Chapter 2 - Non-gasification Uses of Coal

Abstract

Coal is used primarily as a fuel for large industrial boilers, especially for electric power generation. The most common type of coal-fired power plant is pulverized coal combustion (PCC). A mixture of pulverized coal and air is blown into a low NOx burner. This burner has an annular arrangement. Coal and a portion of the air are fed to the center tube. The remainder of the air is fed through the space between the inside and outside tubes. The main portion of the flame has a low oxygen/fuel ratio and a relatively low temperature, both of which inhibit formation of NOx. The clean coal concept generally refers to a power plant that burns coal, or a coal-derived fuel such as the syngas produced by a coal gasifier. It then separates the CO2 and sequesters it to prevent emission of CO2 to the atmosphere. Sequestration can take a variety of forms, but the most common approach is to compress CO2 and store it underground. Coking is the oldest form of processing coal, other than simply burning it. Coal is heated in the absence of oxygen to produce solid coke, liquid coal tar, and a flammable gas.