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Stephen Chen

China is to carry out an experiment on burning coal in space for the first time, which scientists say may help led to cleaner power stations and reduce air pollution.
The experiment will be carried out aboard an unmanned research probe – the Shijian 10 – that was launched from the Gobi Desert earlier this week.
Researchers hope the experiment will provide further insight into the physics of coal combustion and clues on how to burn the fuel more cleanly.
About 70 per cent of the mainland’s electricity is from coal-fired plants and they are one of the country’s biggest sources of air pollution.
China Shenhua delays coal power plant construction on orders from Beijing
The experiment involves igniting fine grains of coal dust in a small chamber, similar to the conditions in a power station furnace, but under near zero-gravity conditions. Professor Liu Qiusheng, a space physicist at the Institute of Mechanics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the experiment might reveal an unknown mechanism at play that had previously evaded detection.
I’m curious how pollutants such as PM2.5 will behave up there
Professor Liu Qiusheng, space physicist
“I’m curious how pollutants such as PM2.5 will behave up there,” said Liu, who attended mission briefings.
PM2.5 refers to particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter that are believed to pose the greatest harm to health.
Professor Kang Qi, deputy director of the National Microgravity Laboratory in Beijing, told Xinhua the authorities approved the experiment because coal played such a significant role in China’s energy supply while generating a lot of pollution.
How China, the 'world's largest polluter', is taking on climate change
The experiment would provide “pure data” that could be not be generated on the ground and would help scientists improve their understanding and modelling of the fuel’s burning process, he said. The results could help improve the design of coal-fired plants and lead to increases in energy production efficiency and reduce air pollution.
Other space agencies, such as Nasa, have carried out experiments on burning materials, such as paper and liquid fuel, aboard the International Space Station. But coal has yet to be tried.
The Shijian 10, which will orbit the earth for 12 days before returning to Inner Mongolia with most of its scientific payload, will carry out about 20 different experiments, including one to watch the development of early mouse embryos.
It’s hoped the research will provide clues about how reproduction works in space.

The probe will orbit earth for 12 days before returning to Inner Mongolia with most of its scientific payload.
Liu said China was hoping to build a space station by 2020 and the government was eagerly seeking proposals for experiments from scientists around the world, including Hong Kong.
Cleaning up China's coal power
Hong Kong had some of the world’s best universities and most talented researchers specialising in physics, material sciences, astronomy, biology and other disciplines that would be needed in China’s rapidly expanding space programmes, Liu said.
“Any young people interested to space exploration?” he said. “It’s time to sign up for a journey.”


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China pollution

China takes quest for cleaner-burning coal into space 

The research spacecraft Shijian 10 was launched by a Long March 2D rocket from the Gobi Desert on Wednesday. Photo: Chinese Academy of Space Technology

TO GO WITH China-economy-environment-coal-climate,FOCUS by Tom HANCOCK In this photo taken on November 19, 2015, smoke belches from a coal-fueled power station near Datong, in China's northern Shanxi province. For decades coal has been the backbone of the northern province of Shanxi, providing livelihoods for millions of miners, while private jet owning bosses became notorious for their nouveau riche lifestyles. AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER / AFP / GREG BAKER [20DECEMBER2015 FEATURE POST MAGAZINE]

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Scientists say fossil fuel experiment aboard probe orbiting earth could give clues on how to burn coal more efficiently and reduce emissions


China takes quest for cleaner-burning coal into space

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Scientists say fossil fuel experiment aboard probe orbiting earth could give clues on how to burn coal more efficiently and reduce emissions

Scientists say fossil fuel experiment aboard probe orbiting earth could give clues on how to burn coal more efficiently and reduce emissions