Role of coal type and rank on methane sorption characteristics of Bowen Basin, Australia coals

The effect of coal composition, particularly the organic fraction, upon gas sorption has been investigated for Bowen Basin and Sydney Basin, Australia coals. Maceral composition influences on gas retention and release were investigated using isorank pairs of hand-picked bright and dull coal in the rank range of high volatile bituminous (0.78% R_{o max}) to anthracite (3.01% R_{o max}). Adsorption isotherm results of dry coals indicated that Langmuir volume (V_L) for bright and dull coal types followed discrete, second-order polynomial trends with increasing rank. Bright coals had a minimum V_L at 1.72% R_{o max} and dull coals had a minimum V_L at 1.17% R_{o max}. At low rank, V_L was greater in bright coal by about 10 cm³/g, but as rank increased, the bright and dull trends converged and crossed at 1.65% R_{o max}. At ranks higher than 1.65% R_{o max}, both bright and dull coals followed similar trends. These competing trends mean that the importance of maceral composition on V_L varies according to rank. In high volatile bituminous coals, increases in vitrinite content are associated with increases in adsorption capacity. At ranks higher than medium to low volatile bituminous, changes in maceral composition may exert relatively little influence on adsorption capacity. The Langmuir pressure (P_L) showed a strong relationship of decreasing P_L with increasing rank, which was not related to coal type. It is suggested that the observed trend is related to a decrease in the heterogeneity of the pore surfaces, and subsequent increased coverage by the adsorbate, as coal rank increases. Desorption rate studies on crushed samples show that dull coals desorb more rapidly than bright coals and that desorption rate is also a function of rank. Coals of lower rank have higher effective diffusivities. Mineral matter was found to have no influence on desorption rate of these finely crushed samples. The evolution of the coal pore structure with changing rank is implicated in diffusion rate differences.     

Facies control on the petrographic composition of inertitic coals

The petrography of lignitic, subbituminous and bituminous inertinitic coals (i.e. coals containing > 30 modal percent inertinite on a mineral-matter-free basis) derived from limnic and paralic facies in the Upper Silesian coal basin of Poland was investigated. Paralic coals were observed to contain small amounts of telinite and abundant pyrofusinite compared to limnic coals. The ratio of oxysemifusinite and oxyfusinite to pyrosemifusinite and pyrofusinite is lower in paralic coals as compared to limnic coals. The statistical analysis of the reflectances of the inertinite group macerals and of vitrinite shows that paralic coals are more heterogeneous than limnic coals. This greater degree of heterogeneity may explain the differences in reactivity among coals that otherwise have the same rank and elemental and petrographic composition.     

A microscopic study of the combustion residues of subbituminous and bituminous coals from Alberta, Canada

Chars produced by the combustion of a set of three coals from Alberta, Canada, were classified morphologically using reflected light microscopy. Produced chars are different in morphological features, pore thickness, anisotropy and degree of reactivity, because of differences in the vitrinite and inertinite contents.The subbituminous A coal produced the highest percentage of unreactive or slightly reactive components due to its high inertinite content (20.0%), followed by isotropic cenospheres. Isotropic cenospheres, both thin- and thick-walled, and exploded cenospheres are the characteristic chars produced by the high-voltile bituminous B coal, whereas the low-volatile bituminous coking coal produced cenospheres with granular anisotropy (mosaic) on the walls and abundant coke fragmentsOptical microscopy is useful in differentiating the performance of a series of coals during combustion based on petrographic composition and rank and can aid in understanding the relationship between ‘reactive’ and ‘non-reactive’ coal macerals to burnout performance.     

