Designation: D 3176 89 (Reapproved 2002)

Standard Practice for

Ultimate Analysis of Coal and Coke1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 3176; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope D 5373 Test Methods for Instrumental Determination of

1.1 This practice covers the term ultimate analysis as it is Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen in Laboratory Samples of
applied to the analysis of coal and coke. The information Coal and Coke2
derived is intended for the general utilization by applicable
3. Terminology
industries, to provide the basis for evaluation, beneficiation, or
for other purposes. 3.1 Definitions:
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the 3.1.1 ultimate analysisin the case of coal and coke, the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the determination of carbon and hydrogen in the material, as found
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- in the gaseous products of its complete combustion, the
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- determination of sulfur, nitrogen, and ash in the material as a
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. whole, and the calculation of oxygen by difference.
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the NOTE 1The determination of phosphorus or chlorine is not by
standard. definition a part of the ultimate analysis of coal or coke. See Test Method
D 2361 for the determination of chlorine and Test Methods D 2795 for the
2. Referenced Documents determination of phosphorus.
2.1 ASTM Standards: NOTE 2Moisture is not by definition a part of the ultimate analysis of
coal or coke but must be determined in order that analytical data may be
D 346 Practice for Collection and Preparation of Coke converted to bases other than that of the analysis sample.
Samples for Laboratory Analysis2 NOTE 3Inasmuch as some coals contain mineral carbonates, and
D 2013 Method of Preparing Coal Samples for Analysis2 practically all contain clay or shale containing combined water, a part of
D 2234 Practice for Collection of a Gross Sample of Coal2 the carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen found in the products of combustion
D 2361 Test Method for Chlorine in Coal2 may arise from these mineral components.
D 2795 Test Methods for Analysis of Coal and Coke Ash2
4. Significance and Use
D 3172 Practice for Proximate Analysis of Coal and Coke2
D 3173 Test Method for Moisture in the Analysis Sample of 4.1 Summarizing the ash content and the content of the
Coal and Coke2 organic constituents in a specific format under the heading,
D 3174 Test Method for Ash in the Analysis Sample of Coal Ultimate Analysis, provides a convenient and uniform system
and Coke from Coal2 for comparing coals or cokes. This tabulation used with that of
D 3177 Test Methods for Total Sulfur in the Analysis Proximate Analysis (Practice D 3172) permits cursory valua-
Sample of Coal and Coke2 tion of coals for use as fuel or in other carbonaceous processes
D 3178 Test Methods for Carbon and Hydrogen in the and of cokes for metallurgical purpose.
Analysis Sample of Coal and Coke2
5. General Requirements
D 3179 Test Methods for Nitrogen in the Analysis Sample
of Coal and Coke2 5.1 Coal sample collection shall be in accordance with
D 4239 Test Methods for Sulfur in the Analysis Sample of Practice D 2234, and sample preparation shall be in accordance
Coal and Coke Using High Temperature Tube Furnace with Method D 2013. Coke sampling and preparation shall be
Combustion Methods2 in accordance with Practice D 346.
D 5142 Test Methods for Proximate Analysis of the Analy-
6. Specific Requirements
sis Sample of Coal and Coke by Instrumental Procedures2
6.1 Carbon and HydrogenThe carbon and hydrogen de-
termination shall be made in accord with Test Methods D 3178
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D05 on Coal and or D 5373.
Coke and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D05.21 on Methods of 6.2 SulfurThe sulfur determination shall be made in
Analysis.
Current edition approved Sept. 29, 1989. Published February 1990. Originally
accordance with Test Methods D 3177 or D 4239.
published as D 317674. Last previous edition D 317684.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 05.06.

