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COAL GOOD
GOOD
GOOD
COAL
COAL IS GOOOOOD!!!!!
COAL
COAL
GOOD
COAL GOOD
GOOD GOOD
COAL
COAL
COAL
COAL IS GOOOOOD!!!!!
Coal was discovered in eastern north America in the 18th
century. We needed to fuel steam engines, and coal was a
readily available fuel. Fuel was burned to create steam to turn
a turbine. Today 50% of U.S. electricity comes from coal. We
have 300 years worth of coal!
COAL IS GOOOOOD!!!!!
Underground Mining
Room and Pillar Mining rooms are cut into the coal bed leaving a
series of pillars or columns of coal to help support the mine roof
and control the flow of air. The miners advance while cutting out
pillars. Once they reach the edge of the mine, they work
backwards in whats called retreat mining.
Long Wall Mining hydraulic roof supports are used while a cutting
head goes back and forth along the coal face. When the cutting
head reaches one end of the coal face, it dumps the coal onto a
conveyor belt.
It is estimated that there 265 billion short tons of coal available in the
United States to be mined.
Energy in coal:
Lignite 13 million Btu per ton
Mmmmmm, Subbituminous 18 million Btu per ton
Coal. Doh! Bituminous 24 million Btu per ton
Anthricite 23 million Btu per ton
But Coal is DIRTY!!!!!!
There are several negative externalities attributed to the combustion of
coal, including:
- sulfer and acid rain,
- carbon Dioxide, and
- general destruction to the environment due to the actual coal mining.
OVERBURDEN
When mining, overburden is left over. Mining one ton of coal leaves
25 tons of overburden. Pyrite is contained in overburden; when pyrite
is exposed to water and air, it forms dangerous substances like sulfuric
acid and iron hydroxide. When this mixes with water, it forms acid lime
drainage which is highly destructive to the environment. So sad .
COAL IS GOOOOOD!!!!!
Coal gasification reduces greenhouse gas emissions
(really low sulfur oxide and nitrogen oxide emission).
Fly ash
Used to replace 10%-30% of Portland cement.
Can also be used as flowable fill to build highways.
Unfortunately, current rates of recycling fly ash is only 35%.
Coal coke
heated to over 1,000*C. This removes much of its volatile
content such as water, tar, and sulfur. Can be used for
things that require clean coal.
Advanced Combustion