WV Coal Member Meeting 2024 1240x200 1 1

Spain Synergistically Recovers Coal Fines with Bio Resource

  
We have several times cited reports that botanical oils, "biolipids", can be processed into liquid transportation fuels; and, if the appropriate technology is selected, that transformation can be accomplished as part of a coal liquefaction process designed to produce those liquid fuels primarily from coal.
 
We have also reported that extremely small coal particles, generated inevitably as a part of most coal mining processes, are often separated from marketable coal and discarded, along with incombustible refuse, because of handling limitations.
 
However, again as per our earlier reports, we submit more evidence that coal fines can be profitably recovered; and, they can be recovered with materials that would themselves be suitable, and renewable, feed stocks for an appropriately-designed and specified coal-to-liquid conversion facility.
 
As follows:
 
"Coal Recovery from Coal Fines Cleaning Wastes by Agglomeration with Vegetable Oils 

Marta I. Alonso, Adolfo F. Valdés, Rosa M. Martínez-Tarazona and Ana B. Garcia

Instituto Nacional del Carbón, CSIC, Apdo 73, 33080- Oviedo, Spain; September, 1998

Abstract

The aim of this work was to obtain high calorific value products from coal fines cleaning wastes by agglomeration with vegetable oils. These residues are mainly being disposed of in dumps, causing important economic and environmental problems. Three Spanish coal fines wastes from different coal cleaning plants were agglomerated with crude and refined sunflower and soybean oils over a wide range of oil concentrations. The response of these fines wastes to agglomeration with the oils, was evaluated by the percentages of coal matter recovery, ash rejection and efficiency index. Speaking in terms of products quality, the best results were attained at the lowest oil concentrations, especially when the refined ones were used. In these cases, the agglomeration with vegetable oils allowed the recovery from coal fines wastes of a ready to burn fine coal fuel."

Again, submitted just as additional evidence that coal can not only supply our current liquid transportation fuel needs, but, coal, and even some coal wastes, can, through established technologies, also lead us into an era of liquid fuel sustainability. Note that using vegetable oils to recover coal fines, so that both could be processed together into liquid fuels, represents a process of Carbon Dioxide recycling.