An adiabatic apparatus to establish the spontaneous combustion propensity of coal

An adiabatic calorimeter has been designed to enable the spontaneous combustion propensity of coal to be established. The experiment was designed to run unattended, with a personal computer being used for measurement and control functions. All measurements are stored on a data diskette while the experiment is in progress.

The calorimeter was designed to be run in both a rising temperature mode and and an incubation mode. Various indicators of self-heating potential, such as total temperature rise, initial rate of heating, minimum self-heating temperature, and kinetic constants can be investigated.

Results obtained from the adiabatic tests will be compared with the results of crossing-point temperature determinations and differential thermal analysis (DTA) tests for the same coals, with a view to formulating a mathematically consistent spontaneous combustion liability index. This paper describes the major components of the adiabatic calorimeter.