• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.469-475
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• 2013

In this research, the stabilization characteristics of upgraded coal using palm oil residues were investigated. The Eco coal, which is the Indonesian low-rank coal, was used as a raw material. The low-rank coal was mixed with palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), and then dried in a nitrogen atmosphere at $107^{\circ}C$. The trend of spontaneous combustion of upgraded coal was studied by measuring of crossing-point temperature (CPT), low temperature oxidation and moisture readsorption. The results of the CPT measuring and low temperature oxidation showed that the propensity of spontaneous combustion of the upgraded coal was improved compared to the dried coal. The moisture readsorption characteristics of the upgraded coal was also improved. The upgraded coal was stabilized through the surface coating with PFAD, and stability of upgraded coal was proportional to the content of PFAD.

• Clean Technology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.299-307
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• 2016

These days, coal is one of the most important energy resources used for transportation, industry, and electricity. There are two types of coal: high-rank and low-rank. Low-rank coal has a low calorific value and contains large amounts of useless moisture. The quality of low-rank coal can be increased by simple drying technology and it needs to be stabilized by hydrocarbons (e.g. palm acid oil, PAO) to prevent spontaneous combustion and moisture re-adsorption. Spontaneous combustion becomes a major problem during coal mining, storage, and transportation. It can involve the loss of life, property, and economic value; reduce the quality of the coal; and increase greenhouse gas emissions. Besides spontaneous combustion, moisture re-adsorption also leads to a decrease in quality of the coal due to its lower heating value. In this work, PAO was used for additive to stabilize the upgraded coal. The objectives of the experiments were to determine the stabilization characteristic of coal by analyzing the behavior of upgraded coal by drying and PAO addition regarding crossing-point temperature of coal, the moisture behavior of briquette coal, and thermal decomposition behavior of coal.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Upgrading technology has been studied for efficient utilization of low rank coal. Spray coating of heavy oil was applied on the upgrading process in order to stabilize low rank coal against spontaneous combustion. Low rank coal, which contains more than 30wt% of moisture, was upgraded to high calorific coal and stabilized by spray coating of heavy oil. It was identified that spray coating of heavy oil after drying coal is the optimum procedure of upgrading low rank coal. The experimental results show that more than 2wt% of heavy oil should be adsorbed on the coal in order to stabilize sufficiently for spontaneous combustion.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.105.1-105.1
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• 2010

Korea Electric Power Research Institute (KEPRI) has developed a compact coal-gasification system to accumulate our experiment skills. The combustion furnace for residual oil was modified as a small size coal gasifier. Recently, coal feeding system was also upgraded to control coal feed rate more accurately. Our research group has conducted several experiments to find out the effect of $O_2$/coal ratio on the cold gas efficiency. Furthermore, the effect of $N_2$/coal ratio on the transport characteristics was also studied. According to the calculation of heat and mass balance, the cold gas efficiency was estimated to the maximum at $O_2$/coal ratio of around 0.73. But small size gasifier such as ours required higher value of $O_2$/coal ratio than that of the theoretical estimation. On the optimal $N_2$/coal ratio, we noticed that the coal feed rate was intimately related with the transporting gas pressure and the pipe diameter.

• Advances in Energy Research
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.127-146
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• 2013

Torrefaction technologies convert assorted biomass feedstocks into energy-concentrated, carbon neutral fuel that is economically transported and easily ground for blending with fossil coals at numerous power plants around the world without needs to retrofit. Utilization of torrefied biomass in conventional electric generating units may be an increasingly attractive alternative for electricity generation as aging power plants in the world need to be upgraded or improved. This paper examines the economic feasibility of torrefaction in different scenarios by modeling torrefaction plants producing 136,078 t/year (150,000 ton/year) biocoal from wood and corn stover. The utilization of biocoal blends in existing coal-fired power plants is modeled to determine the demand for this fuel in the context of emerging policies regulating emissions from coal in the U.S. setting. Opportunities to co-locate torrefaction facilities adjacent to corn ethanol plants and coal-fired power plants are explored as means to improve economics for collaborating businesses. Life cycle analysis was conducted in parallel to this economic study and was used to determine environmental impacts of converting biomass to biocoal for blending in coal-fired power plants as well as the use of substantial flows of off-gasses produced in the torrefaction process. Sensitivity analysis of the financial rates of return of the different businesses has been performed to measure impacts of different factors, whether input prices, output prices, or policy measures that render costs or rewards for the businesses.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.561-564
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• 2005

