United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S7-85/039  Apr. 1986
Project  Summary
Computer  Economics of Physical
Coal  Cleaning and  Flue  Gas
Desulfurization

C. R. Wright, L Larkin, F. M. Kennedy, and T. W. Tarkington
  Under EPA sponsorship, a computer
model has been developed by TV A that
determines  process  and detailed
economic data for  a  physical  coal-
cleaning process and a limestone or
lime flue gas desulfurization  (FGD)
process applied  to electric  utility
boilers.  The  model  can  be used to
determine  the  economics  of  either
process used alone or the two in various
combinations, based on user-supplied
data on cleaning requirements, coal
properties,  and  SO 2 emission
requirements.  The  model  also
determines  the   indirect  economic
benefits and penalties to overall power
plant operation associated with the use
of  cleaned  coal. The coal-cleaning
process consists of  three processing
streams in which coarse, medium, and
fine coal fractions  are  cleaned  by
respectively,  dense-medium vessels,
dense-medium  cyclones,  and   froth
flotation. Several  variants of  the
limestone or  lime FGO process and
different waste disposal methods can
be specified for the FGD process. The
model  provides  an  analysis of the
cleaned  coal,  a  list of  major  FGO
equipment,  and detailed capital
investment and operating cost data.
  The  report provides  a general
description of the model, illustrates its
use and potential  application, and
summarizes its use in a la.rge number of
simulations. Using a  1,000-MW boiler
as the  basis,  simulations were  made
with four coals at four cleaning levels
and at four emission levels. The effects
of these variables on the economics of
the processes used separately and in
combination are discussed.
  This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC to announce key findings of
the research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering in-
formation at back).
Introduction
  In recent years, coal cleaning has come
to be regarded as a practical alternative in
some  cases for  the  control of SO 2
emissions from coal-fired power plants.
TVA  recently completed an economic
evaluation for EPA that illustrated the
potential of coal cleaning in SO 2 emission
control.  As a  continuation of this
program,  a  computer model  was
developed to model the performance and
economics  of full-scale coal cleaning
alone and in combination with limestone
and lime FGD. The model determines the
process design and  economics for a
coal-cleaning process or a coal-cleaning
process combined with  FGD.  It also
determines the economic benefits and
penalties  attributable  to the  use  of
cleaned coal instead of raw coal.
  The   model  should  be  useful  in
comparing  process designs  and
economics  of various combinations  of
coal-cleaning and lime or limestone FGD
processes. This should be  particularly
useful when evaluating processes for
specific applications since the model will
illustrate the effect of changes in process
variables on the cost and design of the
component  processes or  the entire
system as a whole.

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Model Description
  The  coal-cleaning/FGD  computer
model  consists  of  four  computer
programs (written in FORTRAN IV), linked
by common  input and output data. The
first  program  determines process
performance  and  economics  of  the
coal-cleaning process from design and
operating specifications; the second and
third determine the FGD process design
and the corresponding capital investment
and annual revenue requirements from
raw or clean coal properties and emission
requirements; and  the fourth quantifies
selected economic benefits and penalties
of using  cleaned coal. Unlike the first
three  programs,  which  are modified
versions  of  previously  developed
programs,  the  fourth   was  created
specifically for  this  project. The cost
elements  that  the  model  calculates
include capital  investment,  first-year
annual   revenue  requirements,  and
levelized  annual revenue requirements:
each  can be  generated for either  a
coal-cleaning   process,   a  combined
coal-cleaning/FGD process, or an FGD
process,  depending on  user specifica-
tions. For the combined coal-cleaning/
FGD process, the net cost is the sum of
the costs for the coal-cleaning and FGD
processes and the sum  of the benefits
and penalties.

Model Input Procedure
  To simplify data entry for the combined
model,  all data required for its execution
are  included  as  input  data  to the
coal-cleaning program. The  information
required  includes  power plant  data,
emission  regulations,  coal-cleaning
process  specifications,   FGD   design
specifications,  raw coal  properties and
washability, and economic data. The flow
of the  data throughout the combined
model is shown in Figure 1.

