Innovations in Coal Processing

摘要

Coal processing, which is also commonly referred to as washing, cleaning or preparation, has historically been viewed within the mineral processing community as a low-tech industry that uses only mature technology. This perception is inaccurate, however, since market demands for improved product qualities coupled with increasingly challenging reserves have forced the industry to develop and deploy a new generation of high-efficiency technologies. Modern coal processing facilities now incorporate a sophisticated array of advanced solid-solid and solid-liquid separation processes to remove unwanted impurities such as ash, sulfur, and moisture from run-of-mine coals. The processing circuitry incorporated by these state-of-the-art facilities now rivals most mineral and chemical plants in terms of design challenges and operational complexity. This article provides a brief overview of the current state of the coal processing industry and highlights noteworthy examples of recent technological advancements that have recently been applied in industrial operations.