Technological processes of increasing the efficiency of calorific value of coal as the energy resource of the Gacko deposit

Abstract

This paper describes the conceptual technological processes of coal preparation and processing from the deposit Gacko (Republic Srpska) to the aim of increasing the efficiency of calorific value of fuel for the needs of Thermal Power Plant Gacko.The excavated coal from the coal deposit Gacko is supplied as the energy fuel for the needs od Thermal Power Plant Gacko as well as for commercial consumption. From total output of coal from from the open pit, which annually amounts on average to 2.2 Mt, and 97% is supplied for the needs of Thermal Power Plant Gacko and 3% forcommercial consumption. During previous mining (1983-2012), some deviations were recorded regarded to the results of calorific value of coal, obtained by detailed geological explorations and the results obtained from laboratory analyses on dosers in the Thermal Power Plant Gacko The average calorific value of coal in the deposit Gacko, obtained by geological explorations is 10.2 MJ/kg. The coal deposit Gacko has a complex geological structure and the carbon layers are stratified by substantial numbers of interbeds, thickness of 0.2 to 0.5 m. The selective mining is used for excavation the interbeds of interlayer waste, thickness greater than 0.2 m, and all minor interbeds are mined together with the coal. This technological solution of selective mining does not achieve the optimum economic effects of utilization the carbon material from deposit. The energy fuel of caloricif value from 8 to 8.5 MJ/kg is supplied for the needs of Thermal Power Plant Gacko and and it is lower than the designed parameters for the boiler plant in the Thermal Power Plant Gacko (9.2 MJ kg). Technological methods of coal upgrading and classification would increase the calorific value of coal in relation to the mining conditions.