Coal-Cleaning Program
  The  coal-cleaning  program  was
adapted  from Battelle-Columbus
Laboratories Coal Preparation Simulation
Model (CPSM4), Version 2. The program
required many modifications to conform
to TVA's process design criteria and to
form the combined coal-cleaning/FGD
model. Although many of these changes
were relatively minor and did not alter the
program  processing   sequence,  some
areas required major revisions, requiring
five  new  subroutines and  associated
program rearrangement.
  The  printout  is divided   into  three
segments: the  first lists  the values of
selected  input  data to ensure that no
                                All Input Data
Coal Cleaning
Process Printout
4

Coal Cleaning
Program
1
k
P
I
f
                                                            FGD Input Data
                                  Benefits/
                                  Penalties
                                  Input Data
                      FGD Programs
                                  Benefits/
                               Penalties Program
                               Benefits/Penalties
                               Program Printout
Figure 7.    Flow of data through the combined model.
                      FGD Process
                        Printout
errors  were  made during the  input
operation;  the  second  (execution)
provides  an analysis  of  internal  flow
streams and a performance report for
each  equipment  unit  included  in  the
coal-cleaning  process; and the third
presents  the  overall   results  of  the
simulation.  The tables in  this segment
provide the performance  data and the
process economics for  the coal-cleaning
plant.
  The  model  can  simulate  many
coal-cleaning  processes  if equipment
performance, process  design
information, and economic data  are
available. The base case process design
used in the illustrative runs is felt to be
typical. The flow diagram for this process
design is shown in Figure 2. The process,
as illustrated, separates the raw coal into
three size fractions,  each of which is
processed in a different type of separation
equipment:  the  coarse  coal  in   a
dense-medium vessel, the intermediate
in a dense-medium cyclone, and the fine
in froth flotation cells.


FGD Model
  The  FGD  model  is  the  Shawnee
lime/limestone  computer  model
developed by Bechtel National, Inc., and
TVA using  data obtained from the test
facility at the TVA Shawnee Steam Plant
near Paducah, KY. This model consists of
two  programs  that  produce full-scale

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Coal Receiving
 and Storage
                      Railroad
                        Car
                  [L—J| Dump
  Raw Coal
   Sizing
   3/8 in x 20M
Coarse Coal
 Cleaning
Intermediate
   Coal
  Cleaning
  Fine Coal
  Cleaning
   Refuse
  Disposal
  Clean Coal
   Storage
                                             Pre-Wet
                                              Screen
                                                           DW
                                                        Distributing
                                                           Tank
             Dense Medium
                                          Dense
                             3/8 'i'n'x ~2~8M ' 'Me'diu'rrT
                                          yclone
               DM Cyclone
               Feed Sump
                     Drain Rinse
                       Screens
                                ^Bottoms  Tops\
                                i.            t
                                         Magnetic
                                         Separator
                                        .(Magnetite)
 Flotation
Feed Sump
                                     -»   Flotation
                                           Cells
                                       Clarified Water
                                          for Reuse
                                                  DM Sump
                                                    Dense Medium
                                                    Recirculation
                                                       System
  Refuse Disposal Site
                                  Water Surge Pond
                                                          Clean Coal
                                                          Stockpile
                          	 Coal
                          	Refuse
                               Dense Medium
                               Dilute Medium Water
                                                      Clean Coal
                                                       Shipment
Figure 2.    Flow diagram for the coal-cleaning process.
 design and economic data for a variety of
 limestone or lime FGD systems.
   The current model includes options for
 limestone or lime scrubbing: a mobile-
 bed absorber (TCA),  a spray  tower or
 venturi-spray  tower  absorbers,   and
 various  waste disposal  methods.  The
 FGD process design used to illustrate the
 capabilities  of the combined  model is
 illustrated  in  Figure  3. The  process
 employs limestone slurry scrubbing in a
 spray tower absorber and the untreated
 waste is disposed of in a pond.

 Economic Benefits and
 Penalties Program
   Many differences between cleaned and
 raw coal result in economic benefits and
 penalties for a power plant other than the
 obvious  benefit of reduced FGD costs.
 This  program utilizes  appropriate
 equations to approximate many of these
 benefits   and  penalties that  accrue
 because of such differences as a lower
 ash content, a higher moisture content,
 and generally a higher heating value of
 the cleaned coal. Each of the benefits and
 penalties calculated by this program is
 discussed below.

