Coal Classification and Properties Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the gross calorific value that classifies coal as hard coal?

  • Between 5500 and 6000 kcal/kg
  • Not less than 5700 kcal/kg (correct)
  • Exactly 6000 kcal/kg
  • Less than 5500 kcal/kg
  • Which type of coal is characterized by containing 86-98% carbon?

  • Anthracite (correct)
  • Bituminous coal
  • Lignite
  • Sub-bituminous coal
  • What characteristic of lignite significantly differentiates it from other types of coal?

  • High volatile matter (correct)
  • High carbon content
  • High calorific value
  • Low sulfur content
  • Which of the following is NOT classified as hard coal?

    <p>Lignite (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the calorific value of bituminous coal?

    <p>7217 kcal/kg (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of coal is primarily used for industrial furnaces and metallurgical processes?

    <p>Anthracite (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of coal is defined as non-agglomerating coal with more than 31% volatile matter?

    <p>Lignite (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining feature of coking coal?

    <p>Produces coke capable of supporting blast furnace charge (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main advantage of surface mining compared to subsurface mining?

    <p>It is usually less expensive and safer for miners (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant environmental consequence of surface mining?

    <p>Streams become polluted with sediment and acid mine drainage (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What defines mountaintop removal mining?

    <p>Completely removing the top of mountains to access coal (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common hazard associated with underground mining?

    <p>Mine shaft collapses and black lung disease (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why does surface mining generally prevent the natural recolonization of plants?

    <p>The removal of topsoil prevents plant growth (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of machinery is primarily used for digging trenches in strip mining?

    <p>Bulldozers, power shovels, and wheel excavators (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a spoil bank?

    <p>A hill of loose rock created from overburden (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What environmental impact can occur from the removal of vegetation due to mining practices?

    <p>Land becomes prone to landslides (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant benefit of pressurized fluidized-bed combustion compared to regular fluidized-bed combustion?

    <p>It reduces the amount of CO2 released. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which environmental concern is associated with coal-bed methane extraction?

    <p>Contamination of groundwater. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is methane primarily stored within coal?

    <p>On the surfaces of organic matter. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What method is commonly used to extract coal-bed methane?

    <p>Vertical drilling into coal seams. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a disadvantage of pressurized fluidized-bed combustion?

    <p>It requires a costly pressurized vessel. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary transitional benefit of using coal-bed methane as a fuel source?

    <p>It serves as a bridge to renewable energy sources. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is not a byproduct of fluidized-bed combustion?

    <p>Methane. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When coal is mined, what is one environmental benefit of extracting methane beforehand?

    <p>It lowers the overall greenhouse gas emissions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What process is primarily used to refine crude oil?

    <p>Fractional distillation (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what temperature does gasoline condense out of the distillation column?

    <p>150°C (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source material for the formation of oil and natural gas?

    <p>Organic-rich sediment (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which product is obtained at the highest temperature in the distillation column?

    <p>Diesel oil (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does shale gas differ from traditional natural gas?

    <p>Shale gas is found in tight, impermeable rock (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of the world's energy was provided by oil and natural gas in 2015?

    <p>67% (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the boiling point range for diesel during the distillation process?

    <p>250-350 degrees (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of total U.S. energy consumption is used to run oil refineries?

    <p>7% (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what depth is organic-rich sediment typically buried to initiate the formation of oil and gas?

    <p>500 m (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is considered a reservoir rock for oil and gas?

    <p>Sandstone (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which additional process is commonly used to increase the yield of gasoline during refining?

    <p>Catalytic cracking (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What initiates the chemical transformation of organic material into oil and gas?

    <p>Increased heat and pressure in sediment (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these products condenses at the lowest temperature in the distillation column?

    <p>Gasoline (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the rough energy content of refined fuels derived from crude oil?

    <p>10755.3 Kcal/kg (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the approximate carbon content by weight in crude oil?

    <p>85% (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where are oil and gas most commonly found?

    <p>Geologically young tectonic belts (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary composition of diesel fuel in terms of hydrocarbons?

    <p>75% saturated hydrocarbons and 25% aromatic hydrocarbons (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the average chemical formula for common diesel fuel?

    <p>C12H23 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What influences the ignition quality of diesel fuel?

    <p>Cetane rating and various engine conditions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the calorific value of diesel fuel compare to petrol?

    <p>Petrol has a higher calorific value than diesel fuel. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical cetane rating range for No. 2 diesel?

    <p>46 - 48 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does the cetane rating play in diesel fuel performance?

