SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1983
STP37337S

A Comparative Study of Preparation and Analytical Methods for Peat

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The United States has large deposits of peat, with recoverable fuel value roughly estimated at 538 quads (1015 Btu), which is equivalent to 90 billion barrels of oil. The potential importance of peat as a feedstock for gasification and as a fuel source is currently being evaluated by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Owing to the high moisture content, high volatiles, and fibrous nature of most peats, standard techniques for the preparation and analysis of coal may not always apply to peat. The purpose of this study was to determine whether current preparation and analytical methods used for coal were adequate for characterizing peat and to determine the accuracy of these methods for peat. Peat samples were obtained from four different locations in the United States and were packed under an inert atmosphere. These samples were sent to six laboratories, where ultimate, proximate, heating value, and elemental ash analyses were performed. The results were then statistically correlated, and the various analytical methods were evaluated by the Grand Forks Energy Technology Center as to their validity for peat. These results will be extremely useful in developing ASTM standards and selecting the best techniques for testing and analysis of peat samples.

Author Information

Schelkoph, GM
U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Forks Energy Technology Center, Grand Forks, N.D.
Hassett, DJ
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D.
Weber, BJ
U.S. Department of Energy, Grand Forks Energy Technology Center, Grand Forks, N.D.
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Details
Developed by Committee: D18
Pages: 99–110
DOI: 10.1520/STP37337S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4886-4
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0254-5