Petrographic properties of major coal seams in Turkey and their formation

Most types of coal in Turkey are generally low in rank: lignite, and subbituminous. Most of the coal was formed during the Miocene, Eocene, and Pliocene ages. There are only a few thin Jurassic-age coal occurrences in Turkey. Pennsylvanian age bituminous coal is found on the Black Sea coast. General implications of the petrographic properties of Turkey's coal seams and coal deposits have not yet been taken into consideration comparatively or as a whole.For this study, about 190 channel samples were collected from different locales. The composite profile samples of the seams were taken into considerations. The content and depositional properties as well as some chemical and physical properties of the main coal seams are compared. All coal samples tend to have similar coal petrographic properties and were deposited in intermontane lacustrine basins. Later, they were affected by faulting and post-depositional volcanic activity. As a result, there are variations in the properties and rank of the coal samples. The most abundant coal maceral group is huminite and the most abundant maceral is gelinite. The liptinite and inertinite contents of the coal are low and the maceral contents of the coals show great similarity. The depositional environments of the all coals are lacustrine dominated.     

The geology, petrology and geochemistry of coal seams from the St. Rose and Chimney Corner coalfields, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

Seams from the St. Rose and Chimmey Corner coalfields, Nova Scotia, Canada, were sampled and examined for petrographic and geochemical composition. Rank determinations indicate a rank of high volatile C-B bituminous. Seams show regular alternations of dull and bright microbanded lithotypes, with dull lithotypes predominant in the central portion of the main seam (No. 5 seam). Brighter lithotypes are dominated by vitrinite (>80%), with minor inertinite (avg. 12%) and minor liptinite. Duller lithotypes contain greater amounts of inertinite (up to 40%) and liptinite (primarily sporinite). Mineral matter consists of epigenetic pyrite, with lesser amounts of clay and quartz. Cabonates are common in the Chimney Corner seams. Elemental composition of the seams is similar to other Canadian coals and fall within world coal ranges, with the exception of high concentrations of Cl, Zn, Ni, Mo, Pb, Cu and As.Depositional environment of the seams as indicated by maceral composition, lithotypes and geology suggest a predominance of wet forest to reed moor conditions, in a fluvial-lacustrine setting. Periodic episodes of flooding and drying are indicated by lithotype, maceral and mineral variations.     

Methane and carbon dioxide sorption on a set of coals from India

Complete sorption isotherm characteristics of methane and CO₂ were studied on fourteen sub-bituminous to high-volatile bituminous Indian Gondwana coals. The mean vitrinite reflectance values of the coal samples are within the range of 0.64% to 1.30% with varying maceral composition. All isotherms were conducted at 30 °C on dry, powdered coal samples up to a maximum experimental pressure of ~ 7.8 MPa and 5.8 MPa for methane and CO₂, respectively.The nature of the isotherms varied widely within the experimental pressure range with some of the samples remained under-saturated while the others attained saturation. The CO₂ to methane adsorption ratios decreased with the increase in experimental pressure and the overall variation was between 4:1 and 1.5:1 for most of the coals. For both methane and CO₂, the lower-ranked coal samples generally exhibited higher sorption affinity compared to the higher-ranked coals. However, sorption capacity indicates a U-shaped trend with rank. Significant hysteresis was observed between the ad/desorption isotherms for CO₂. However, with methane, hysteresis was either absent or insignificant. It was also observed that the coal maceral compositions had a significant impact on the sorption capacities for both methane and CO₂. Coals with higher vitrinite contents showed higher capacities while internite content indicated a negative impact on the sorption capacity.     

Impact of experimental parameters for manometric equipment on CO2 isotherms measured: Comment on “Inter-laboratory comparison II: CO2 isotherms measured on moisture-equilibrated Argonne premium coals at 55°C and up to 15 MPa” by Goodman et al. (2007)

Modelling the sorption properties of coals for carbon dioxide under supercritical conditions is necessary for accurate prediction of the sequestering ability of coals in seams. We present recent data for sorption curves of three dry Argonne Premium coals, for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen at two different temperatures at pressures up to 15 MPa. The sorption capacity of coals tends to decrease with increasing temperature. An investigation into literature values for sorption of nitrogen and methane by charcoal also show sorption capacities that decrease dramatically with increasing temperature. This is inconsistent with expectations from Langmuir models of coal sorption, which predict a sorption capacity that is independent of temperature. We have successfully fitted the isotherms using a modified Dubinin–Radushkevich equation that uses gas density rather than pressure. A simple pore-filling model that assumes there is a maximum pore width that can be filled in supercritical conditions and that this maximum pore width decreases with increasing temperature, can explain this temperature dependence of sorption capacity. It can also explain why different supercritical gases give apparently different surface sorption capacities on the same material. The calculated heat of sorption for these gases on these coals is similar to those found for these gases on activated carbon.     

