AS 1038.

17—2000
AS 1038.17

Australian Standard™
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Coal and coke—Analysis and testing

Part 17: Higher rank coal—

Moisture-holding capacity
(equilibrium moisture)
 This Australian Standard was prepared by Committee MN/1, Coal and Coke. It was
approved on behalf of the Council of Standards Australia on 29 September 2000
and published on 13 November 2000.

The following interests are represented on Committee MN/1:

Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
Australian Coal Association
Australian Coal Preparation Society
Australian Institute of Energy
Bureau of Steel Manufacturers of Australia
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Coalfield Geology Council of N.S.W.

CSIRO, Energy Technology
Department of Mines and Energy, Qld
Electricity Supply Association of Australia
Institution of Engineers Australia
Minerals Council of Australia
University of Newcastle
University of New South Wales
University of Queensland

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This Standard was issued in draft form for comment as DR 00110.

 AS 1038.17—2000

Australian Standard™
This is a free 7 page sample. Access the full version at http://infostore.saiglobal.com.

Coal and coke—Analysis and testing

Part 17: Higher rank coal—

Moisture-holding capacity
(equilibrium moisture)

Originated as AS 1038.17—1989.
Second edition 2000.

COPYRIGHT
© Standards Australia International
All rights are reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without the written permission of the
publisher.
Published by Standards Australia International Ltd
GPO Box 5420, Sydney, NSW 2001, Australia
ISBN 0 7337 3637 8
 AS 1038.17—2000 2

PREFACE
This Standard was prepared by the Standards Australia Committee MN/1, Coal and Coke,
as a revision of AS 1038.17 — 1989, Methods for the analysis and testing of coal and coke,
Part 17: Determination of moisture-holding capacity (equilibrium moisture) of higher rank
coal.
Major differences from the previous edition are as follows:
(a) Inclusion of a Foreword outlining the history of the development of the test method.
(b) Inclusion of notes referring to difficulties in applying the Standard to coals containing
significant quantities of free-swelling clays.
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CONTENTS

Page
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................... 3

1 SCOPE ................................................................................................................................ 5
2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS .......................................................................................... 5
3 PRINCIPLE ........................................................................................................................ 5
4 SAFETY ............................................................................................................................. 5
5 REAGENTS........................................................................................................................ 5
6 APPARATUS ..................................................................................................................... 6
7 SAMPLE............................................................................................................................. 8
8 PROCEDURE ..................................................................................................................... 9
9 CALCULATION .............................................................................................................. 10
10 REPORTING OF RESULT............................................................................................... 10
11 PRECISION ...................................................................................................................... 10
12 TEST REPORT ................................................................................................................. 11
 3 AS 1038.17—2000

FOREWORD
The moisture-holding capacity, (MHC), or equilibrium moisture procedure, was originally
developed as a means of estimating the ‘true’ bed moisture of coal and was later adopted by
ASTM (1936)1 for use in classifying Northern American coals by rank.
The history of the development of the test has been described by Rees et al (1939) 2 and
Edwards (1968) 3. These developments were as follows.
(a) The first equilibration procedure devised by Stansfield and Gilbart (circa 1907)
involved the exposure of crushed coal in shallow trays in a box, which also held trays
containing a solution of calcium chloride of 1.3 S (50% relative humidity). The coal
was weighed from time to time until a maximum weight was recorded. The method
could be prolonged, in some cases up to 6 weeks, and was abandoned in 1910.
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(b) In a second method devised by Stansfield and Gilbart (circa 1923), crushed coal was
equilibrated in a rapid stream of air at 60% relative humidity. By this method,
practical equilibration was achieved within 48 hours. In 1931 the method was
improved by inclusion of temperature control at 30°C. In the same year Stansfield and
Gilbart developed a vacuum-desiccator procedure for equilibration at constant
temperature over a range of selected relative humidity conditions. The moisture
content of the equilibrated samples was determined by the usual method of drying at
105°C. Results were then extrapolated to 100% relative humidity; the so-called ‘true’
equilibration moisture.
(c) Kreulen (circa 1951) modified the procedure by treating the coal with water, the
surplus being removed by filtration before the sample was brought into equilibrium
with the atmosphere of prescribed humidity.
(d) Over subsequent years, the notion of true equilibrium moisture became disused and
was subsequently replaced by ‘equilibrium moisture-holding capacity in an
atmosphere of 96% r.h. at 30°C’.
The current Australian Standard method is technically equivalent to BS 1016: Part
21/ISO 1018 4 which were based primarily on the work of Edwards (1968) 3 . Test variables
such as: samples preparation, size of dishes, test portion mass, equilibration time, dish lids
on or off during equilibration, and the time interval for reintroducing the equilibrated
samples to atmospheric pressure, were evaluated by Edwards at that time.
A comparison between the AS, BS/ISO and the ASTM D14125 methods is given in the table
below.
BS 1016/
AS 1038 ASTM D1412
ISO 1018
Applicability Higher rank coal Hard coal All coals
General Reduced pressure Atmospheric or Reduced pressure equilibration
equilibration reduced pressure
equilibration
Coal topside 212 µm nominal 212 µm nominal 1.18 mm (16 mesh) nominal
topsize topsize topsize
Sample 20 g wetted coal is 20 g wetted coal is 20–25 g wetted coal is filtered
pretreatment filtered then pressed filtered then only
between filter pads pressed between
filter pads
 AS 1038.17—2000 4