 FGD Costs
   The  most important  effect  of coal
 cleaning on power plant costs is in the
 area of FGD costs; in some cases coal
 cleaning or coal cleaning with FGD can be
 more economical  than  FGD  alone in
 controlling S02 emissions. The ways in
 which  coal  cleaning  reduces  the FGD
 requirement are much the same as the
 other benefits. In particular, the reduced
 sulfur  content and   increased  heat
 content  of  cleaned  coal  reduce  the
 quantity  of  SO 2   produced  in  the
 combustion  process, thus reducing the
 SO2  removal requirement of  the FGD
 process.  Sometimes the  use of cleaned
 coal can even eliminate the need for FGD.
 The benefit that is used in this model is
 determined by comparing costs required
 when FGD is used to control  raw coal
 combustion  emissions  with  the  FGD
 costs when the emissions from cleaned
 coal combustion are controlled.

 Raw Coal Loss
  No  presently available coal-cleaning
 process can achieve 100% separation of
 pure coal from its impurities. Some coal is
 lost in the cleaning plant  refuse, and
some impurities remain in the cleaned
coal. The coal that is lost is an economic
liability for the coal-cleaning plant. This
liability or penalty  is quantified as the

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                                                            Emergency Bypass
Coa/_
Boiler
  Economizer] Electrostaiic
        I     Precipitator
                                          Scrubber Area
                                           Spray Tower
                                                         Steam from
                                                         Steam Plant
          \Reheater-ff—
                 ''l.D. Fan
          Condensate
.Makeup to steam Plant
  Water
                                                                       Absorber
                                                                        Bleed
                                                                       Receiving
                                                                        Tank  I—g
Figure 3.    Flow diagram for the limestone-scrubbing process.
heat content (Btu's) of the coal that is lost
in the refuse.

Transportation Costs
   In most cases coal cleaning produces a
product that has a higher heating value
than the raw coal, thereby reducing the
quantity of coal necessary to satisfy the
heat requirements of a specific power
plant. When coal is cleaned at the mine,
the reduced coal requirement decreases
the cost of transporting the coal, which is
a cost benefit for the utility.

United  Mine Workers' Benefits
  The   1978  United  Mine   Workers'
(UMW) contract requires mine operators
                              to pay $1.385 to the Pensions and Benefit
                              Trust Fund for every ton of coal shipped to
                              a  consumer.   Since  coal cleaning
                              generally  reduces the quantity of coal
                              required   by  a  power  plant,  the
                              contribution to  the  trust fund is also
                              reduced, resulting in a cost benefit for the
                              utility.

                              State Taxes
                                 State-imposed coal taxes,  often  called
                              severance taxes, are presently levied by
                              13 states. Depending on the method of
                              taxation,  coal  cleaning can reduce or
                              increase  these taxes,  creating a  cost
                              benefit or penalty. At present, there are
                              four  ways to  apply  these   charges:
                        taxation based on  the tonnage of coal
                        shipped is the most common. For this
                        reason, it is used in the example runs for
                        this project. Based  on this method, coal
                        cleaning  would  generally   yield  an
                        economic   benefit   by  reducing  the
                        quantity shipped. On the other hand,
                        taxation based on the tonnage mined or
                        value of the coal shipped would produce
                        an economic  penalty for coal cleaning
                        because of the coal loss in the cleaning
                        plant refuse.

                        Size Reduction
                          In general, at least two and sometimes
                        three size reductions are performed on
                        coal as it moves from the ground to the
                                    4