Methane and CO2 sorption and desorption measurements on dry Argonne premium coals: pure components and mixtures

Sorption and desorption behaviour of methane, carbon dioxide, and mixtures of the two gases has been studied on a set of well-characterised coals from the Argonne Premium Coal Programme. The coal samples cover a maturity range from 0.25% to 1.68% vitrinite reflectance. The maceral compositions were dominated by vitrinite (85% to 91%). Inertinite contents ranged from 8% to 11% and liptinite contents around 1% with one exception (Illinois coal, 5%). All sorption experiments were performed on powdered (−100 mesh), dry coal samples.Single component sorption/desorption measurements were carried out at 22 °C up to final pressures around 51 bar (5.1 MPa) for CO₂ (subcritical state) and 110 bar (11 MPa) for methane.The ratios of the final sorption capacities for pure CO₂ and methane (in molar units) on the five coal samples vary between 1.15 and 3.16. The lowest ratio (1.15) was found for the North Dakota Beulah-Zap lignite (VR_r=0.25%) and the highest ratios (2.7 and 3.16) were encountered for the low-rank coals (VR_r 0.32% and 0.48%) while the ratio decreases to 1.6–1.7 for the highest rank coals in this series.Desorption isotherms for CH₄ and CO₂ were measured immediately after the corresponding sorption isotherms. They generally lie above the sorption isotherms. The degree of hysteresis, i.e. deviation of sorption and desorption isotherms, varies and shows no dependence on coal rank.Adsorption tests with CH₄/CO₂ mixtures were conducted to study the degree of preferential sorption of these two gases on coals of different rank. These experiments were performed on dry coals at 45 °C and pressures up to 180 bar (18 MPa). For the highest rank samples of this sequence preferential sorption behaviour was “as expected”, i.e. preferential adsorption of CO₂ and preferential desorption of CH₄ were observed. For the low rank samples, however, preferential adsorption of CH₄ was found in the low pressure range and preferential desorption of CO₂ over the entire pressure range.Follow-up tests for single gas CO₂ sorption measurements consistently showed a significant increase in sorption capacity for re-runs on the same sample. This phenomenon could be due to extraction of volatile coal components by CO₂ in the first experiment. Reproducibility tests with methane and CO₂ using fresh sample material in each experiment did not show this effect.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112000308

The Panguan Syncline contains abundant coal resources,which may be a potential source of coalbed methane.In order to evaluate the coalbed methane production potential in this area,we investigated the pore-fracture system of coalbed methane reservoirs,and analyzed the gas sorption and seepage capacities by using various analytical methods,including scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,optical microscopy,mercury-injection test,low-temperature N₂ isotherm adsorption/desorption analyses,lowfield nuclear magnetic resonance and methane isothermal adsorption measurements.The results show that the samples of the coal reservoirs in the Panguan Syncline have moderate gas sorption capacity.However, the coals in the study area have favorable seepage capacities,and are conductive for the coalbed methane production.The physical properties of the coalbed methane reservoirs in the Panguan Syncline are generally controlled by coal metamorphism:the low rank coal usually has low methane sorption capacity and its pore and microfractures are poorly developed;while the medium rank coal has better methane sorption capacity,and its seepage pores and microfractures are well developed,which are sufficient for the coalbed methane’s gathering and exploration.Therefore,the medium rank coals in the Panguan Syncline are the most prospective targets for the coalbed methane exploration and production.     

