Techno-economic study on demineralisation of coal by oil agglomeration technique

This preliminary economic evaluation of the oil agglomeration process developed at the Central Fuel Research Institute, Dhanbad, has been conducted on the basis of the laboratory and pilot plant data recorded by this Institute. The analysis has been extended to four different plant capacities which reveal that almost parallel profitability is observed after any increase in plant capacity above 40 t/h of coal feed. The process shows its viability with some Indian coal seams of high ash content with good coking properties. The profitability is mainly governed by the cost of the coal feed, oil and to a very limited extent with other factors. With the upward revision of prices of all grades of coal by the government from July 1979, the cost of the agglomerates goes up considerably and so also does that of the clean coal recovered form existing commercial washeries. Two alternative ways have been suggested in the use of oil. The results of carbonization, characterization of its by-products, the limitation of deoiling and other similar points are dealt with here