INVESTIGATION OF COAL-WOOD-LIMESTONE PELLETS AS AN INDUSTRIAL FUEL SOURCE

THE COALBEDS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA CONTAIN OVER 1.6 BILLION TONS OF COAL RESERVES, BUT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH SULFUR CONTENT, MARKETING OPPORTUNTIES AS A BOILER FUEL ARE LIMITED. IN THE SAME AREA THERE ARE OVER 100 SAWMILLS WHICH PRODUCE LARGE QUANITITIES OF SAWDUST AND OTHER WOOD WASTES. MOST OF THIS LARGE, RENEWABLE WOOD WASTE RESOURCE IS NOT USED IN ANY BY-PRODUCT RECOVERY OPERATION AND IS AVAILABLE FOR UTILIZATION AS A FUEL SOURCE. IN THIS PROGRAM IT IS PROPOSED TO INVESTIGATE THE PREPARATION OF COAL-WOOD-LIMESTONE PELLETS FOR USE AS AN INDUSTRIAL FUEL SOURCE. LIMESTONE IS ADDED TO THE PELLETS TO REACT WITH SO2 TO FORM CALCIUM SULFATE THUS REDUCING SULFUR EMISSIONS. HYDROLYZED CELLULOSE (WOOD) IS USED AS THE BINDER TO FORM THE PELLET. THE STUDY WILL INVOLVE THE VARIABLES COAL/WOOD RATIO, LIMESTONE ADDITIVE AS A FUNCTION OF THE CALCIUM/SULFUR MOLAR RATIO, COAL AND WOOD PARTICLE SIZES, AND COALS WITH 1.7, 2.8 AND 4.0% SULFUR. THE EFFECT OF THESE VARIABLES ON HEATING VALUE OF THE PELLET AND SULFUR TRAPPING CAPABILITIES WILL BE DETERMINED. THE RESULTS WILL PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS TO BE PERFORMED IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM.