Drying grain using a hydrothermally treated liquid lignite fuel
- Univ. of Novi Sad (Yugoslavia)
- Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)
A shortage of domestic oil and natural gas resources in Yugoslavia, particularly for agricultural and industrial purposes, has motivated the authors to explore the possibility of using liquid lignite as an alternate fuel for drying grain. This paper presents a technical and economic assessment of the possibility of retrofitting grain-drying plants currently fueled by oil or natural gas to liquid lignite fuel. All estimates are based on lignite taken from the Kovin deposit. Proposed technology includes underwater mining techniques, aqueous ash removal, hydrothermal processing, solids concentration, pipeline transport up to 120 km, and liquid lignite direct combustion. For the characterization of Kovin lignite, standard ASTM procedures were used: proximate, ultimate, ash, heating value, and Theological analyses were performed. Results from an extensive economic analysis indicate a delivered cost of US$20/ton for the liquid lignite. For the 70 of the grain-drying plants in the province of Vojvodina, this would mean a total yearly saving of about US $2,500,000. The advantages of this concept are obvious: easy to transport and store, nonflammable, nonexplosive, nontoxic, 30%-40% cheaper than imported oil and gas, domestic fuel is at hand. The authors believe that liquid lignite, rather than an alternative, is becoming more and more an imperative.
- Research Organization:
- North Dakota Univ., Grand Forks, ND (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 374635
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/MC/30097-5161-Pt.2; CONF-9410458-Pt.2; ON: DE96011553; TRN: 96:004422-0062
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. international conference on energy and environment: transitions in East Central Europe, Prague (Czech Republic), 31 Oct - 1 Nov 1994; Other Information: PBD: Dec 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Advanced power assessment for Czech lignite, Task 3.6, Part 2; Sondreal, E.A.; Mann, M.D.; Weber, G.W.; Young, B.C.; PB: 774 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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