Gasification has been regarded as a very important technology to decrease environmental pollution and to obtain higher efficiency. The gasification process converts carbon containing feedstock into a synthesis gas, composed primarily of CO and $H_2$. And the synthesis gas can be used as a source for power generation or chemical material production. Through more than nine years, IAE developed and upgraded several gasification/melting pilot plant system, and obtained a good quality synthesis gas. This paper illustrates the gasification characteristics and operation results of two 3 ton/day synthesis gas production facilities. One is entrained-bed slagging type coal gasifier system which is normally operated in the temperature range of $1,400\~1,450^{\circ}C,\;8\~10$ bar pressure. And the other is fixed-bed type gasification/melting furnace system using MSW and industrial wastes as a feedstock.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Combustion
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.30-45
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• 2012

An existing unit of power plant is considered to refurbish it for possible application of carbon capture and storage(CCS). Conceptual design of the plant includes basic considerations on the national and international situation of energy use, environmental concerns, required budget, and time schedule as well as the engineering concept of the plant. While major equipment of the recently upgraded power plant is going to be reused, a new boiler for air-oxy fired dual mode operation is to be designed. Cryogenic air separation unit is considered for optimized capacity, and combustion system accommodates flue gas recirculation with multiple cleaning and humidity removal units. The flue gas is purified for carbon dioxide separation and treatment. This paper presents the background of the project, participants, and industrial background. Proposed concept of the plant operation is discussed for the possible considerations on the engineering designs.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.231-235
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• 2015

The characteristics of binderless briquettes for dried low-rank coal was studied in this work. Two kinds of Indonesian coals were used to briquette after drying them in electric oven. The characteristics of briquettes have been examined by moisture contents, particle size, hydraulic force, and storing period. The optimum moisture contents of briquettes were observed at between 10 wt% and 15 wt%. The strength of coal briquette was stronger as particle size became smaller. The strength of coal briquette was proportional to the hydraulic force under 300 kN, whereas there was little difference among the briquettes made at more than 300 kN of hydraulic force. The strength of briquettes sharply decreased for a week after produced, and then showed the tendency of converging. The results from this work can be a useful guideline of manufacturing and managing upgraded coal briquettes.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2012

Biomass and coal are great potential energy sources for gasification process. These solids can be gasified to produce syngas and bio-oil which can be upgraded further to transportation fuel. Two biomass and three coals have been gasified with steam in a thermobalance reactor under atmospheric pressure in order to evaluate their kinetic rate information The effects of gasification temperature ($600{\sim}850^{\circ}C$) and partial pressure of steam (30~90 kPa) on the gasification rate have been investigated. The three different types of gas-solids reaction models have been applied to the experimental data to compare their predictions of reaction behavior. The modified volumetric reaction model predicts the conversion data well, thus that model was used to evaluate kinetic parameters in this study. The gasification reactivity of five solids has been compared. The obtained activation energy of coal and biomass gasification were well in the reasonable range. The expression of apparent reaction rates for steam gasification of five solids have been proposed as basic information for the design of coal gasification processes.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.239-250
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• 2020

Biomass is an abundant renewable energy resource that can replace fossil fuels for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG). Indonesia has a large number of cheap biomass feedstocks, such as reforestation (waste wood) and palm residues (empty fruit bunch or EFB). In general, raw biomass contains more than 20% moisture and lacks calorific value, energy density, grindability, and combustion efficiency. Those properties are not acceptable fuel attributes as the conditions currently stand. Recently, torrefaction facilities, especially in European countries, have been built to upgrade raw biomass to solid fuel with high quality. In Korea, there is no significant market for torrefied solid fuel (co-firing) made of biomass residues, and only the wood pellet market presently thrives (~ 2 million ton yr-1). However, increasing demand for an upgraded solid fuel exists. In Indonesia, torrefied woody residues as co-firing fuel are economically feasible under the governmental promotion of renewable energy such as in feed-in-tariff (FIT). EFB, one of the chief palm residues, could replace coal in cement kiln when the emission trading system (ETS) and clean development mechanism (CDM) system are implemented. However, technical issues such as slagging (alkali metal) and corrosion (chlorine) should be addressed to utilize torrefied EFB at a pulverized coal boiler.