Progress of the research work on coal desulfurization technology in China

For promoting clean and high-efficiency utilization of coal, an analysis is made of the harmful effects produced by sulfur contained in coal. Following an introduction to the occurrence forms of sulfur including the organic and inorganic sulfur, the paper makes a detailed elaboration on and the comparison of the physical, chemical and biological methods, three major desulfurization technologies currently available. Study results show that the inorganic sulfur can be effectively removed using the physical method, and the heavy medium separation and flotation processes have been put into industrial use; the chemical method is effective for removal of inorganic sulfur and part of organic sulfur, but its use can destroy structure of coal and is high in cost; the microbial method proves to be effective in partial removal of both organic and inorganic sulfur, but it is a mild process and is currently at a laboratory research stage due to restrictive factors such as its long cycle of process and low efficiency; the use of biological flotation process can achieve the physical desulfurization effect by augmenting the effect of absorption of microorganisms on substances by taking advantage of the surface wettability difference between pyrite and coal particles. In order to uphold the conviction of making lucid waters and green mountains as valuable us mountains of gold and silver, the desulfurization of high-sulfur coal should be made in China by using integrated high-efficiency and green technologies featuring the use of multiple methods for attaining a synthetic sulfur removal result.