Abstract
With the rising cost of energy and fuel oils, clean coal technologies will continue to play an important role during the transition to a clean energy future. Victorian brown coals have high oxygen and moisture contents and hence low calorific value. This paper presents an alternative non evaporative drying technology for high moisture brown coals based on osmotic dewatering. This involves contacting and mixing brown coal with anionic super absorbent polymers (SAP) which are highly crossed linked synthetic co-polymers based on a cross-linked copolymer of acryl amide and potassium acrylate. The paper focuses on evaluating the water absorption potential of SAP in contact with 61% moisture Loy Yang brown coal, under varying SAP dosages for different contact times and conditions. The amount of water present in Loy Yang coal was reduced by approximately 57% during four hours of SAP contact. The extent of SAP brown coal drying is directly proportional to the SAP/coal weight ratio. It is observed that moisture content of fine brown coal can readily be reduced from about 59% to 38% in four hours at a 20% SAP/coal ratio.
Highlights
Victorian brown coal is a cost effective fuel for power generation
Our current research aims at developing alternative technologies to dewater brown coals
Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) dosage rates ranging from 5 to 30 wt % SAP/brown coal, and contact times between 1 to illustrates the evaluated; importance continuously exposing fresh surfacesfor forour maximum contact osmotic drying
Summary
Victorian brown coal is a cost effective fuel for power generation. It is very cheap to mine and low in sulphur and ash yield but the high moisture content and low calorific value result in high CO2 emission intensity relative to bituminous coal. This high moisture has ensured that power stations are located adjacent to their mines to minimise handling, transportation and environmental problems. Run-of-mine brown coal will require upgrading before its use in new generation thermal power plants. Practical and economic advantages in reducing the moisture content in brown coals include enhanced handling characteristics and reduced transportation costs. Additional benefits include reduced boiler capital costs, higher combustion efficiency, lower water consumption and waste disposal costs
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