Plasma Modification of Peat Fuel Granules

Granulated high-moor peat is used in power engineering as a fuel for production of electric power or heat for industrial, living, and other purposes; however, its combustion is accompanied with distinctive odor, and long storage is complicated by its high wetting ability. To improve the consumption characteristics of granulated peat, the granule surface has been modified using the atmospheric-pressure induction plasma. The component composition of the plasma flow for granule processing has been determined from analysis of radiation spectra of the argon plasma. In the plasma flow, the presence of OH radical has been detected, which destroy the organic part of peat, including bitumen, water-soluble substances, cellulose, humic acid, and lignin. It has been established from the investigation of thermal decomposition of modified fuel granules that after the action of the plasma, upon heating, the intensity of formation of gaseous products decreases due to the removal of high-volatile components. The morphology of the processed granule surface has been investigated using electron microscopy. On the surface of the fibers forming the peat structure, thin channels have been detected, which change the floatation properties of granules. After plasma processing, granulated high-moor peat can be used for sorption of oil products before their combustion in boilers, which reduces the expenditures for recycling the sorbent and diminishes the discharge to the environment.