Combustion of coal-methanol-water mixtures in a 700-hp watertube boiler

Conference · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:5755819

Fu, Y C; Bellas, G T; Snedden, R B; Joubert, J I

The use of coal-methanol-water (CMW) mixtures as substitute fuels has been evaluated in the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center's 700-hp watertube boiler designed for oil firing. Tests were conducted with mixtures prepared with a high volatile A bituminous coal and a high volatile C bituminous coal to determine the minimum level of methanol required in the fuel mixture to maintain a stable flame without preheated combustion air. Tests were also carried out using preheat temperatures typical of utility boiler conditions. With CMW mixtures containing 60% hvAb coal, the minimum level of methanol required without using preheated combustion air was determined to be about 16%. The carbon conversion and boiler efficiencies at full load for mixtures containing 0% to 39% methanol were in the ranges of 92% to 98% and 72% to 81%, respectively, when the combustion air temperature varied from ambient temperature to 500/sup 0/F. With CMW mixtures containing hvCb coal, no more than 51% coal could be added because of the formation of high viscosity mixtures, resulting in high fuel-pump pressures and nozzle-plugging problems. A series of combustion tests with mixtures containing 51% coal showed that mixtures containing 23% or less methanol required preheating of the combustion air to be fired successfully. For mixtures containing 12% to 45% methanol, the carbon conversion efficiencies at full load were all greater than or equal to99.4%, and the boiler efficiencies were in the range of 76% to 81% when the combustion air temperature was varied from ambient temperature to 500/sup 0/F. 2 refs., 7 figs., 7 tabs.

• Research Organization: USDOE Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center, PA
• OSTI ID: 5755819
• Report Number(s): CONF-840637-2; ON: DE85013454
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
014000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
AIR HEATERS
ALCOHOLS
BITUMINOUS COAL
BLACK COAL
BOILERS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COMBUSTION
DATA
DISPERSIONS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLAMES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL SLURRIES
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
FUELS
HEAT LOSSES
HEATERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LOSSES
MATERIALS
METHANOL
MIXTURES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SLURRIES
STABILITY
SUSPENSIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VISCOSITY
WATER