Pre-burning, dry process methodology and systems for enhancing solid fuel properties

A multi-element electromagnetic-radiation system for processing coal comprising:

• a variable-speed conveyor;
• a preheating system, the variable-speed conveyor passing through the preheating system;
• an electromagnetic-radiation-generating system including a source of electromagnetic energy and a processing chamber into which the electromagnetic energy is directed, the variable-speed conveyor passing through the processing chamber;
• a controller comprising a computer processor coupled with a computer-readable medium storing software code for generating commands to control the generation of electromagnetic energy;
• a measurement and feedback system configured to measure changes in the properties of the solid fuel during processing by the electromagnetic energy in the electromagnetic-radiation-generating system and to communicate the measurements to the controller;
• and
• an airflow and by-products handling system configured to flow gas through the processing chamber and to capture and store by-products released in the processing chamber as a consequence of electromagnetic-radiation exposure.

A method for compiling a large-scale database containing properties of hundreds of raw and processed solid fuels from more than 20 mine locations in Australia, Asia, and North America, comprising:

• sampling major ranks of coal;
• entering into the database data on visual appearance, color, hardness, uniformity, sizes, and weights of unprocessed fuels and, for processed fuels, additional data of their surface and internal temperatures;
• and
• including in the database certified coal laboratory test results on some 450 raw and processed samples, the results including percent moisture, BTU/lb (as received, dry basis, and moisture and ash free), percent ash, percent volatiles, percent fixed carbon, all forms of sulfur (as received and dry basis), (Hardgrove) grindability index, mercury content, ash mineral analysis, and ash fusion temperatures.