Influence of coal grade composition on handling abilities of steam coal blends

The study focuses on mutual effect of qualities of different rank coals on handling abilities of three-component thermal coal blends. Emphasis is on selection and justification of the additive qualities of coals for forecasting thermal characteristics of fuel blends. The foreword part describes the problems that power engineers are faced with when composing multi-component fuel blends, and discusses the complexities of forecasting compositions of coal blends. The research methods were the standard techniques involved in the coal quality evaluation: technical analysis (moisture content, ash content, volatile yield), determination of combustion value, petrographic analysis, and chemical composition analysis of ash. It is shown that differences in grade composition, rank, and in petrographic and mineralogical features of coals have a great influence on the resultant fuel blends. It is found that such parameters as moisture content, ash content, volatile yield, combustion heat and chemical composition of ash can be assumed as the additive parameters to be used in the fuel blend design by the preset criteria of fuel quality. The petrographic parameters, namely, contents of coking and leaning macerals, as well as vitrinite reflectance, are not the additive parameters. 

Patrakov Yu. F., Semenova S. A., Yarkova A. V. Influence of coal grade composition on handling abilities of steam coal blends. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2026;(9):103-114. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2026_9_0_103.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Grant Agreement No. 25-17-20003 as of May 14, 2025, and by the Kemerovo Region–Kuzbass, Grant Agreement No. 03/2025 as of April 10, 2025. 

Yu.F. Patrakov¹, Dr. Sci. (Chem.), Professor, Head of Laboratory, e-mail: yupat52@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8087-7563,
S.A. Semenova¹, Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Assistant Professor, Leading Researcher, e-mail: semlight@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-2048-4423,
A.V. Yarkova¹, Leading Engineer, e-mail: nas.yarkova1998@yandex.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0004-1619-9541,
¹ Federal Research Center of Coal and Coal Chemistry, Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Institute of coal), Kemerovo, Russia. 

Yu.F. Patrakov, e-mail: yupat52@gmail.com.

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