Elemental analysis of coal by means of the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique

On line characterization of the elemental composition of coal, in connection with numerical models, allows predicting important combustion parameters affecting the industrial boilers efficiency, like e.g. the coal heating value and the ash fusion temperature. This paper presents preliminary experimental results aimed at evaluating the possibility of using the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique for the elemental analysis of coal.