A comparative overview of coal-water slurry fuels produced from waste coal fines for utility-scale co-firing applications
- Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); and others
The recovery and utilization of coal fines, both impounded and in cleaning plant effluent streams, have received close attention from both coal producers and coal-fixed utilities during the last few years. Many coal producers view impounded fines as an environmental liability and the discarded fines in plant effluent streams as contributing to a loss in Btu recovery. In addition, the rejected coal fines increase the quantity and cost of refuse disposal. The handleability of fine coal has always been a problem. Dewatering cleaned fine coal is costly. Excessive fugitive dust emissions are commonly associated with handling dry fine coal. Wet fine coal sticks to conveyor belts, blocks fuel chutes, and may limit pulverizer capacity. The preparation of coal water slurry fuel (CWSF) from wet coal fines alleviates the necessity of drying while at the same time eliminates the flow problems that wet fine coal poses to the end user. Furthermore, the utilization of CWSF as an opportunity fuel converts coal fines into a revenue source rather than a liability. Several utilities are evaluating the co-firing of low solids, low viscosity CWSF with their normal coal feedstock in an effort to lower fuel cost and/or as a NO{sub x} reduction technique. The utilization of this opportunity fuel is being driven by a changing electric industry in which utilities continually strive to reduce plant emissions while simultaneously reducing their operating costs to become more competitive as the generation side of the industry prepares for deregulation.
- OSTI ID:
- 490294
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970310-; TRN: 97:003021-0012
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 22. international technical conference on coal utilization and fuel systems, Clearwater, FL (United States), 17-20 Mar 1997; Other Information: PBD: [1997]; Related Information: Is Part Of The proceedings of the 22nd international technical conference on coal utilization and fuel systems; Sakkestad, B.A. [ed.]; PB: 1012 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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