LOW ASH, LOW SULFUR FUEL OIL SUBSTITUTE BY NOVEL PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF 28 X 0 REFUSE COAL

SCOPING STUDIES INDICATE THAT A NEW IGC PHYSICAL SEPARATION PROCESS CAN BE MODIFIED TO ECONOMICALLY PRODUCE A LOW ASH, LOW SULFUR FUEL OIL SUBSTITUTE FROM THE 28 MESH X 0 REFUSE STREAM TYPICAL OF MANY COAL CLEANING PLANTS. THE PROCESS OPERATES ON THE REFUSE AS-IS, TYPICALLY A THICKENER UNDERFLOW, WITH FURTHER DEWATERING AND SEPARATION PRODUCING A SLURRY PRODUCT CONTAINING 75% CLEAN COAL MIXED WITH 1% LIGNOSULFONATE DISPERSANT IN WATER. THE SLURRY COST IS $25 PER TON OF CLEAN COAL CONTAINED ($0.88 PER MILLION BTU), ASSUMING ESSENTIALLY ZERO VALUE FOR THE REFUSE AND NOT INCLUDING THE COST SAVINGS THAT WOULD RESULT FROM REDUCTION OF THE OVERALL REFUSE VOLUME AND DISPOSAL COST. THE PHASE I RESEARCH PROPOSED HERE WILL MAKE AND TEST THE INNOVATIVE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN ASSUMED, WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF (1) ACHIEVING PRELIMINARY DEMONSTRATION OF TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY AT COMMERCIAL SCALE UNDER THE CONDITIONS EXPECTED IN COMMERCIAL OPERATION; AND (2) VERIFYING THE KEY ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS OF THE STUDY. THE WORK INCLUDES EXTENSIVE SEPARATION TESTS ON REPRESENTATIVE REFUSE COALS.