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Refining Coal

Being a sedimentary organic rock, coal contains around 40-90 per cent of carbon when measured by weight. It is basically formed when ancient animals and plants accumulate in wet peat bogs. Typically, as plants die off in a moist area, they pile up to form a peat. This explains the reason why coal is mostly found in coastal plains or in river deltas.

Refining coal is a process that utilizes some coal upgrading technology to get rid of moisture and other pollutants from low-ranking coals e.g. lignite and sub-bituminous coals. Coal refining upgrading technology is a process that alters the characteristics of coal before it is burned and taken through various other processes to derive pure coal. This process entails a pre-combustion coal technology that enhances the efficiency of coal and reduces all coal emissions that may take place once the coal is burned.

Refining coal mainly takes place to allow easy transportation of the same and also the capability of utilities to change to a 100 per cent refined coal oil. This also helps in getting low emissions, hence great efficiency. Note that coal refining is easy; it cannot be compared to oil refining. First off, the process entails washing the coal in water or a liquid chemical to get rid of impurities. Washing alone can remove up to 30% of impurities such as sulphur. Once this is done, it is taken to the power plant where it is first pulverized to become a powder before it is burned.

The pulverized coal is basically blown to a furnace in the coal plant where it is allowed to burn while it is still airborne. There is water flowing on tubes through the furnace, which is heated to boiling while pressure is exerted to give out a pressurized steam blast through a specially designed turbine. Burning coal emanates sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxide, to mention but a few gases. Using filters or scrubbers, some sulphur particles are partially removed.

Another coal refining plant uses a 'fluidized bed combustion' instead of a normal furnace. This bed is made up of little particles of limestone, ash, and other non-flammable materials. Limestone and powderized coal are forcefully blown on the bed at a very high temperature where as they burn, the limestone bonds with the sulfur that emanates from coal. This bed combustion has low sulphur emissions hence will give out a more pure form of coal.

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