Commercially Viable Strategies for Enhancing Coal Quality

ABSTRACT

The focus of this research is on coal quality enhancement, which includes reduction in the sulfur content and increase in heating value through simple, innovative, and commercially viable coal cleaning strategies. These strategies involve fine coal cleaning, plant optimization, partial coarse coal liberation, and multiple product generation. Evaluations on five mines in Illinois have indicated a potential to reduce the sulfur dioxide emission potential of these coals by up to 20%, while increasing the product heating value by up to 250 kcal/kg (450 BTU/lb). In addition, increases in coal yield by 2–6% are predicted depending on the specific conditions at the evaluated mine.

Keywords:

• Fine coal cleaning
• Optimization
• Desulfurization
• Economic analysis

The authors sincerely appreciate the preparation plant staff of the cooperating mines for providing the plant performance data and plant flowsheets for use in this study. The authors also appreciate the contract specification details provided by individual mine managements.

Notes

*Mul prod-Multiple product generation strategy.

**For Mine 3, Options II and IV correspond to the options described in the text. For all other mines, the options are combinations of the generalized strategies described in this paper.

T-Total, P1-Low SO₂ Product, P2-High SO₂ Product.

AR—As received.

HV—Heating value.