Upgrading Low-Rank Coal Using a Dry, Density-Based Separator Technology

Low-rank coal such as the coal in the Powder River Basin (PRB) is typically direct shipped without any need for upgrading. Due to the lack of on-site processing capabilities, coal that is mixed with out-of-seam dilution during the mining process is typically left in the mine pit. In some cases, the loss could amount to 5% of the total reserve. Research conducted on laboratory and pilot-scale pneumatic air table separators indicates that sufficient upgrading can be achieved on the +1 mm fraction of the reject material to meet typical end-user specifications. Low-rank coals are especially susceptible to upgrading by density-based processes due its naturally lower density relative to higher rank coals. For example, a PRB coal containing 26% feed ash was reduced to 7% ash content with a combustible recovery of 83% on a dry basis from a coal source that was reject from the mining process. Partition curve data revealed the achievement of relatively low Ep values in the range of 0.12 to 0.22 with separation dens...