Seeking help with Coal BTU samples.. Test perfect at removal,on truck, at yard, but bad at Sebree Ky Power?
Answer:
firstly, why is it coming back as bad coal? too high a humidity? Too low a volatiles?
The first thing you ought to do is to make sure that you are measuring the same things.
First step is to take a sample of the coal and put it in a sealed container, then take it to the plant lab. Also take a sealed sample at the plant and bring it to your lab. I would first suspect that there is a lab difference. They (or you) may have invalid standards, the wrong equipment, or whatever.
Next, look at what tests are being done. Make sure that both your tests and methods line up. Check the statistics on each test for normal qc purposes, but also to make sure that they are the right ones to measure a particular level of something. If the minimal detection is 10 ppm, and you need 1 ppm, the test isn't the right one. If the resolution is 5 ppm and you are exceeding the target by 3 ppm, again, someone is abusing the test numbers.
Make sure that the coal does not accumulate moisture before the test. It could do that on the way to the lab.
Also check their equipment to make sure that the unit is functioning correctly.
You might consider sending samples to a third lab to get some consensus of values.
Also, have all labs test a known standard material (other than coal) to see how far off the answers are.
There are 2 possibilities.
1. The plant lab is testing for something other than what you are testing for.
2. One of you is not testing properly.
You need to contact the plant lab to see what tests they are conducting and how your coal fails.
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