Petrologic studies of terrestrial organic matter in Carpathian flysch sediments, southern Poland

In the Carpathian Flysch, coal is present either as exotics of Carboniferous coal deposits or as autochthonous, thin layers of lustrous coal. This paper present the results of the studies of coal-bearing rocks that are coeval with the enclosing flysch sediments. These coals form lenses up to 0.15 m thick. Their morphology precludes an exotic origin. The main petrographic component is collinite with admixtures of poorly fluorescing telinite. Minor components are: exudatinite, sporinite, fusinite, micrinite and sclerotinite. Mineral matter consists of framboidal pyrite clay minerals and quartz.The random reflectance of telocollinite varies from 0.38% to 0.72%, which corresponds to subbituminous and bituminous ranks. Correlation between chemical analysis, coking properties and relfectance measurements, leads to the conclusion that boundary between subbituminous and bituminous coals should be defined by the following values: C=80wt%, VOLATILES=43wt%; calorific VALUE=32.3 MJ/kg; and R^o=0.56–0.57%.Atypical properties, such as: upper C value (75–80wt%); high volatile matter contents (over 43wt%) and low random reflectance (^o about 0.38–0.57%) in subbituminous coals; low C value (about 80–82wt%); low reflectance (0.56–0.72%); and good coking properties, of the bituminous coals are attributed to quick coalification during increasing temperature as a result of tectonic stress.     

Study of petrographic composition and depositional environment of the coals from Queen seam of Yellendu area,Godavari valley coalfield,Andhra Pradesh

The study of coal succession from bore hole No. Q-448 of Yellendu area of the Godavari valley coalfield, Andhra Pradesh reveals that the coals of Queen seam are high volatile bituminous C in rank and have vitrinite reflectance (R_o max %) varying between of 0.52 and 0.62%. The petrographic constitution however, suggests that the depositional site appears to be a slowly sinking and tectonically controlled basin, having received continuous supply of vegetal matter rich resource at regular intervals. The formation of inertinite rich coal suggests, oxidising enviornment of deposition. The dominence of vitrinite and liptinite constituents in these coals postulates the existence of alternating cold and humid spells. The present study indicates that these coals originated under an alternate oxic and anoxic moor condition.     

Studies of the relationship between coal petrology and grinding properties

The maceral and microlithotype composition of selected coals has been investigated with respect to the grinding properties, specifically Hardgrove grindability index (HGI), of the coals. The study expands upon previous investigations of HGI and coal petrology by adding the dimension of the amount and composition of the microlithotypes. Coal samples, both lithotypes and whole channels, were selected from restricted rank ranges based on vitrinite maximum reflectance: 0.75–0.80% R_max, 0.85–0.90% R_max and 0.95–1.00% R_max. In this manner, the influence of petrographic composition can be isolated from the influence of rank. Previous investigations of high volatile bituminous coals demonstrated that, while rank is an important factor in coal grindability, the amount of liptinite and liptinite-rich microlithotypes is a more influential factor. In this study, we provide further quantitative evidence for the influence of microlithotypes on HGI and, ultimately, on pulverizer performance.     

Predicted CO2 emissions from maceral concentrates of high volatile bituminous Kentucky and Illinois coals

A large collection of well-characterized coals, documented in the Center for Applied Energy Research's (CAER) database, was used to estimate the CO₂ content of maceral concentrates from Kentucky and Illinois high volatile bituminous coals. The data showed no correlation between CO₂ versus coal ranks and between CO₂ versus maceral content. Subsequently, eight sets of low-ash density-gradient centrifugation (DGC) maceral concentrates from five coal beds were examined, spanning in the high volatile rank range. Heating value was not determined on the concentrates, but instead was calculated using the Mott–Spooner formula. There was a good correlation between predicted CO₂ and maceral content for the individual iso-rank (based on vitrinite reflectance, analyzed on whole (parent) coal) sets. In general, the predicted CO₂ increases from liptinite-rich through vitrinite-rich to inertinite-rich concentrates (note: no “concentrates” are absolutely monomaceral).     

