Process for drying coal for melt-down or coal gasifiers

In connection with a gas turbine power plant coupled to an air separation plant by way of a compressor unit, a process for drying coal having a natural moisture content for supply to a melt-down gasifier or coal gasifier, comprising the steps of:

• (a) operating a compressor unit to supply compressed air to a combustion unit of a gas turbine power plant and to an air separation plant;
• (b) operating said combustion unit to supply energy for operation of a gas turbine;
• (c) operating said gas turbine to produce energy via flue gases exiting therefrom;
• (d) operating a first heat exchanger with the energy from the flue gases;
• (e) operating a steam generation unit in connection with said first heat exchanger to produce steam to be used to generate electricity;
• (f) operating a second heat exchanger using solely the excess energy generated by the compressor unit;
• (g) operating a coal drying unit in connection with said second heat exchanger;
• (h) operating said air separation plant to produce a first gas stream of essentially pure nitrogen and a second gas stream;
• (i) supplying said essentially pure nitrogen to said coal drying unit as a drying medium, the nitrogen being heated in said second heat exchanger;
• (j) operating a third heat exchanger using solely the excess energy generated by the compressor unit;
• (k) heating said second gas stream in said third heat exchanger;
• (l) passing said heated second gas stream into an expansion turbine to create further excess energy.