Efficiency of Frozen Coal Discharge from Rail Cars

The freezing of coal in railroad cars hinders coal discharge and interferes with efficient power station operation. In particular, Urtuyskoye coal is characterized by high moisture content and hence is very susceptible to freezing. This problem may be addressed by modernizing the discharge system and preliminary treatment of the rail cars. Various methods of unloading frozen coal are considered, such as heating, mechanical action, and the use of antifreeze. The proposed method includes thawing of the cargo by means of infrared heaters to prevent obstructions in the bunkers of the boiler shop and treatment of the car’s interior surfaces with Niogrin oil-based dust-binding agent. Calculations show that introducing these measures reduce the working moisture content of the coal to 22% and the ash content to 14%, with 30% increase in the calorific value. That lowers the annual fuel consumption by 23%, with considerable economic benefit.