Petrographic, mineralogy, and geochemistry of coals of Pabedana, Kerman Province, Central Iran

This paper discusses the result of the detailed investigations carried out on the coal characteristics, including coal petrography and its geochemistry of the Pabedana region. A total of 16 samples were collected from four coal seams d2, d4, d5, and d6 of the Pabedana underground mine which is located in the central part of the Central-East Iranian Microcontinent. These samples were reduced to four samples through composite sampling of each seam and were analyzed for their petrographic, mineralogical, and geochemical compositions. Proximate analysis data of the Pabedana coals indicate no major variations in the moisture, ash, volatile matter, and fixed carbon contents in the coals of different seams. Based on sulfur content, the Pabedana coals may be classified as low-sulfur coals. The low-sulfur contents in the Pabedana coal and relatively low proportion of pyritic sulfur suggest a possible fresh water environment during the deposition of the peat of the Pabedana coal. X-ray diffraction and petrographic analyses indicate the presence of pyrite in coal samples. The Pabedana coals have been classified as a high volatile, bituminous coal in accordance with the vitrinite reflectance values (58.75–74.32 %) and other rank parameters (carbon, calorific value, and volatile matter content). The maceral analysis and reflectance study suggest that the coals in all the four seams are of good quality with low maceral matter association. Mineralogical investigations indicate that the inorganic fraction in the Pabedana coal samples is dominated by carbonates; thus, constituting the major inorganic fraction of the coal samples. Illite, kaolinite, muscovite, quartz, feldspar, apatite, and hematite occur as minor or trace phases. The variation in major elements content is relatively narrow between different coal seams. Elements Sc,, Zr, Ga, Ge, La, As, W, Ce, Sb, Nb, Th, Pb, Se, Tl, Bi, Hg, Re, Li, Zn, Mo, and Ba show varying negative correlation with ash yield. These elements possibly have an organic affinity and may be present as primary biological concentrations either with tissues in living condition and/or through sorption and formation of organometallic compounds.     

Applications of microscopy to coke making

A Canadian perspective of the petrographic, thermal rheological and grade of metallurgical coals required to make coke with high strength and strength after reaction (CSR) properties is presented. The development of automated microscopic techniques to obtain reproducible and reliable petrographic data to predict coke quality is discussed. The amount of “altered vitrinite” in the microscopic coke textures has been used as a reference to quantifiy in situ coal oxidation. Relationships between coke microscopy, coal petrography and thermal rheological data show that FSI can be used to estimate the amount of oxidized vitrinite plus petrographic inert contents of coal. Plastic temperature ranges determined from microscopic examination of the coal/coke transformations for Appalachian and Canadian coals show that standard thermal rheological tests underestimate the plastic range for high inertinite coals.     

Organic petrology of Paleocene Marcelina Formation coals, Paso Diablo mine, western Venezuela: Tectonic controls on coal type

About 7 Mt of high volatile bituminous coal are produced annually from the four coal zones of the Upper Paleocene Marcelina Formation at the Paso Diablo open-pit mine of western Venezuela. As part of an ongoing coal quality study, we have characterized twenty-two coal channel samples from the mine using organic petrology techniques. Samples also were analyzed for proximate–ultimate parameters, forms of sulfur, free swelling index, ash fusion temperatures, and calorific value.Six of the samples represent incremental benches across the 12–13 m thick No. 4 bed, the stratigraphically lowest mined coal, which is also mined at the 10 km distant Mina Norte open-pit. Organic content of the No. 4 bed indicates an upward increase of woody vegetation and/or greater preservation of organic material throughout the life of the original mire(s). An upward increase in telovitrinite and corresponding decrease in detrovitrinite and inertinite illustrate this trend. In contrast, stratigraphically higher coal groups generally exhibit a ‘dulling upward’ trend.The generally high inertinite content, and low ash yield and sulfur content, suggest that the Paso Diablo coals were deposited in rain-fed raised mires, protected from clastic input and subjected to frequent oxidation and/or moisture stress. However, the two thinnest coal beds (both 0.7 m thick) are each characterized by lower inertinite and higher telovitrinite content relative to the rest of Paso Diablo coal beds, indicative of less well-established raised mire environments prior to drowning.Foreland basin Paleocene coals of western Venezuela, including the Paso Diablo deposit and time-correlative coal deposits of the Táchira and Mérida Andes, are characterized by high inertinite and consistently lower ash and sulfur relative to Eocene and younger coals of the area. We interpret these age-delimited coal quality characteristics to be due to water availability as a function of the tectonic control of subsidence rate. It is postulated that slower subsidence rates dominated during the Paleocene while greater foreland basin subsidence rates during the Eocene–Miocene resulted from the loading of nappe thrust sheets as part of the main construction phases of the Andean orogen. South-southeastward advance and emplacement of the Lara nappes during the oblique transpressive collision of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates in the Paleocene was further removed from the sites of peat deposition, resulting in slower subsidence rates. Slower subsidence in the Paleocene may have favored the growth of raised mires, generating higher inertinite concentrations through more frequent moisture stress. Consistently low ash yield and sulfur content would be due to the protection from clastic input in raised mires, in addition to the leaching of mineral matter by rainfall and the development of acidic conditions preventing fixation of sulfur. In contrast, peat mires of Eocene–Miocene age encountered rapid subsidence due to the proximity of nappe emplacement, resulting in lower inertinite content, higher and more variable sulfur content, and higher ash yield.     

