Combustion of clean coal-water slurry

This chapter reports on EPRI-sponsored studies to define the cost of producing coal-oil mixtures (COMs) in large quantities, to prepare guidelines for conversion of plants to COM, and to develop and demonstrate coal-water slurry (CWS) as a more cost-effective oil-replacement fuel for utility boilers. Notes that the use of clean coal would mitigate the negative effects of using coal in a boiler designed for oil, but would not eliminate them. Discusses the performance and economic impact of conversion of utility boilers from firing oil to firing a fuel containing 50 wt% coal and 50 wt% No. 6 oil. Indicates that NO /SUB X/ emissions during CWS firing are lower than those during firing of the parent coal under similar conditions. Points out that future work will include the development of burners for use with CWS, a short-term combustion test in a large (200,000 pound-per hour steam) industrial boiler designed to fire oil, and a project to demonstrate CWS combustion in a small, 50-MWe utility boiler and to determine the state-of-the-art of pumps, burners, valves, on-line instrumentation, and other associated equipment.