Chapter 12 - INDUSTRIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE PROPERTIES OF BROWN COALS

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the industrial implications of the properties of Victorian brown coals. Combustion for power generation accounts for 95% of the brown coal consumed in Victoria. The sections on drying and briquetting relate to processes largely dedicated to rendering brown coal transportable and suitable for combustion in smaller scale applications, including industrial, commercial, and household uses. These processes are also usually prerequisites for the carbonization and gasification of soft brown coals such as those found in Victoria. There has been a tendency for Victorian brown coals to be regarded as the Cinderella of fossil fuels, largely because of their high moisture content that makes transportation expensive and combustion difficult. Technological ingenuity, however, has overcome most of the inherent disadvantages to the utilization of these coals and allowed recognition of some of their merits, such as high reactivity and low sulfur content and ash yield. However, whereever possible, large scale pilot plant or commercial demonstration tests are strongly recommended before commitment to a commercial development of a particular technology on any new brown coal field.