release of alkali oxides (K 2 O, Na 2 O) into the gas phase due to vaporization is monitored as a function of ashing temperature. Thus, the presence or absence of a gas phase transfer of the alkali oxides is concluded based on the formation of mineral phases incorporating those species and the requirement of a homogeneous distribution of the alkali capturers. Finally, distinct changes are observed in the ash fusion behavior of the different fuels based on different ashing temperatures, element distribution, and the applied atmosphere, which have represented different thermochemical conversion techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main regularities in the conversion of the mineral matter of coals of different ranks—brown coal from the Kansk-Achinsk Basin and hard coal from the Ekibastuz Basin—upon their crushing in mills with different energy intensities were established. The grinding of brown coals in a disintegrator led to a more uniform distribution of mineral substances in size fractions and to an enrichment of the fine fraction in internal ash components and iron-containing minerals, as compared with crushing in a ball–tube mill. The grinding of Ekibastuz coal in a disintegrator did not lead to significant changes in the distributions of mineral components in size fractions and in terms of density, as compared with crushing in a ball–tube mill. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the pore structure and fractal characteristics of pulverized intact coal and tectonic coal, proximate analysis, gas adsorption/desorption, and N 2 (77K) adsorption experiments were performed. The results show that micropore, minipore and mesopore volumes, as well as specific surface areas (SSAs), are dependent on the particle size and that they all exhibit a positive correlation with decreasing particle size, a correlation which also promotes gas adsorption. Many complex pores became simpler with the destruction of coal, and some long pores were also converted into short pores; that is, the pore structures of coals (referring to changes in pore shapes and lengths) may become increasingly simple. The mineral matter of samples increases with decreasing particle size and contributes more to the mesopore volume and SSA than to the micropore and minipore volumes. The increased D 1 and reduced D 2 of samples with decreasing particle sizes indicate a greater pore surface roughness and a smaller pore structure anisotropy. Compared with pulverized intact coal, the mineral matter, pore structure and gas adsorption capacity of tectonic coal have significantly increased or decreased. Although they are in the same coal seam, they are no longer the same type. This study of pulverized coal, especially tectonic coal, is of great significance for the further understanding of gas outbursts. Unlabelled Image • Pore structure characteristics of pulverized intact coal and tectonic coal are measured by N 2 adsorption method. • Fractal characteristics are used to analyse pore surface and pore structure complexity. • The realtionship between fractal characteristics, mineral matter and pore volume and SSA are discussed. • The small particle size on gas outburst are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of feed transportation and the use of an automatic feeding system on chemical-physical characteristics of pelleted feed for broiler chickens at the final stage of production were evaluated. Samples were collected in two consecutive days and in two different poultry houses, both equipped with the same type of automatic pan feeding system. The samples were collected at the exit of the pelletizer dryer (PEL), at the exit of the bulk truck (CAM) and at 0 (LIN0), 50 (LIN50) and 100 (LIN100) meters of the feed line, for analysis of water activity, dry matter, mineral matter, crude protein, Embrapa Pelletizing Evaluation Method, Pellet Durability Index, as well as coarse and fine percentages. It was used a complete randomized block design (DBC) with five treatments (collection points) and five replicates each. The results indicate that the physical feed quality was negatively affected by transportation, with increased (P<0.05) water activity, fine particles (P<0.001) and mineral matter at the beginning of the feed line. There was no change in crude protein levels in the dry and natural matter of the diet (P>0.05). Feed truck unloading at the silo is the main factor affecting its physical quality causing greater pellet breakdown and de-mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]