Patent ID: 7666235
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: C10B,C10L,F26B

Abstract:
1. A method for drying coal to achieve a controlled aggregate moisture content target range without starting combustion or degrading the coking qualities of the coal, the method comprising: separating a feed stock of coal by size into a first grade coal and one or more other grade coals; loading the first grade coal onto a conveyor to a generally uniform bed depth; continuously conveying the bed of first grade coal along the conveyor through a waveguide heating chamber in a direction of conveyance for drying; propagating microwave energy through the waveguide heating chamber along the direction of conveyance to subject the bed of first grade coal to uniform heating in the heating chamber; combining the first grade coal dried in the heating chamber with the one or more other grade coals to form a dried aggregate having a reduced moisture content; setting the speed of the conveyor and the microwave power level of the heating chamber to reduce the moisture content of the first grade coal sufficiently so that the reduced moisture content of the dried aggregate is within the aggregate moisture content target range.