A HIGH EFFICIENCY ATOMIZER FOR COAL SLURRY

COAL-BASED MIXTURES CAN REPLACE OIL AND GAS IN THE UTILITY, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND RESIDENTIAL MARKETS. A COAL-BASED MIXTURE CONSISTS OF FINE PARTICLES OF COAL SUSPENDED IN A LIQUID TO FORM A SLURRY THAT IS EASILY TRANSPORTED, STORED, AND BURNED. HOWEVER, THE USE OF COAL-BASED MIXTURES IS CURRENTLY LIMITED BY DIFFICULTIES IN PRODUCING A FINE SPRAY OF COAL SLURRY FOR EFFICIENT COMBUSTION. THIS PROJECT IS DEVELOPING AN EFFICIENT ATOMIZER FOR THE COMBUSTION OF COAL SLURRIES. THE ATOMIZER WOULD PRODUCE A VERY FINE SPRAY OF COAL SLURRY FOR EFFICIENT COMBUSTION AND WOULD USE ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE AIRFLOW REQUIRED BY CONVENTIONAL ATOMIZERS. THE SLURRY ATOMIZER MAKES IT MORE ATTRACTIVE TO USE COAL SLURRIES BY IMPROVING EFFICIENCY, SIMPLIFYING COMBUSTOR DESIGN, AND DRASTICALLY REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE AIR COMPRESSION EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO ATOMIZE THE SLURRY. THE PHASE I STUDIES ARE ATTEMPTING TO PROVE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE ATOMIZER THROUGH LABORATORY DEMONSTRATIONS AND ANALYSIS OF THE THREE-PHASE FLOW IN THE ATOMIZER AND SPRAY. IN PHASE II, A COMMERCIAL PROTOTYPE WILL BE DEVELOPED, AND ITS PERFORMANCE WILL BE CHARACTERIZED.