Biomass in clean coal production
- Grand Forks Activation Technologies, ND (United States)
In physical cleaning processes for coal, the coal is initially crushed and then cleaned, resulting n a fine clean coal product. The fine nature of this clean coal makes it more difficult to ship and handle. Combining biomass with cleaned coal is one method to produce a dust-free, lump, biomass-coal product that is readily shippable. The University of North Dakota Energy and Environmental Research Center (UND-EERC) in Grand Forks North Dakota has recently completed work funded by the North Dakota Industrial Commission and Knife River coal Mining Company demonstrating that clean coal could be successfully briquetted using biomass (a waste paper filler and a pulverized wheat binder). Grand Forks Activation Technologies (GFAT) is working with Knife River Coal Mining Company in the further development and commercialization of the coal cleaning process. GFAT is also working with Producers Renewable Products, LLC to further develop and commercialize the use of other agricultural waste products, such as stillage concentrate, in the production of biomass-coal fuel products. This process addresses the two problems: (1) how to inexpensively clean centrate water for recycle in an ethanol plant and (2) how to gent an inexpensive binder for reconstitution of coal by pelletization. In the Phase I work, the feasibility of each processing step and end product would be evaluated as well as the overall economic benefits of the process. If successful, it will improve the reconstitution, dewatering, and handling of coal making it a more marketable product. Demonstration of this process would have a number of economic and environmental benefits. The use of cleaned coal as a plant fuel would (1) free up valuable propane or natural gas for use in homes, (2) prevent plant interruptions due to winter demand shut-downs, (3) decrease plant fuel costs, and (4) increase the number of jobs in the local community since coal is a more labor-intensive fuel than natural gas, propane, or oil.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 115347
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-200-8098; CONF-9508104-; ON: DE95009230; TRN: 95:006736-0129
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. meeting on biomass of the Americas, Portland, OR (United States), 21-24 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]; Related Information: Is Part Of Second biomass conference of the Americas: Energy, environment, agriculture, and industry. Proceedings; PB: 1741 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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