Copyright ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 D 3176
6.3 NitrogenThe nitrogen determination shall be made in except for data reported on a dry basis, an appropriate moisture
accordance with Test Methods D 3179 or D 5373. content be given in the data report.
6.4 AshThe ash determination shall be made in accor- 7.3 It is recommended that, for data reported on the as-
dance with Test Method D 3174 or Test Methods D 5142. received basis (or any other moist basis), a footnote or some
6.5 OxygenThere being no satisfactory direct ASTM test other means be ussed in the report to indicate whether the
method for determining oxygen, it shall be calculated by hydrogen and oxygen values reported do or do not include the
subtracting from 100 the sum of the other components of the hydrogen and oxygen in the free water (moisture) associated
ultimate analysis. The result so obtained is affected by errors with the sample.
incurred in the other determinations of the ultimate analysis 7.4 Procedures for converting ultimate analysis sample data
and also by the changes in weight of the ash-forming constitu- to other bases are presented in Table 1.
ents on ignition. By definition, oxygen calculated as a weight 7.4.1 Hydrogen and oxygen on the as-determined basis
percentage of the analysis sample according to this procedure include hydrogen and oxygen in free water (moisture) associ-
does not include oxygen in the mineral matter or in the ash, but ated with the analysis sample. However, hydrogen and oxygen
does include oxygen in the free water (moisture) associated values reported on other moisture-containing bases may be
with the analysis sample. See Section 7 of this practice for reported either as containing or as not containing the hydrogen
calculating and reporting results on other bases. and oxygen in water (moisture) reported on that basis. Alter-
6.6 MoistureThe moisture determination shall be made in native conversion procedures are shown in Table 1.
accordance with Test Method D 3173 or Test Methods D 5142. 7.5 An example of ultimate analysis data tabulated for a
hypothetical coal on various bases is given in Table 2.
7. Calculation and Report
7.1 The results of an ultimate analysis may be reported on 8. Precision
any of a number of bases, differing from each other in the 8.1 The permissible differences between two or more deter-
manner by which moisture is treated. minations shall not exceed the values listed in the precision
7.2 To avoid ambiguity and provide a means for conversion section of the specific test method for the parameter deter-
of data to bases other than the reported basis, it is essential that mined.

TABLE 1 Procedures for Converting As-Determined Values to Other BasesA

As-ReceivedD,E
Reporting Basis Har and Oxar Do Not Include
As-DeterminedC Dry Har and Oxar Include H and
ParameterB H
Ox in Moisture (Mar)
and Ox as Mar
Ash
Carbon
No corrections (See standard
method) S
100
Pd 5 Pad 3 100 2 M
ad
D S
100 2 Mar
Par 5 Pad 3 100 2 M
ad
D same as column at left

Nitrogen (P)
Sulfur
Hydrogen (H) No corrections (See standard Hd = (Had 0.1119Mad) Har 5 @~Had 2 0.1119Mad! Har = (Had 0.1119Mad)
method)
3 S 100
100 2 Mad D 3 S
100 2 Mar
100 2 Mad DG 3 S 100 2 Mar
100 2 Mad D
+ 0.1119Mar
Oxygen (Ox) Oxad = 100 Aad Cad Had Oxd = (Oxad 0.8881Mad) Oxar 5 @~Oxad 2 0.8881Mad! Oxar = (Oxad 0.8881Mad)
Nad Sad
3 S 100
100 2 Mad D 3 S
100 2 Mar
100 2 Mad DG 3 S 100 2 Mar
100 2 Mad D
or + 0.8881Mar
Oxd = 100 Ad Cd Hd
N d Sd
A
A = ash, weight %;
M = moisture, weight %;
P = a symbol used interchangeably in the table to refer to ash, or carbon, or nitrogen, or sulfur, weight %;
H = hydrogen, weight %;
Ox = oxygen, weight %;
ad = as-determined from analysis sample;
ar = as received or any other moisture-containing basis (that is, equilibrium capacity moisture basis, as-shipped moisture basis, bed moisture basis) if the appropriate
moisture value is substituted for Mar in the formulae; and
d = dry basis.
B
All parameters expressed on a weight percent basis.
C
Hydrogen and oxygen reported on as-determined basis include hydrogen and oxygen in free moisture associated with analysis sample.
D
Alternative procedures are shown, differing on the basis of whether hydrogen and oxygen in the moisture are included or are not included in the report values. A footnote
or other means should be employed to indicate the basis used.
E
To convert results to a moisture-containing basis other than as-received, as for example, equilibrium capacity moisture, substitute the appropriate moisture value for
Mar in the equations.

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 D 3176

TABLE 2 Ultimate Analysis Data

As-Determined As-Received Basis

Test Parameter Hydrogen and Oxygen Include Dry Basis Hydrogen and Oxygen Hydrogen and Oxygen Do
H and Ox in Sample Moisture Include H and Ox in Not Include H and Ox in
(Mad) Sample Moisture (Mar) Sample Moisture (Mar)
Carbon, weight % 60.08 66.02 46.86 46.86
Hydrogen, weight % 5.44 4.87 6.70 3.46
Nitrogen, weight % 0.88 0.97 0.69 0.69
Sulfur, weight % 0.73 0.80 0.57 0.57
Ash, weight % 7.86 8.64 6.13 6.13
Oxygen, weight % (by difference) 25.01 18.70 39.05 13.27
Total % 100.00 100.00 100.00 70.98
Total moisture, weight % (as-received) ... (29.02) 29.02
Moisture weight % (samples as- 9.00 Total % 100.00
determined)

(Air-dry loss in accordance with Method D 2013 = 22.00 %)

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