Correlation of stability/rheology relationship with coal properties and chemical additives. Quarterly progress report, June 15, 1989--September 15, 1989

Abstract

Coal-water slurry (CWS) is being considered as a near term replacement for oil in both industrial and utility applications. Selecting an economical, yet technically compatible feedstock for producing highly loaded CWS is important to the commercialization of CWS technology. Previous work has shown that the dispersing additives can represent a significant portion of CWS preparation cost. In an effort to establish a criteria for designing and preparing CWS for utilization, the relationships between coal properties and slurry quality must be determined. These relationships will enable the prediction of potential CWS quality for the particular coal candidate from some characteristic(s) of the coal. The coal content at a given viscosity varies for different coal. Thus, to develop a viable coal selection strategy using chemical surfactants as additives, the adsorption of these surfactants by the coal particle surface must be established. This work therefore, intends to screen a number of chemical surfactants and dispersants which can be used in the preparation of coal water slurry. The information derived from this screening together with the coal properties will be used to help develop a prescription to predict the stability of coal slurries.