The present invention harvests and utilizes
fluidized bed drying technology and
waste heat streams augmented by other available heat sources to dry feedstock or fuel. This method is useful in many industries, including
coal-fired power plants.
Coal is dried using the present invention before it goes to
coal pulverizers and on to the furnace / boiler arrangement.
Coal can be intercepted on current
coal feed systems ahead of the pulverizers.
Drying fuel, such as coal, is done to improve
boiler efficiency and reduce emissions. A two-stage
bed utilized in the process first “pre-dries and separates” the feed
stream into desirable and undesirable feedstock. Then, it incrementally dries and segregates fluidizable and non-fluidizable material from the product
stream. This is all completed in a low-temperature, open-air
system. Elevation of fan room
air temperature is also accomplished using
waste heat, thereby making available to the
plant system higher temperature media to enhance the feedstock
drying process.