Characterization of Coal obtained from the Sahelian Regions of Nigeria and Niger Republic

Abstract

Coal is the most widely available fossil fuel energy resource. This work was carried out to compare the composition, Sulphur content and combustibility of the Nigerian and Nigerien coal samples. Coal samples were obtained from Enugu, Nigeria, Tahuoa and Agadez of Niger Republic. Results indicated that, coal samples from Tahuoa (RS/T) and coal from Agadez (RS/A) have highest percentage of fixed carbon (71.2% and 61.0% for Tohoua and Agadez respectively), while the coal from Enugu (RS/E), Nigeria, have the least percentage (49.2%) which made them to have high fuel ratio enabling them to be more combustible, as determined by the thermal efficiency test. The study revealed that the coal from Niger is of higher grade with ease of combustion and less smoke as found in the combustibility test.

Keywords: Coal, Sulphur, fuel ratio, carbon content, combustion and thermal efficiency.