A technical and economic assessment of coal log pipeline technology at electric power generating plants
- Univ. of Missouri, Rolla, MO (United States)
The coal log pipeline (CLP) concept is to press coal into the form of circular cylinders--coal logs -- so that coal can be transported by water flowing through an underground pipe. This concept is similar to that of cylindrical capsules transported hydraulically through a pipeline which offers the advantage of relatively low energy consumption and a potentially simple dewatering system at the end-of-the-pipeline. The coal log pipeline also has the features of conventional coal slurry pipelines, that is, they do not require return pipelines or containers. The transported coal log can contain selected binders and/or reagents for reducing its equilibrium moisture content before subsequent combustion in power stations. Between the end of the coal log pipeline and a power station`s coal handling equipment, coal logs can be crushed and ground to meet the existing fuel feed specifications. The transportation of coal by means of pipeline has many advantages over barge, rail- road, and truck. In general, pipelines use less energy to transport coal and possess better safety records than railroad or truck transportation, In comparison to railroads and trucks, pipelines do not release fumes or particulates into the air, do not require surface land use (except at pumping stations), do not create traffic congestion or jams, and do not cause annoyance due to excessive noise levels. The development of CLP has been in progress for more than 5 years. Current activities towards the commercialization of the technology include coal log hydrodynamics, fabrication methods for coal logs, manufacturing with the minimum amount of binder (asphalt), developing means of injecting and controlling the flow of logs in a CLP, and determining the coal log handling and treatment processes to be adopted at utility plants, In this paper the technical and economic assessments of asphalt-bonded coal logs on the end-of-the-pipeline coal handling and combustion system, will be discussed in detail.
- OSTI ID:
- 45138
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930413--; CNN: Project RP-1895-34
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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