BS 1016/
AS 1038 ASTM D1412
ISO 1018
Test portion mass 1 g per replicate 1 g per replicate 5 g per replicate
Equilibration time 24 ±1 h 24 ±2 h 48 h for coals higher in rank than
lignites.
72h for lignite coals
MHC Moisture content of Moisture content Moisture content of equilibrated
determination equilibrated sample of equilibrated sample determined in accordance
determined in sample with ASTM D 3173
accordance with determined in
AS 1038.3 accordance with
annex procedure
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(which is similar
but not equivalent
to AS 1038.3)
Reporting of Nearest 0.1% MHC <5% to Nearest 0.1%
results nearest 0.1%
MHC ≥5% to
nearest 0.5%
Precision data MHC <5% 5-15% >15
r 0.5% absolute r 0.5% absolute r 0.3 0.5 1.0
R 1.2% absolute R 1.2% absolute R 0.5 1.0 1.5
References
1 ASTM D388 (1936) – Classification of coals by rank.
2 Rees, O.W., Reed, F.H. and Land, G.W. A study of the equilibrium method of determining
moisture in coal for classification by rank. Illinois State Geological Survey, Report of
Investigations – No. 58, 1939, 34 pp.
3 Edwards, A.H. The determination of the moisture-holding capacity of bituminous coals. Fuel,
v47, 1968, pp 29 – 49.
4 BS 1016: Part 21 (1981)/ISO 1018 – 1975. Methods for analysis and testing of coal and coke,
Part 21. Determination of moisture-holding capacity of hard coal.
5 ASTM D 1412 – 1974 (Reapproved 1979) – Standard test method for Equilibrium moisture of
coal at 96 to 97 percent relative humidity and 30°C.
 5 AS 1038.17—2000

STANDARDS AUSTRALIA

Australian Standard
Coal and coke—Analysis and testing

Part 17: Higher rank coal—Moisture-holding capacity

(equilibrium moisture)

1 SCOPE
This Standard sets out a method for the determination of the moisture-holding capacity of
higher rank coal (i.e. coals, as defined in AS 2096, having a gross specific energy of
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21.00 MJ/kg or greater on an ash-free, moist basis and having a gross specific energy of
27.00 MJ/kg or greater on a dry, ash-free basis).
NOTE: The full moisture-holding capacity is that of the solid in equilibrium with an atmosphere
saturated with moisture vapour, but as there are insuperable experimental difficulties in working
with such atmospheres, a slightly lower humidity (96 percent) has been adopted as the standard
one.

2 REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
The following documents are referred to in this Standard:
AS
1038 Coal and coke—Analysis and testing
1038.3 Part 3: Proximate analysis of higher rank coal
1038.16 Part 16: Assessment and reporting of results
2096 Classification and coding system for Australian coals
2243 Safety in laboratories (series)
2434 Methods for the analysis and testing of lower rank coal and its chars
2434.3 Part 3: Determination of the moisture-holding capacity of lower rank coals
2508 Safe storage and handling information card (series)
2706 Numerical values — Rounding and interpretation of limiting values

3 PRINCIPLE
The sample is brought to equilibrium and conditioned in an atmosphere of 96 percent
relative humidity (attained by means of a potassium sulfate pulp) at 30°C, and at reduced
pressure (not greater than 4 kPa). The moisture content is then determined by drying the
conditioned coal to constant mass at 105°C, in a nitrogen atmosphere.

4 SAFETY
For information on laboratory safety, reference should be made to the relevant parts of
AS 2243 and AS 2508.

5 REAGENTS
5.1 General
Unless otherwise specified, all reagents shall be of analytical reagent grade, and only
distilled water or water of equivalent purity shall be used.

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AS 1038.17-2000, Coal and coke - Analysis and

testing Higher rank coal - Moisture-holding
capacity (equilibrium moisture)
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