METHODS OF INCREASING COAL CONTENT IN ULTRA-FINE COAL WATER SLURRIES

IN DEVELOPING COAL SLURRY FUELS TO REPLACE OIL AND GAS IN UTILITY AND INDUSTRIAL STEAM GENERATION AND IN DIESEL AND AND TURBINE ENGINES, COAL PURITY AND RHEOLOGICAL SPECIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN ATTAINED AT THE EXPENSE OF THE FUEL'S ENERGY VALUE. THE RESULT OF THIS CONCESSION IS THE DERATING OF BOILERS, REDUCTION IN EFFECTIVE STORAGE CAPACITY, AND REDUCED RANGES AND ADDED WEIGHT IN TRANSPORTATION APPLICATIONS. TWO METHODS FOR INCREASING THECOAL CONTENT IN ULTRA FINE COAL SLURRY FUELS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND WILL BE EXPLORED IN PHASE I. WHEN DEVELOPED, THESE WILL INCREASE THE ENERGY VALUE OF THE FUEL BY AS MUCH AS 20%. THE FIRST PROCEDURE INVOLVES ADDING SURFACE-MODIFYING CHEMICALS TO EXPLOIT THE INCREASED FLUIDITY OF AQUEOUS SUSPENSIONS OF PARTICLES HAVING THE SURFACE PROPERTY OF HYDROPHOBICITY. IN THE SECOND METHOD, THE COAL SLURRY FUEL IS SUBJECTED TO INTENSE, LOCALIZED MECHANICAL SHEARING THAT CONDITIONS MORPHOLOGY OF THE COAL PARTICLES AND IMPROVES SLURRY FLUIDITY. THE METHODS WILL BEEXPLORED IN DETAIL TO PROVIDE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTROLLING VARIABLES AND ALLOW SYSTEMS TO BE OPTIMIZED FOR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION IN COAL SLURRY FUEL PRODUCTION.