DEVELOPMENT OF A COAL SLURRY SULFUR ANALYSIS AND CONTROL SYSTEM

THE CLEAN AIR ACT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN GENERAL HAVE PLACED INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE COAL INDUSTRY TO LIMIT THE SULFUR CONTENT IN THEIR CLEAN COAL PRODUCTS TO LEVELS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY REQUIRED. TO CONTROL SULFUR CONTENT IN THE CLEANING PROCESS, IT IS FIRST NECESSARY TO MONITOR THE SULFUR CONTENT ON A REAL-TIME OR NEAR-REAL-TIME BASIS. CURRENT AUTOMATED PROCESS STREAM SULFUR ANALYSIS DEVICES ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND DO NOT OFFER THE COAL PRODUCER A REASONABLE PAYBACK PERIOD FOR THE INVESTMENT. THIS PROGRAM COULD LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SULFUR ANALYSIS AND CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WOULD COST THE COAL PRODUCER ABOUT 67% LESS THAN JUST THE SULFUR ANALYZERS NOW AVAILABLE. THIS PROJECT WOULD PROVIDE THE DEVELOPER WITH THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO MODIFY THEIR CURRENT ASH ANALYSIS AND CONTROL SYSTEM FOR USE IN CONTROLLING SULFUR. IN PHASE I, A TEST RIG IS BEING BUILT TO TEST AND EVALUATE NUCLEAR SOURCES, DETECTORS, WINDOWS, AND PATH CONFIGURATIONS FOR THE SULFUR ANALYSIS, SO THAT THE OPTIMUM COMBINATION CAN BE IDENTIFIED. PHASE I CULMINATES IN A PRELIMINARY DESIGN FOR THE ANALYZER, WHICH WILL BE A MODIFICATION TO THE CURRENT ASH ANALYSIS AND CONTROL SYSTEM.