Bechtel International Corporation

Horst Huettenhain

Irving Leibson

A system for converting a coal slurry flowable through a pipeline to a coal water mixture capable of being rendered suitable for direct combustion in a boiler. The system includes a pipeline extending from a region adjacent to a mine or source of coal to a region adjacent to a boiler or furnace at which combustion is to take place. In the furnace region, the slurry from the pipeline is directed into a holding space, such as a pond, from which it is directed to a grinding apparatus. On the way to the grinding apparatus from the pond, a side stream of the slurry is directed through a dewatering apparatus where the concentration of the side stream is increased from 50-55 weight percent of solids to about 70-80 weight percent of solids. The outlet of the dewatering apparatus is directed back to the main flow of slurry from the pond, and the main flow enters the grinding apparatus where the slurry is ground to a particle size suitable for combustion, such as 70-80% weight percent of solids at -200 mesh. The ground slurry can then be directed into a small agitated tank and from this tank it can be directed into the boiler or furnace for combustion.

Growing community of inventors

Benecia, CA, United States of America

Horst Huettenhain