The Use of Mixed Oil Coating for Upgrading Borneo Brown Coal

Abstract

Indonesia (Borneo) is an essential producer of coal in the world. Unfortunately, the resulting coal type is mostly in the low-rank, which called brown coal. This study was aimed to evaluate the influence of mixed oil coating to upgrade Borneo brown coal in terms of caloric value and water re-absorption. The additive material used to enhance brown coal is blended oil, such as used cooking oil and waste lubricant in various ratios. Coal samples were crushed and screening to obtain the required size 10 - 20 mesh ranges for analyses and experimentations. Each 50 g samples blended with the used cooking oil (UCO) and waste lubricant oil (WLO) at various ratios. Evaluation of thermal heat values and water re-absorption characteristics of original and coated coal have done. Compared to the first fuel, thermal heat values of coated coal were significantly improved. The result showed that coated coal has a resistance to water re-absorption. Also, the effect of mixed oil coating is highly significant to have high isothermal oxidation due to suppression of active functional groups to oxygen in the air. The study results also showed that increasing caloric value and lowering water content can be achieved significantly by this additive mixed oil.