Post by
no1coalking on Jan 14, 2008 3:22pm
COLLINS COMMENTS:
EEE BLOG TODAY , "THE BOSS TALKS":
New Arrivals in the Pre-Combustion Space Bear Close Examination
by Evergreen Energy on Mon 14 Jan 2008 12:06 PM MST | Permanent Link
By Kevin Collins, President & CEO
We received inquiries last week regarding some new players on the pre-combustion scene. In our opinion, there is a big difference between White Energy’s coal drying and Evergreen Energy’s coal upgrading:
· Thermal coal drying does not chemically and physically alter the coal. This means that when the dried coal is exposed to the atmosphere it will reabsorb moisture and spontaneously combust. Thermal drying does not remove pollutants like mercury, sodium and sulfur. It also does not positively affect CO2 emissions. Even in cases where you pelletize coal after drying it, it is not possible to produce a pellet that is bullet proof. In other words the product wont crack or breakup while handling or during transport. When they do, you have the same problems others have faced from solely drying coal. Thermal drying is also very energy intensive.
· Coal treated at temperatures less than 450F is considered coal drying.
· If the companies claim fuel stability, removal of pollutants and low capital and operating costs they are not consistent. In order to achieve a premium product you have to operate at temperatures in excess of 450F and 450psi. This is the only way to re-establish the coals equilibrium moisture to prevent re-absorption and create a stable cleaner fuel.
· When you get over the 450F/450 psi you create pyrolisis which means you have gases and other liquid byproducts that need to be cleaned up.
· There are a lot of ways to dry and briquette coals but you end up with just a dried coal product which creates major stability issue and provides no environmental benefits.
· If you have a high BTU stable cleaner coal that you must use temperature 450F or higher. When you operate at these temperatures and pressures the equipment costs increase because you need to properly clean up the pollutants removed. This is why the K-Fuel capital costs are higher that thermal drying technologies. It is a different product.
· By the way, for anyone to make a comparable product to K-Fuel they have to use the higher temps and pressures which violates our patents.
· A major issue to consider when looking at any technology is the level of commercialization. It is easy to make claims but very difficult to bring to market. Evergreen Energy is the most advanced of any pre-combustion clean coal technologies. We have done the pilot work, built a full scale plant and validated the process with real operating conditions and costs. No one else has done that. Nobody has produced commercial quantities of products stored for months and shipped over 1500 miles.
· We wish everyone good luck because the world needs cleaner coal but it will take time and money to get product out on a commercial scale. We are there today!