INFLUENCE OF OXIDABILITY OF CARBONIFEROUS COALS FROM THE DOBRUDJA FOREDEEP ON VITRINITE REFLECTANCE

Abstract

Importance of the study of the influence of coal oxidability on vitrinite reflectance (VR) as a criterion of the quality of coals and indicator of paleogeothermal regime is shown. Overview of relevant concepts demonstrates that this issue remains debatable. Carboniferous coals of the Dobrudja foredeep, which belong to the class of helitolites in terms of their microcomponent composition, were studied. They were subjected to oxidation during storage outdoors. Consequently, the VR value of high volatile bituminous (long-flame and gas ranks, according to the Russian classification) coals decreased, but this parameter remained virtually unaltered for medium volatile bituminous (fat) coals. Bulgarian researchers obtained similar results for Carboniferous coals of the Dobrudja basin represented by helitolites and mixtohumolites. In our opinion, the VR decrease in the course of coal oxidation is caused by decrease in the condensation and density of aromatic structures and increase in the share of nonaromatic carbon atoms. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc. 2006.