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 power plant boiler. For the development
 of this program, it was assumed that the
 power  plant was  equipped  with
 pulverized  coal boilers, in which  case
 three size reductions are necessary. The
 first reduction is at the mine: the run-
 of-mine  (ROM) coal  is  crushed to the
 appropriate  topsize.   The   next  two
 reductions are at the power plant: the
 coal is crushed before being fed to the
 pulverizers and then ground into powder
 in the pulverizer  and fed to  the boiler.
 When coal cleaning is used, an additional
 size   reduction   is  usually   included,
 resulting in a cost benefit to the utility
 because the size reduction requirements
 at the power plant  are reduced.  Coal
 cleaning can also produce a benefit in the
 size reduction operations at  the power
 plant by reducing the coal mineral matter,
 making the coal easier to grind. Also, the
 increased heating value of cleaned coal
 decreases the amount to be ground. One
 effect of coal cleaning, the  increase in
 surface moisture, can increase pulverizer
 plugging, but  it is not considered in the
 program because of lack of data on the
 effects of moisture.
Maintenance Costs
  The quality  and quantity of the coal
used in a power  plant have long been
recognized as having a direct effect on the
maintenance costs  of  the  plant
equipment. Some of the equipment areas
have been mentioned, but other areas
which  must be considered include the
boilers and accessories, coal conveying
and  storage  equipment,  and the air
heaters.  Coal  cleaning yields  an
economic benefit  in  maintenance costs
for these and other areas of power plant
operation by raising  the quality  of coal
burned in the  plant and by reducing the
ash and sulfur content. To quantify this
benefit, the program  uses a relationship
based on the ash  and sulfur in the coal
which is derived from actual power plant
maintenance data.

Power Plant Availability
  The availability of a power plant for the
production of electricity is another area
that is affected by the use of cleaned coal.
Many of the factors relating to availability
(e.g., tube corrosion,  sootblower failure,
slagging, and fouling) are influenced by
power plant age and mineral content of
the coal burned; therefore, they are also
influenced by the use of cleaned coal. It is
difficult to quantify the effects of coal
cleaning  on availability because  of the
influence  of other factors unrelated to
fuel  quality.   In  the   program,   the
availability benefit is quantified, using a
logarithmic  relationship  based on  the
coal ash  content, sulfur content, and
boiler age.

Boiler Efficiency
  The efficiency of a power plant boiler is
often expressed in terms of the amount of
heat required  to  generate 1 kWh  of
power.  This characteristic of the power
plant is affected by coal cleaning in much
the same manner as availability, except
that: (1) the increased surface moisture,
inherent in cleaned coal, reduces boiler
efficiency, and (2) the coal sulfur content
does not appreciably affect efficiency. Of
the  three factors  affecting efficiency
(moisture content, ash content, and boiler
age), the coal moisture content effect is
the most pronounced. All of these factors
are included in  the equation used by the
model to quantify this benefit (or penalty).

Electrostatic  Precipitation
  The  major factor controlling the size
and cost of an  electrostatic precipitator
(ESP)  is  the  specific collection  area,
which  is determined primarily by the fly
ash resistivity and volumetric flow rate of
flue gas.  Fly ash resistivity is directly
related to such  factors as ash content,
ash composition, and sulfur content of
the coal. Volumetric flow rate is related to
the coal  composition: carbon content,
hydrogen content,  sulfur content,  ash
content, and  moisture  content.  Coal
cleaning, by altering coal properties, also
affects ESP capital and operating costs. In
most cases, the results are detrimental:
an  economic penalty is imposed.

Ash Disposal
  The costs of transporting and disposing
of the ash are decreased because coal
cleaning reduces the ash content of the
coal and generally increases the heating
value of the coal, both of which decrease
the quantity of ash to be disposed of at the
power plant.

Design and  Economic  Premises
  The design and economic premises for
the combined coal-cleaning/FGD model
are based on premises developed by TV A
for economic evaluations  of power plant
emission  control  processes.   The
premises for the benefits and penalties
program were developed especially for
this model.
  The   base  case  assumes  a  new,
midwestern,  1,000-MW,   pulverized-
coal-fired power plant supplied by a coal-
cleaning plant at a mine 500 miles* away,
with transportation by  unit train. The
design heat rate of the boiler is 9,200
Btu/kWh, and it operates at full load for
5,500 hours a year for 30 years. The coal-
cleaning  process   incorporates  three
cleaning streams: dense-medium vessels
for coarse coal (3 in. x 3/8-in.), dense-
medium cyclones for medium-sized coal
(3/8-in. x 28 mesh), and froth flotation for
fine coal (less than 28 mesh).
  The cases studied are based  on four
coals, selected characteristics of which
are  presented in  Table 1  with the
equivalent SO2  contents. Each coal is
cleaned by controlling the specific gravity
of the separating media at 1.40,  1.50,
1.60, and 1.80. The emission standards
evaluated consist of 0.6,1.2, 2.0, and 4.0
Ib SO 2 /106 Btu emission limits and the
1979 new source performance standards
(NSPS).
  The economic premises are based on
regulated  utility   operations.   Capital
investments,  first-year annual revenue
requirements,   and  levelized  annual
revenue  requirements are determined.
The costs are projected to 1982 for the
capital  investment  and to 1984 for the
annual revenue requirements.

