INDEXES FOR COAL DESULFURIZATION AND DE-ASHING PROCESSES

Coal upgrading processes are evaluated based on performance indices. A dequate definitions of these indices are very important because the pr ocess operating parameters are adjusted by a control system according to the required values of the indices. This paper discusses the follow ing performance indices for physical processes of coal desulfurization and demineralization: coal matter recovery, total sulfur rejection, a sh rejection, inorganic sulfur rejection, unit index of sulfur rejecti on, unit index of ash rejection, joint unit index of sulfur and ash re jection, and overall index of coal upgrading. The deficiences of the e xisting definitions of these indices are pointed out and new, more ade quate indices are proposed. The advantages of the proposed indices are demonstrated by applying them to the assessment of selective agglomer ation of coal, using the extensive experimental database for this proc ess. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.