9415287 Saito This award supports a 12-month Science and Technology Agency of Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship for Dr. Hiroshi Saito, Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at the National Institute for Resources and Environment, Tsukuba, Japan. Dr. Saito will work with Dr. Atsushi Inaba in the Energy Resources Department, on a research project entitled, "Japan STA Program: Rapid Coal Pyrolysis for the Production of Coke." In the production of iron, coke serves as fuel, reducing agent and binding agent and is usually produced by carbonizing premium coal. Due to depleting premium coal supplies, the iron industry is focusing on utilizing lower grade coals to produce coke. A limited understanding of the requirements for making good coke from lower grade coal restrains production despite economic motivations. Dr. Saito and Dr. Inaba will conduct thermal coal pyrolysis using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to study the effects of pressure and temperature on the thermal degradation kinetic rates of various grades of coal. The team will then utilize a free-fall apparatus to examine particle distribution and size and to simulate thermal degradation using the results of the TGA experiments. The project will provide kinetics data, mass transfer data and models for low grade coals which can then be used by the iron industry to efficiently use coal as an energy and raw material resource. ***