Properties of thermally metamorphosed coal from Tanjung Enim Area, South Sumatra Basin, Indonesia with special reference to the coalification path of macerals

Thermally metamorphosed Tertiary age coals from Tanjung Enim in South Sumatra Basin have been investigated by means of petrographic, mineralogical and chemical analyses. These coals were influenced by heat from an andesitic igneous intrusion. The original coal outside the metamorphosed zone is characterized by high moisture content (4.13–11.25 wt.%) and volatile matter content (> 40 wt.%, daf), as well as less than 80 wt.% (daf) carbon and low vitrinite reflectance (VR_max = 0.52–0.76%). Those coals are of subbituminous and high volatile bituminous rank. In contrast the thermally metamorphosed coals are of medium-volatile bituminous to meta-anthracite rank and characterized by low moisture content (only < 3 wt.%) and volatile matter content (< 24 wt.%, daf), as well as high carbon content (> 80 wt.%, daf) and vitrinite reflectance (VR_max = 1.87–6.20%). All the studied coals have a low mineral matter content, except for those which are highly metamorphosed, due to the formation of new minerals.The coalification path of each maceral shows that vitrinite, liptinite and inertinite reflectance converge in a transition zone at VR_max of around 1.5%. Significant decrease of volatile matter occurs in the zone between 0.5% and 2.0% VR_max. A sharp bend occurs at VR_max between 2.0% and 2.5%. Above 2.5%, the volatile matter decreases only very slightly. Between VR_r = 0.5% and 2.0%, the carbon content of the coals is ascending drastically. Above 2.5% VR_r, the carbon content becomes relatively stable (around 95 wt.%, daf).Vitrinite is the most abundant maceral in low rank coal (69.6–86.2 vol.%). Liptinite and inertinite are minor constituents. In the high rank coal, the thermally altered vitrinite composes 82.4–93.8 vol.%. Mosaic structures can be recognized as groundmasss and crack fillings. The most common minerals found are carbonates, pyrite or marcasite and clay minerals. The latter consist of kaolinite in low rank coal and illite and rectorite in high rank coal. Change of functional groups with rank increase is reflected most of all by the increase of the ratio of aromatic C–H to aliphatic C–H absorbances based on FTIR analysis. The Oxygen Index values of all studied coals are low (OI < 5 mg CO₂/g TOC) and the high rank coals have a lower Hydrogen Index (< 130 mg HC/g TOC) than the low rank coals (about 300 mg HC/g TOC). T_max increases with maturity (420–440 °C for low rank coals and 475–551 °C for high rank coals).Based on the above data, it was calculated that the temperature of contact metamorphism reached 700–750 °C in the most metamorphosed coal.     

Petrographic characteristics and depositional conditions of Eocene coals of platform basins, Meghalaya, India

