Briquetting of fine coal with a binder
- Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
The increased level of fines generated by mechanized mining and modem cleaning techniques for coal is a major problem in terms of lost revenue and their potential negative impact on the environment. The largest volume of fines generation occurs in the mining and preparation of high-rank coal. Handeability issues often result from the amount of wet fines remaining from coal cleaning. Consequently, large stockpiles or tailings darns, frequently containing high-quality coal, especially from the less efficient coal preparation plants, are a tremendous resource for briquetting and, in particular, for niche markets such as stoker fuels. Herein lies the challenge to recover the huge coal fines resource cost-effectively. The use of binders in briquetting fine coal has had a long history, virtually as long as that of briquetting itself. The purpose of using a binder is to form a strong, durable, and stable agglomerated product from fine coal particles, using the minimum quantity of the least expensive suitable binder. Numerous binders have been utilized, including naturally available materials, waste residues, and synthetically or specially derived materials. Several attempts have been made to categorize binders according to form, type, function, or underlying mechanistic action. From a practical viewpoint, the selection of a binder depends on at least the following factors: nature of the bonding process, imparted strength, water resistance, handling durability, benign environmental properties, quantity required, cost, and the end application for the coal briquettes. Assuming binder compatibility with the coal, it is the cost that is probably the limiting factor in commercial briquetting of coal with a binder. This paper addresses the technical and economic issues of fine coal recovery with the aid of binder briquetting technology and illustrates the potential of the latter with project examples.
- OSTI ID:
- 414920
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960460-; TRN: 96:004651-0012
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Coal Prep `96 exhibition and conference, Lexington, KY (United States), 30 Apr - 2 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Coal prep 96; PB: 314 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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