Intraparticle mass transfer in coal pyrolysis

Intraparticle mass transfer in coal pyrolysis is described by ternary diffusion and viscous flow, in conjunction with a simple pore model to predict concentration profiles for gases and tar. At low pressures, product yields depend on particle size only, while at high pressures they depend on pressure and particle size. Limited experimental data from a subbituminous coal confirm these trends. Data from a bituminous coal show different trends, as expected from the drastic changes the pore structure undergoes during pyrolysis.