Results and Examples of  Model
Use
  To test the computational accuracy of
the  model,  selected  results from the
model output have been compared with
the corresponding results obtained from
rrfanual  calculations.  This comparison
yields a maximum difference of less than
1.5%, which is well within acceptable
limits.

  The results  obtained from this model
can  be  used  in many  different  ways,
including:
   • To determine the most economical
     method of SO 2 control using coal
     cleaning, FGD, or a combination of
     both.
   • To illustrate the effects of changes
     in  process   conditions   on  the
     performance  and economics of a
     coal-cleaning,  an   FGD,  or  a
     combined coal-cleaning/FGD
     process.
   • To  analyze  the  effect   of  coal
     cleaning on power plant operations
     by considering various benefits and
     penalties  attributable  to   coal
     cleaning.
"Readers more familiar with metric units may use the
 conversion factors at the back of this Summary.

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   • To   compare   the  process
     performance  and  economics  for
     different coal-cleaning and FGD
     process designs.

  These do not exhaust all possible uses,
but they do indicate potential uses of the
model.
  The main objectives of this report are to
make potential users of this model aware
of its availability and to illustrate some of
its possible   uses. To accomplish the
latter, the model was used to simulate a
range of  conditions. Eighty runs were
made using the four premise coals, each
cleaned  at  four specific  gravities of
separation, with the flue gas restricted to
five SO 2  emission limits. Other trial runs
of the combined model were  made by
varying such conditions as cleaned coal
topsize, power plant  megawatt  rating,
and the distance from the cleaning plant
to the power plant.

Coal-Cleaning Operating
Performance
  In  a coal-cleaning plant, the specific
gravity of the medium in the cleaning
vessel is  usually controlled to regulate
the properties of the cleaned coal. For this
reason, it is the input variable used in the
model to define the cleaning process
operating  conditions.  Among the
important plant performance parameters
determined by the specific gravity are the
yield, the reduction in sulfur emission,
and the Btu recovery. The yield (weight of
clean coal product divided by the weight
of raw coal feed) is an indirect measure of
the amount  of material which  is mined,
processed, and later discarded as refuse.
The   reduction  in   sulfur  emission
parameter is a function of the reduction in
ash and  pyritic sulfur as determined by
the physical desulfurization (washability)
of each  coal. The Btu recovery  is  the
percentage of the Btu content of the raw
coal  that remains when  the coal is
cleaned.  It  is a measure  of  both  the
cleaned  coal  properties  and  the
economics of the process since the Btu
loss  in  the  refuse  is  an important
economic factor in coal cleaning.
  The relationships  between  specific
gravity of separation and the resulting
yield   reduction in  sulfur  emission
parameter and Btu recovery are shown in
Table 2. Yield and Btu recovery decrease
as  the specific gravity of separation
decreases. This is to be expected because
the amount of ash and pure coal lost to
the cleaning plant refuse increases as the
specific  gravity decreases. The  sulfur
reduction  increases   as   the  specific
Table  1.    Selected Characteristics and Equivalent SOz Contents of the Premise Coals



Coal
Illinois No. 6
Pittsburgh
Upper
Freeport
Cedar Grove

Pyritic
Sulfur,
%
3.27
2.15

1.88
N.A.

Total
Sulfur,
%
4.34
3.67

2.32
0.85


Ash.
%
29.39
13.81

16.80
16.04


Moisture.
%
1.36
3.42

5.60
6.60

Heat
Content.
Btu/lb
9.667
12,121

11.668
1 1.680
Equivalent
SOz Content
in Coal. Ib
SO2/ 10* Btu
8.97
6.05

3.97
1.45
Basis: All values are on an as-received basis.
Table 2.    Sulfur Reduction and Btu Recovery by Coal Cleaning
                            Raw
                            Coal
                                              Coal-Cleaning Operating,
                                                  Specific Gravity
           1.4
                      1.5
                      1.6
                      1.8
Illinois No. 6 Coal