The coal deposits of Meghalaya occur in the Lakadong Sandstone (25–250 m thick) of Eocene age. The coal-bearing formations are understood to have been deposited over platform areas in estuarine and lagoonal environments and subjected to recurrent marine transgressions and regressions during the Eocene period. There are three major groups of coalfields in Meghalaya, viz. Garo Hills (West Daranggiri and Siju Coalfields), Khasi Hills (Langrin and Mawlong–Shella Coalfields) and minor coalfields (Laitryngew, Cherrapunji and Bapung Coalfields). Pillar coal samples have been collected from 10 seams at 15 locations and have been subjected to a detailed petrographic examination for their characterization. An effort has been made to trace the path of their evolution based on coal petrography-based models. The quantitative petrographic analysis shows that these coals are vitrinite rich (45.0–92.9%, mean 73.4% mmf basis) with low concentration of inertinite (0.0–13.8%, mean 3.0% mmf basis), whereas the liptinite occurs in appreciable concentration (5.5–53.1%, mean 22.5% mmf basis). Further, these coals are rich in vitrite (51.6–100%, mean 78.3% mmf basis). The volatile matter (from 38.5% to 70.0%, d.a.f.) and vitrinite reflectance (Rom from 0.37% to 0.68%) characterize these coals, as per German (DIN) and North American classification, approximately as sub-bituminous ‘C' to high volatile ‘C' bituminous. The occurrence of teleutospore (single, double and triple celled) suggests that these coals have originated from a characteristic Tertiary flora. The maceral and microlithotype composition in the coal petrography-based depositional models suggest that the coals of Garo Hills were formed in reed to open water swamps in telmatic to limnic conditions. The coals of Khasi Hills were dominated by forest swamps and telmatic to limno-telmatic conditions. In addition, the occurrence of large-size resins suggests prolific growth of conifers in the swamps.     

Supercritical gas sorption on moist coals

The effect of moisture on the CO₂ and CH₄ sorption capacity of three bituminous coals from Australia and China was investigated at 55 °C and at pressures up to 20 MPa. A gravimetric apparatus was used to measure the gas adsorption isotherms of coal with moisture contents ranging from 0 to about 8%. A modified Dubinin–Radushkevich (DR) adsorption model was found to fit the experimental data under all conditions. Moisture adsorption isotherms of these coals were measured at 21 °C. The Guggenheim–Anderson–de Boer (GAB) model was capable of accurately representing the moisture isotherms over the full range of relative pressures.Moist coal had a significantly lower maximum sorption capacity for both CO₂ and CH₄ than dry coal. However, the extent to which the capacity was reduced was dependent upon the rank of the coal. Higher rank coals were less affected by the presence of moisture than low rank coals. All coals exhibited a certain moisture content beyond which further moisture did not affect the sorption capacity. This limiting moisture content was dependent on the rank of the coal and the sorbate gas and, for these coals, corresponded approximately to the equilibrium moisture content that would be attained by exposing the coal to about 40–80% relative humidity. The experimental results indicate that the loss of sorption capacity by the coal in the presence of water can be simply explained by volumetric displacement of the CO₂ and CH₄ by the water. Below the limiting moisture content, the CO₂ sorption capacity reduced by about 7.3 kg t^− 1 for each 1% increase in moisture. For CH₄, sorption capacity was reduced by about 1.8 kg t^− 1 for each 1% increase in moisture.The heat of sorption calculated from the DR model decreased slightly on addition of moisture. One explanation is that water is preferentially attracted to high energy adsorption sites (that have high energy by virtue of their electrostatic nature), expelling CO₂ and CH₄ molecules.     

Petrological evolution of the Paleogene coal deposits of Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

A detailed macro- and micro-petrological investigation of 8 coal seam profiles of Eocene age from the sub-Himalayan zone of Jammu was undertaken in order to characterize them petrographically and to focus on their evolution. The quantitative data suggest that these coals are vitrinite rich, with low concentrations of inertinite and rare occurrences of liptinite. According to microlithotype concentration these coals may be characterized as vitrinite rich, with minor amounts of clarite, vitrinertite and trimacerite. The dominant minerals are clays, siderite and pyrite (occurring mostly as disseminations, cavity filling and in framboidal state). These coals are vitric in type, low volatile bituminous in rank and ashy in grade.The petrographic character and the presence of teleutospores suggest that, similar to other Tertiary coal deposits in the world, the angiosperm flora contributed chiefly to the development of coal facies in the area. The maceral and microlithotype composition shows that these coals originated from the low forest and undisturbed (in situ) peat in foreland basins under limno-telmatic depositional conditions. The water was brackish with regular influxes of fresh water.