The modifications to the SRT-RCFR facility described in the June report were completed. As a result of these changes, the furnace hot zone was increased in length from 7 cm to 15.5 cm. The injector region of the furnace, providing entrainment and sheath flows, was unchanged, while the flow path from the exit of the furnace to the sample collection section was shortened by approximately 10 cm. The modified facility was used to resume testing of Pittsburgh No. 8 coal at 10 atm. The first goal was to confirm that the facility now provides true secondary pyrolysis test conditions. That is, the tar product should be completely converted to soot even in the absence of oxygen in the gas stream. We have now performed four tests with pure argon carrier gas, and have consistently observed voluminous soot product with little or no evidence of tar. Thus, this objective was met. The clogging problems for Pittsburgh No. 8 coal under secondary pyrolysis test conditions may preclude achieving this data point. In that case, we will make measurements under oxidizing conditions, which are expected to eliminate the clogging, and to gradually reduce the oxygen content to the point where product yields can reliably be extrapolated to the zero oxygen case.
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