METHOD FOR PROCESSING COAL WITH A HIGH CONTENT OF IMPURITIES TO OBTAIN A PURIFIED FUEL MIXTURE UTILIZABLE IN PLACE OF FUEL OIL IN PRESENT-DAY POWER PLANTS

摘要

Coal slurry is produced for use as fuel in power plants instead of the fuel oil used at present without thereby producing any appreciable effects on the burners and on the boiler. Starting from a raw carboniferous mineral containing various types of impurities, the method of production comprises the following stages: a) grinding the raw coal to reduce it to particles of a size less than 75 μm, the ground material then being carried by air drawn in through a grinding mill and on through a filter where a selection is made of the particles; b) immersion of said particles in water to obtain a turbid mixture; c) addition of flotating agents to the turbid mixture and flotation by introduction of air to obtain the coal slurry; d) checking the concentration of coal in the slurry to ensure that it reaches between 40 and 60% by weight per kilogram of slurry, according to the type of carboniferous mineral used at the outset; e) stocking the slurry in a tank where it is kept continuously moving.