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FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT

For the peri<?d from September i. 1990 through August 31. 1991

Project title: Illinois Basin Coal Sample Program (IBCSP)

Principal investigator:. C. W. Kruse. Illinois State Geological Survey

Co-investigators: C. Chaven. H. P. Ehrlinger III, D. M. Rapp. L B. Kohlenberger. and D. Gavrilovic ISGS K. S. Vorres Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

Project Monitor: D. D .. Bane~ee CRSC

ABSTRACT

Attha suggestion of the Illinois Coal Development Board (ICDB). the Illinois Basin Coal Si?mple Program (IBCSP) was established by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) in 1983 to facilitate data comparisons among laboratories conducting basic and applied research on Illinois Basin coal. The ISGS and the, Center for Research on Sulfur in Coal (CRSC) are closely-linked to meet the goal of the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) for promoting quality research on Illinois coal both in-state and out-of-state. Samples are selected primarily to meet the needs of coal research project's funded through the CRSC.

'" The State of Indiana joined the program in 1986 through its Energy Development Board by providing funds for the sixth multi-ton lot of coal. IBC-106. a coal (Indiana V) equivalent to the Illinois Springfield (No.5). Indiana now shares in the annual maintenance cost for the IBCSP. This has been the fastest moving sample_of the

, nine.

Large samples and a focus on Illinois Basin coals are distinguishing features of the IBCSP. For the ton-sized lots, nominal 20-pound bags (1/16th of a barrel) of 3/8" x o coal are prepared for distribution to requesters by riffling a barrel of coal into 16 equal portions. Smaller samples (1/2SSth of a barrel; nominally 1 Ib) are prepared by crushing 20-pound samples to 8 mesh x 0 and then riffling it into 16 equal parts. The crushing and riffling are carried out in air but all bagged samples are returned quickly to a nitrogen atmosphere in S5~allon barrels where they remain until delivered to a requester. IBC-105 was collected for the IBCSP by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). processed in ANL's inert atmosphere facility, and prepackaged in 1 pint cans and 5 gallon pails. The samples from this lo~ are of higher quality than all others" because the coal was maintained in an argon atmosphere from the mine to the processing facility and all processing was carried out under nitrogen at controlled humidity. The one lot that is very fine coal. IBC-108 (mean diameter 10 microns) is divided into samples for delivery using a rotary wet splitter. Samples of the nine lots are distributedJo n~questorsdl,Jrjng the first ~eek of each month.

(This project is partially funded by the Indiana Energy Development Board.)