Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Evaluation of a hot oil immersion drying method for the upgrading of crushed low-rank coal

  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coal is the most abundant fuel on earth, and low-rank coal (LRC) such as sub-bituminous coal and lignite makes up about half of all coal deposits. LRC is inconvenient to use due to its low caloric value and high content of moisture together with the strong tendency of spontaneous combustion due to these oxygen rich coals, etc. Solving these problems would substantially improve the efficiency of LRC usage. In this study, we describe a drying technique utilizing hot oil immersion. This upgrading process may be executed easily under relatively low temperature condition due to the difference of heat capacity and thereby pressure gradient between coal and heating oil. This results in greatly reducing its energy cost. Drying tests of Indonesian lignite were performed with refined waste oil and B-C heavy oil, which were heated to 120°C, 130°C or 140°C. Following 10 min of treatment, the moisture content of the upgraded coal was improved from 32% to 2.0–3.2%, and its high heating value from 3,000 kcal/kg to 6,000 kcal/kg.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Sakaguchi et al., Hydrothermal upgrading of Loy Yang Brown Coal — Effect of upgrading conditions on the characteristics of the products, Fuel Processing Technology, 89 (2008) 391–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. X. Renfu et al., Effects of chemicals and blending petroleum coke on the properties of low-rank Indonesian coal water mixtures, Fuel Processing Technology, 89 (2008) 249–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Nugroho and A. McIntosh, Low-temperature oxidation of single and blended coals, Fuel, 79 (2000) 1951–1961.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Küçük and Y. Kadioglu, A study of spontaneous combustion characteristics of a Turkish lignite; particle size, moisture of coal, humidity of air, Combustion and Flame, 133 (2003) 255–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. W. Sonata and D. Zhang, Low-temperature oxidation of coal studied using wire-mesh reactors with both steady-state and transient methods, Combustion and Flame, 117 (1999) 646–651.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. T. Sugita et al., UBC (Upgraded Brown Coal) process development, in, Kobe Steel Engineering Reports (2003) 53.

  7. H. Katalambula et al., Low-grade coals, A Review of Some Prospective Upgrading Technologies, Energy & Fuels, 23 (2009) 3392–34058.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Morimoto et al., Hydrothermal extraction and hydrothermal gasification process for brown coal conversion, Fuel, 87 (2008) 546–551.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. S. J. Lee, H. Y. Shin, I. K. Bae and S. C. Chae, Report on upgrading technology for low-rank coal, Journal of the Korean Society for Geosystem Engineering, 45 (2008) 276–282.

    Google Scholar 

  10. T. I. Ohm, J. S. Chae, J. E. Kim, H. K. Kim and S. H. Moon, A study on the dewatering of the industrial waste sludges by fry-drying technology, Journal of hazardous materials, 168 (2009) 445–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. T. I. Ohm, J. S. Chae, H. K. Kim, K. S. Lim, M. J. Kim and S. H. Moon, An experimental study on the drying characteristics of the sludge in the EDIHO using drying curve, Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management, 26 (2009) 312–318.

    Google Scholar 

  12. T. I. Ohm, J. S. Chae, K. S. Lim and S. H. Moon, The evaporative drying of sludge by immersion in hot oil: Effects of oil type and temperature, Journal of hazardous materials, 178 (2010) 483–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. S. Shin, H. S. Kim, D. S. Jang and T. I. Ohm, Novel fry-drying method for the treatment of sewage sludge, Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, 13 (2011).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Hanbat National University, San 16-1, Duckmyoung-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-719, Korea

    Tae-In Ohm, Jong-Seong Chae & Jae-Ho Lim

  2. Waste Resource Energy Team, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-380, Korea

    Sung-Hyun Moon

Authors
  1. Tae-In Ohm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jong-Seong Chae
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jae-Ho Lim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sung-Hyun Moon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tae-In Ohm.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Oh Chae Kwon

Tae-In Ohm received his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the In Ha University at Incheon, Korea, in 1982, and his Ph.D in 1993. Currently he is a professor of Environmental Engineering at Hanbat National University at Daejeon, Korea. His main research field is incineration of wastes and waste derived fuels. Recently he has launched new research topic for recycling of waste vapor by compression with ultra speed impeller compressor.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ohm, TI., Chae, JS., Lim, JH. et al. Evaluation of a hot oil immersion drying method for the upgrading of crushed low-rank coal. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 1299–1303 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0210-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0210-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation