Feasibility of producing a low-Btu gas from coal/briquetted coal fines

Technical Report · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5386106

In order to provide an essentially non-interruptible, plant-controlled, alternate fuel supply for the Noranda Aluminum, Inc. New Madrid, Missouri aluminum reduction plant, a study was commissioned by the DOE to develop a conceptual plant design to utilize coal/coal briquettes to produce Low Btu fuel gas (herein referred to as LBG). LBG equal to 1330 MM Btu per day (equivalent to 1330 M SCF per day Natural Gas) was projected to be produced from 84 tons per day of Illinois No. 6 coal (or 45% coal blended with 55% coal briquettes bonded with coal tar pitch binder) in one Wellman-Galusha gasifier unit. The LBG produced by this integrated processing plant is cooled, cleaned, and desulfurized to meet EPA requirements, dehydrated after compression, and odorized before transmission through a 6000 foot long pipeline to the aluminum reduction plant. Gas costs developed for a one gasifier installation show that without briquetting the net production cost for LBG is $5.07 per million Btu, while the cost with briquetting (including the coal tar pitch binder) increases the net production cost to $6.00 per million Btu. However, to obtain a 15% discounted cash flow the selling price would have to be set at $6.51/MM Btu and $7.78/MM Btu, respectively, with all values based on coal at $29.50/ton and full by-product credits. These unit costs include charges for the 6000 foot long pipeline, and compression costs to deliver the product gas to the aluminum plant's users. The financial attractiveness of this venture must be predicated on the anticipated increases in the cost of natural gas, propane and fuel oil.

• Research Organization: Dravo Engineers and Constructors, Pittsburgh, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG01-80RA50136
• OSTI ID: 5386106
• Report Number(s): DOE/RA/50136-1; ON: DE82007640
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
ALKANES
BRIQUETTING
BURNERS
COAL FINES
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
ENGINEERING
FABRICATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FORECASTING
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUEL OILS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUEL SUPPLIES
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIQUID FUELS
LOW BTU GAS
MOLDING
NATURAL GAS
ODORIZATION
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PRICES
PROCESSING
PROPANE
PURIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
STRETFORD PROCESS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WELLMAN-GALUSHA PROCESS