Yield. %
Ib SOz/10* Btu*
Sulfur reduction. %
Btu recovery, %

Pittsburgh Coal

Yield. %
Ib SOz/'10* Btu*
Sulfur reduction, %
Btu recovery. %

Upper Freeport Coal

Yield. %
Ib SOz/'10s Btu*
Sulfur reduction, %
Btu recovery, %

Cedar Grove Coal
8.97
6.05
3.97
 56
3.86
 57
 78
  73
3.79
  37
  82
  67
1.76
  56
  78
  65
4.18
  53
  88
  83
4.18
  31
  92
  78
1.93
  51
  89
  68
4.38
  51
  92
  86
4.37
  28
  95
  82
2.03
  49
  93
  73
5.08
  43
  96
 91
4.68
 23
 97
  88
2.35
  41
  97
Yield. %
lbSO2/10eBtu*
Sulfur reduction. %
Btu recovery, %
_
1.45
-
-
78
1.17
19
91
80
1.20
17
93
81
1.23
15
95
83
1.25
14
96
"Assuming 100% conversion of sulfur to SOa.

gravity decreases due to the increased
pyritic sulfur removed. The result is a
tradeoff between high-Btu recovery and
high-sulfur removal.

FGD Operating Performance
  The FGD process design used in this
illustration removes 90% of the SO2 in
the flue gas that is scrubbed. If the overall
SO 2  removal  requirement of  the FGD
system is less than 90%, a portion of the
gas is bypassed to allow the scrubber to
operate at the 90% removal level. The
bypassed flue gas is then combined with
the scrubbed flue gas to reduce the steam
requirements  for  reheating  (which  is
often  the  single  largest  energy
             requirement of an FGD process). For this
             reason, the amount of bypass is the most
             important  FGD   operating   condition
             affecting the  FGD design. The  portion of
             flue gas bypassed is determined by the
             emission  limit, the  heating value, the
             sulfur content of  the fired coal, and the
             sulfur content of  the ash.

             Economics
               One  possible  use  of the  combined
             computer model  is to determine the
             combination  of coal cleaning  and FGD
             that will meet a specified emission limit at
             the minimum overall cost. The operating
             conditions for this optimum combination
             are not the same for every case because

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they can change with variations in coal
properties, process characteristics (e.g.,
washing equipment efficiencies), and the
particular cost element chosen for the
analysis.

Capital Investment
  The changes in capital investment for
coal-cleaning,   FGD,  and  the  other
economic benefits  and penalties  are
shown as a  function of Btu recovery in
Figure 4. These cases are for Pittsburgh
coal  with   a   1.20lb  S02/106  Btu
emission limit.  In terms  of  change in
capital investment, coal cleaning has a
large effect on  FGD. The  net capital
investment, considering   all  three
components, is  lower for the combined
coal-cleaning/FGD process than for FGD
alone over  much of the range of coal-
cleaning conditions used. The minimum
in the  net  capital investment  curve
indicates that an optimum set of cleaning
conditions does exist with respect to
capital  investment.  For the  conditions
used in Figure4, the minimum occurs ata
Btu recovery of approximately 75%. The
specific gravity of separation equivalent
to this recovery represents the conditions
at which the system should be designed
to minimize  capital investment.

