COAL STORAGE SYSTEMS IN COMPARISON.

In the past it was general practice for the coal consuming industry to plan their sites in the vicinity of coal mines. This eliminated the need for extensive and expensive intermediate transporting. The associated inevitable long-term supply contracts guaranteed uniform coal quality and only short interruptions in coal supply. In more recent times, large and rich resources containing high-quality coal became increasingly more economical, one reason being the cost reductions in long-distance freights. The present-day market offers coal of diversified qualities from the most distant countries. This places diversified demands on coal stocking and storage systems. The final choice of storage and reclaiming system depends on a variety of factors, such as: capacity of storage/stocking system, limited space, environmental protection, and desired blending effect.