    <p>It measures the ignition quality and combustion characteristics. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of pure cetane?

    <p>It is a colourless liquid hydrocarbon with excellent ignition qualities. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much more energy by volume does diesel fuel contain compared to petrol?

    <p>About 15% (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Hard Coal

    A broad category of coal with a high calorific value (minimum 5700 kcal/kg) and a high vitrinite reflectance (at least 0.6).

    Brown Coal

    A broad category of coal with a lower calorific value (<5700 kcal/kg) and more volatile matter than hard coal. It is often referred to as 'brown coal'.

    Anthracite

    The highest grade of coal, with a high carbon content (86-98%), a very low volatile matter content (2-14%), and a high calorific value (7791 kcal/kg). It has a distinctive black color and metallic luster.

    Bituminous Coal

    A medium rank coal with a carbon content ranging from 69% to 86%. It is used for gasification, industrial coking and heat raising.

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    Coking Coal

    A type of bituminous coal used for the production of coke, which is suitable for blast furnace charging.

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    Lignite

    The lowest grade of coal, with a high water content (up to 17%) and a low calorific value.

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    Other Bituminous Coal

    A type of coal used for industrial coking and residential heat raising but not for producing coke for blast furnaces. It is also known as thermal coal.

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    Sub-Bituminous Coal

    A type of brown coal with lower quality than lignite but with a high calorific value compared to other brown coals.

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    Strip Mining

    A type of surface mining where a trench is dug to extract coal, and the overburden is dumped into the old trench, forming a spoil bank.

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    Overburden

    The soil and rock that lies above a coal seam.

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    Spoil Bank

    A hill of loose rock created by dumping overburden from a new trench into an old trench during strip mining.

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    Mountaintop Removal

    A type of surface mining where the top of a mountain is removed to reach the coal seam beneath.

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    Acid Mine Drainage

    Water contaminated with acidic and toxic chemicals from mines, often caused by rainwater seeping through exposed iron sulfide minerals.

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    Black Lung Disease

    A respiratory illness caused by inhaling coal dust, which can lead to lung damage and disability.

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    Land Reclamation

    The process of restoring land damaged by surface mining to a productive state.

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    Underground Mining

    A method of coal extraction that involves digging shafts and tunnels to reach the coal seam underground.

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    Fluidized-bed combustion

    A combustion technology where coal is burned in a bed of fluidized particles, reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions. It operates at elevated temperatures, ensuring complete coal combustion.

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    Pressurized fluidized-bed combustion

    A type of fluidized-bed combustion that operates under high pressure. This leads to complete combustion at relatively low temperatures, further reducing emissions.

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    Coal-bed methane

    Natural gas trapped within coal seams, formed during the coalification process. This gas is held on the surfaces of the organic matter in the coal.

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    Coal-bed methane extraction

    The process of extracting coal-bed methane by drilling either vertically into a coal seam or directionally along it.

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    Fracturing coal seams

    The practice of intentionally fracturing coal seams to improve the flow rate of extracted methane.

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    Methane release during coal mining

    The release of methane into the atmosphere during coal mining, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

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    Water disposal in coal-bed methane extraction

    A potential environmental concern related to coal-bed methane extraction, involving the disposal of large volumes of water produced during the process.

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    Methane migration in coal-bed methane extraction

    A potential environmental concern related to coal-bed methane extraction, where extracted methane can migrate and contaminate groundwater or residential areas.

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    Shale Gas

    Natural gas found trapped within impermeable shale rock formations, historically considered too difficult to extract economically.

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    Hydrocarbon Generation

    The transformation of organic matter in source rocks into oil and gas due to elevated temperature and pressure over time.

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    Source Rock

    Fine-grained sedimentary rock rich in organic matter, where oil and gas originate.

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    Reservoir Rock

    Rock layers with higher permeability allowing for easier migration and accumulation of oil and gas.

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    Migration

    The upward movement of oil and gas from the source rock to the reservoir rock driven by pressure differences.

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    Crude Oil

    The main component of petroleum, a complex mixture of hydrocarbons.

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    Oil and Gas Production

    The process of extracting oil and gas from underground formations.

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    Depositional Basins

    Areas where tectonic plate boundaries create geological conditions favorable for the formation of oil and gas deposits.

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    Fractional Distillation

    A process that separates different components of crude oil based on their boiling points.

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    Gasoline

    The lightest components of crude oil, used as fuel for cars.

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    Fuel Oil

    A heavier component of crude oil, used for heating homes and industries.

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    Diesel Oil

    A heavy component of crude oil, used to power trucks and some cars.