Annual Revenue
Requirements
  The   levelized  annual  revenue
requirements for the  same  cases are
shown in Figure 5. Coal cleaning has the
same general  effect  on FGD annual
revenue requirements as it has on FGD
capital investment—a continuing decline
as the level  of coal cleaning increases.
For  the other  benefits  and penalties,
however, there  is  an initial  decline,
followed by rapidly increasing annual
revenue requirements (because of the
Btu  loss) as  the coal-cleaning  level
increases.  The  combined  coal-
cleaning/FGD  process thus  has lower
annual  revenue requirements than FGD
alone only for a certain range of coal-
cleaning conditions—in this  case from
about 80% to near 100% Btu recovery.
Thus, the decision to use coal  cleaning
with FGD often  depends on the other
economic benefits and penalties that are
associated with coal cleaning.
  Comparing the curves in Figures 4 and
5, each  curve has a minimum cost point,
but these minimums do not exist at the
same Btu recovery. The curve for the net
capital  investment has a minimum  at
approximately 75% Btu recovery, while
the  net annual  revenue  requirements
curve  has   a  minimum  at  93% Btu
recovery. The shift in minimum cost point
for the annual revenue requirements is
largely due to the large effect of Btu loss
on annual revenue requirements as Btu
recovery decreases. The minimum point
depends on the value assigned to the coal
lost in the refuse: in this example, a cost
of $20.81/ton was used; a different cost
would  correspondingly  shift  the
minimum point toward a lower or higher
Btu recovery.
  Figure 6 illustrates the  reduction in
levelized annual revenue requirements
for the  four  coals  at different  SO2
emission limits as compared to sulfur
removal  with FGD  alone. Significant
differences in levelized annual revenue
requirements result from differences in
coal  washability.  Also, the economics
generally become more favorable as the
SO 2  emission  limits  become  less
stringent; however, the curves for  the
Cedar Grove and Upper Freeport coals do
have a maximum point beyond which the
economics become less favorable. These
maximums are at the points where the
optimum pollution  control  process
changes from  a  combined coal-
cleaning/FGD process to a coal-cleaning
process, alone. The curves for the Illinois
No. 6 and Pittsburgh coals did not reach
the point at which coal cleaning could
provide the  most economical pollution
control process without some degree of
FGD being necessary.

Project Conclusions and
Recommendations
  A computer model able to calculate the
economics  of coal-cleaning processes
alone and combined with FGD  in utility
applications  has  been   developed.
Selected values from the  model agreed
closely  with  those  from   manual
calculations.
  The illustrative runs using four premise
coals had coal-cleaning sulfur removals
from 14% to 57% and met some less
stringent emission limits  without FGD.
The  combined coal-cleaning/FGD
process for  each  coal had a specific
gravity of separation at which costs were
at a minimum. Coal cleaning reduced the
FGD costs in all  cases,  primarily by
allowing more flue gas to be bypassed. In
some cases,  this reduction in FGD costs
offsets the costs of coal cleaning. Case-
by-case comparisons must be  made to
determine  the   most  economical
approach.
  For the cases studied,  it was found that
the use of coal cleaning in combination
with FGD can have a varied effect on the
levelized  annual  cost  of  power
i
    60-
   40-
    20-
    0--,
.? -20-
I -40-
   -60-
            Coal Cleaning
                                Net
       'OtHeT
       Benefits andPenalties

      70
Figure 4.
               80       90
              % Btu Recovery
                      100
Effect of Btu recovery on the net
total capital investment. Pitts-
burgh coal at 1.20 emission
limit.
production. This effect, which depends on
the coal  and the  specific operating
conditions, ranges from a 0.5% increase
to a 22.6% decrease.
  The methods used to determine many
of the  other  economic  benefits and
penalties of coal cleaning are necessarily
                      Coal Cleaning
          Other Benefits
          and Penalties
              80       90
              % Btu Recovery
                                100
Figure 5.
Effect of Btu recovery on the net
levelized annual revenue require-
ments. Pittsburgh coal at 1.20
emission limit.

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general in nature because detailed data
relating specific coal properties to boiler
performance  and  operating  costs  are
scarce.  Thus,  development  and
incorporation  of  more  detailed  and
quantitative data in the model would
greatly  increase the usefulness of the
model  in assessing overall  economic
effects of coal  cleaning. Similarly, the
scope of the model could be increased by
incorporating  other  coal-cleaning
processes and alternate emission control
processes such as fabric filter baghouses
and spray dryer FGD and by modifying the
functions to allow multiple simultaneous
simulations. The economics  of  retrofit
situations should also be considered.

Conversion Factors
  Readers more familiar with the metric
system may use the following to convert
the  nonmetric   units   used  in   the
Summary:
 Nonmetric
Times    Yields Metric
    Btu
    in.
    Ib
    mi
    ton
 1.055
 2.54
 0.454
 1.609
 907.2
kJ
cm
kg
km
kg
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