Coal has been known as one of the dirtiest and most harmful fossil fuels that we use to generate power, such as electricity- after all, it was the cause of The Clean Air Act in 1956. The use of clean coal technology aims to help reduce the effects that coal has on the environment by using different forms of technology to help ‘clean’ the coal and reduce its emissions. Here at Pearson Fuels, we’ve put together a list of the top clean coal technologies…
- Some clean coal technologies will attempt to purify the coal before it is burned. For example, coal washing will remove unwanted minerals from the coal by mixing crushed coal with a liquid. They will then allow the impurities in the mixture to separate and settle before the coal is burnt.
- Other systems attempt to manage the coals burn to try and lower the emissions which enter the atmosphere, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulates. Wet scrubbers remove sulphur dioxide, which is a big cause of acid rain, by spraying the flue gases with limestone and water. A reaction takes place and the mixture reacts with the sulphur dioxide to form a component of drywall.
- Gasification is a process which actually avoids burning the coal altogether. With an IGCC system (integrated gasification combined cycle system), steam and hot air/oxygen is mixed with coal in a specific reaction so that the carbon molecules are forced apart. This results in syngas which is then cleaned and burned in a turbine to form electricity.
Here at Pearson Fuels, we think it is imperative that we try to limit global warming and prevent the spread of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere, which is why we love educating our customers! We sell a range of smokeless coal which are a cleaner form of heating the home. Get in contact today!