Production and Use of Coal-Oil Granules

Coal-oil granules derived from fine-grain coal sludge may be used to produce water-coal fuel suspension and coal-oil briquets. The fuel briquets obtained are characterized by adequate mechanical strength for subsequent transportation and fuel use. Note that briquetting decreases the moisture content of the oil granules by a factor of 2-3. That eliminates the need for additional briquet drying. The content of solid phase in the water-coal fuel obtained from coal-oil granules is no more than 50%, with a net calorific value no greater than 3600 kcal/kg. Combustion of water-coal-oil concentrate as a fuel suspension has certain distinctive features. Despite the low content of solid phase, the ignition and combustion of such fuel is facilitated by the elevated content of volatiles. Experimental coking of coal-oil granules yields coke of high mechanical strength (86.2% of the >25 mm class).