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    Catalytic Cracking

    A process that breaks down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones, increasing the yield of lighter components like gasoline.

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    Propane

    A gas produced from crude oil, used for heating and cooking where natural gas is not available.

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    Energy Content of Refined Fuels

    The energy content of fuels derived from crude oil, approximately 10755.3 Kcal/kg

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    Energy Consumption in Oil Refineries

    The process of refining crude oil requires significant energy, around 7% of US energy consumption.

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    What are the main components of diesel fuel?

    Diesel fuel predominantly consists of saturated hydrocarbons (75%) such as paraffins, and aromatic hydrocarbons (25%) like naphthalenes.

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    What is Cetane Rating?

    Cetane rating measures how readily diesel ignites. A higher cetane rating indicates faster and smoother combustion.

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    How does pure cetane relate to cetane rating?

    Pure cetane has excellent ignition qualities and is rated at 100. A high cetane diesel fuel burns quickly, reducing engine lag time.

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    Compare diesel fuel and petrol energy content.

    Diesel fuel, despite being less energy-dense by weight than petrol, has a higher energy density by volume due to its higher density.

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    What factors affect cetane rating requirements?

    Engine size, design, load and atmospheric conditions influence the required cetane rating. High altitudes or cold temperatures require higher cetane fuel.

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    What happens to diesel fuel byproducts?

    Diesel production generates byproducts that are valuable raw materials for various industries, including plastics, medicines, and fertilizers, making it a key resource.

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    How does cetane rating affect engine performance?

    The lower the cetane rating, the longer the delay between fuel injection and ignition, leading to rougher engine operation.

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    What does the 'Other' category in the pie chart represent?

    The 'Other' category in the pie chart includes byproducts like road-building materials, lubricants, and chemical feedstocks.

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    Study Notes

    Fossil Fuels

    • Fossil fuels are the primary energy resource in industrialized countries, providing 85-90% of energy needs.
    • They are formed from buried plant and animal remains over millions of years.
    • Coal is a major component of India's commercial energy, making up about 70%.
    • Coal is found in sedimentary rock seams, notable for its combustibility and volatility.
    • Coalification, the formation of coal, occurs over millions of years due to microbial action, pressure, and heat.
    • Coal mainly consists of carbon (50-98%), hydrogen (3-13%), oxygen, and minor amounts of nitrogen, sulfur, and other elements.
    • Coal, as a significant fuel source, has two classifications in India: Gondwana coal (250 million years old) and Tertiary coal (15-60 million years old), with Gondwana contributing significantly more to India's production.

    Coal Classification

    • Internationally, coal is classified according to the Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) into Hard coal (with high calorific value, at least 5700 kcal/kg) and Brown coal (with lower calorific value and high volatile matter content, typically over 31% on dry mineral matter free basis).
    • Hard coal includes Anthracite, Bituminous coal, Coking coal, and other Bituminous coal types.
    • Coal quality is determined by inherent properties, not by its end-use.

    Coal Types by Carbon Content

    • Anthracite: Dense, hard, black rock with a metallic luster, low sulfur content, high carbon content (86-98%), low volatile matter (2-14%), and high calorific value (7791 kcal/kg). Not commonly found in India.
    • Bituminous coal: Medium-rank coal used for gasification, industrial coking, and heat generation. Moderate sulfur content, 69-86% carbon, higher calorific value (7217 kcal/kg), and volatile matter. Coking coal is a specific type of bituminous coal used in producing coke for steel production.
    • Lignite: Very soft coal, high water content (17% or greater), lower calorific value (3346 kcal/kg), a fibrous/woody structure, and relatively high sulfur and moisture content.

    Brown Coal

    • Sub-bituminous coal: An intermediate type of coal between bituminous and lignite.
    • Lignite is a lower-quality, low-grade coal with a characteristic brownish-black appearance resembling wood (hence the name).

    Coal Mining

    • Coal mines are typically categorized into surface and subsurface mines.
    • Surface mining is often chosen for shallow coal deposits, involving strip mining or mountaintop removal, which can have environmental impacts.
    • Subsurface mining is utilized for deeper deposits, presenting hazards like cave-ins, explosions, and respiratory issues.
    • Environmental damage from coal mining can include acid mine drainage, land subsidence, and the creation of waste piles.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on the classification of coal types, their chemical compositions, and their specific characteristics. This quiz covers hard coal, bituminous coal, lignite, and more, including calorific values and industrial uses. Perfect for students and professionals interested in geology and energy resources.

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