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UTILIZATION STUDIES OF ENUGU COAL

ABSTRACT

This study has its theme as a utilization studies of Enugu coals with the view of studying its properties, classification, preparation storage etc comparing coals obtained from different locations. The Enugu coal is a sub-bitummous and non coking coal.  It is very rich in waxes and resins, thus it may be suitable for the production of liquid fuels and a range of chemical raw materials. After all necessary studies which includes proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, caebonization tests, classification test, chemical and petrographic propertics, coal blending studies, from coking studies etc a wide range of chemical products was found present in the Enugu coal.  It is obvious that for waxy and resinous materials of which Enugu coal is there are rumbrous applications in the chemical industry. The development and acquisition of coal utilization technology was this frustrated due to coal fields were underdeveloped and this inadvently contributed to near abandonment of the existing coal field.  In solving the problem associated with this, the country must therefore follow the foot-steps of the industrialized nations by encouraging research and also voting in large sums of money on developments of coal associated with the extraction, processing and use of coal.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Coal is a black combustible compact, & stratified inhomogeneous mass of organic material originated from metamorphosed plant which is usually found interspersed with smaller amount of inorganic mather in its sedimentary rocks.  Coal formation has occurred over long period of time, often under high pressure of overburden at elevated temperature and also with the actions of some bacteria.

Coal still provides a large portion of the words energy requirements, accounting for 40% of the world's electricity generation and for process in many industries.  As the planets population and energy use expand in the future, the use of coal is bound to increase in the future because world's resources are large and widespread and coal is a low-cost alternative to other fuels.

Coal has a significant role to play in the industrial development of Nigeria.  Apart from crucial role of coal in the metallurgical industry.  It is also a major substitute for petroleum by products in the chemical industry.  The enormous potential of coal resources in the overall economic development of Nigeria has prompted the need to consider how best to update information and knowledge of the coal utilization of this country.

As rate as 1949, the British colonial government commissioned a study the report of which clearly showed the chemical utilization of the Nigeria (Enugu) coal in the following words; “the production of all liquid fuel requirements of Nigeria and adjacent territories, and the development of an export chemical industry is of such technical and economic promise as to justify the active prosecution of the chemical utilization project.

The project focuses on the utilization studies of the Eungu coal and also on the re-integeration of coal the energy mix of Nigeria with a new to pringing out its potentials establish chamels of exchange of information and laso build up a bank of documented results.  The most auspicious of this point of view of its export ability, but also for its local consumption or needs for power generation and metallurgical coke production.

In Nigeria coal is found in commercial quantity in Enugu and hence Enugu is euphemically repred toas the coal city” Enugu coal met the need of our rellacy system and electricity supply in addition to employment opportunities for Nigerians.  Futher more, many chemicals of higher commercial values can be derived from coal which ran lead to building coal-based chemical plant in enugu state or other neighbouring state of the country.

In this project some factors reelected to the utilization of Enugu coal were looked into like Historical background of Enugu coal, coal fields, geological assessment, coal properties, classification, preparation, thermal decomposition and gasification of coal, some experiements and their results help in the importance and utilization of this Enugu coal.

It view of Nigeria over dependence on crude oil and the oil glot undermined further developments, exploitation and diversigation of our coal industry. To reverse the trend the extraction of our coal mus be improved.

Nigerian cement company, Nkalagu was designed to utilized Enugu coal for energe in their clinker production.  So also the Oji River power station was designed to utilize Enugu coal for electricity generation.  With oil boom coupled with the war coal suggered a major setback in the both production and utilization and the development of technologies for more efficient coal utilization.  Conversion to heat from gaseous and liquid fuels should be one of the prime objectives in meeting the energy requirements of this country.

It will be tantamount to economics short sightedness if the importance of coal in the industrial development of this country is judged by its present low level of its utilization.  The Enugu coal industry must be seen as a long neglected economic frontiers that needs urgent resuscitation. Therefore, proper management of available coal resources is essential for maximum coal utilization, which to a large extent, determines the level of detail exploration.