Coal slurry system

Abstract

A slurry of liquified gas such as carbon dioxide and finely pulverized coal particles is provided in a mixing chamber and discharged from the chamber into a pipeline for conveyance to a power plant. During discharge from the mixing chamber pressurized gas at a sufficiently high pressure is injected above the slurry mix to maintain adequate pressure during discharge and prevent cavitation at the inlet port of a pump employed in the pipeline. The slurry is depressurized at the downstream end of the pipeline by movement through a pressure reducer so that it is decompressed non-adiabatically and the coal and gas particles are separated. The gas remains at a low temperature and is passed in heat exchange relationship with cooling water from the power plant cooling tower to lower the temperature of same and consequently increase the efficiency of the power plant. In another embodiment the gas comprises carbon dioxide and a portion of the cool carbon dioxide is discharged directly into the basin of the cooling tower to reduce the water temperature and provide beneficial cooling water chemistry control.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.