CPRI

04-02-2015

EFFECT OF SURFACE MOISTURE IN COAL ON UNIT

HEAT RATE AND OPERATING COSTS FOR INDIAN
THERMAL POWER PLANTS

CPRI

The installed capacity of the country is ~250 GW out

of which ~140 GW is the share of coal based power
generation (~ 57 %).

04-02-2015

INTRODUCTION

Coal is contributing to ~ 1.5 % of the GDP as it is the

main energy source for power generation.
Nearly 60 % of the coal is transferred from the mine
to the power plant through Indian railways, 25 %
through trucks and the balance through dedicated
transfer systems such as merry-go-round-systems,
etc.

 Indian coal

CPRI

being of drift origin are of high ash (25-50 %)

Gross Calorific Values (GCV) in the range of 2300-4500
kcal/kg.
Sulphur (< 0.6 %) is not a problem except in very few
specific mines.

04-02-2015

INTRODUCTION

Coal utilization efficiency (before it is used in the

boilers ,i.e., from mills till bunkers) is in the range of
80-98 %.
The main non chemically reactive ingredients in coal
which result in the drop in GCV are ash and moisture.

CPRI

Due to the open cast mining process, besides the inherent ash
the extraneous mineral matter (clay, sand, and stones
generally referred as mud) also gets mixed up with the coal is
called as extraneous ash.
It is not ash, techno commercially it is called as extraneous
ash because it is an incombustible component.
Extraneous mineral matter can be removed through washing
processes typically the run of mine jig wet washing process.
Inherent ash cannot be removed except by complex and cost
chemical methods in small sample sizes at the laboratory
scale

04-02-2015

COAL QUALITY

CPRI

Moisture in coal consists of inherent moisture (IM) and

surface moisture (SM). Then total moisture (TM) is a sum
of IM and SM.
Equilibrated Moisture means the moisture content, as
determined after equilibrating at 60% relative humidity
(RH) and 40 C as per the relevant provisions (relating to
determination of equilibrated moisture at 60% RH and 40
degree Celsius) of BIS 1350 of 1959).
Surface moisture is the difference between total moisture
and inherent moisture and is also called as excess moisture
(EM).

04-02-2015

COAL QUALITY

CPRI

IM or equilibrated moisture is a non controllable

parameter.
SM is an added quantity and can vary in any range.
Hence TM is affected by the criticality of SM. This
brings down the GCV of coal (thermal content of
coal) which reduces the output it delivers, reduced
boiler efficiency and unit overall efficiency.
Wet coal is difficult to handle
movement in conveyors, chutes, hoppers, bunkers
and pipes
Grinding, milling and flowability

04-02-2015

COAL QUALITY

GRADE OF
COAL

MIN

G1

7000

G2

6700

G3

MAX

MEAN

RUN OF
MINE COAL
PRICE,
Rs./t

COST OF
HEAT (FOB),
Rs./GCal

7000

3542

506

7000

6850

3393

495.33

6400

6700

6550

3244

495.27

G4

6100

6400

6250

3032

485.12

G5

5800

6100

5950

2886

485.04

G6

5500

5800

5650

2360

417.70

G7

5200

5500

5350

1840

343.93

G8

4900

5200

5050

1700

336.63

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GROSS CALORIFIC VALUE,

kCal/kg

04-02-2015

COST OF COAL (Rs./GCal) AS PER COAL INDIA

PRICES

MIN

MAX

MEAN

G9

4600

4900

4750

1500

315.79

G10

4300

4600

4450

1400

314.61

G11

4000

4300

4150

1130

272.29

G12

3700

4000

3850

910

236.36

G13

3400

3700

3550

690

194.37

G14

3100

3400

3250

610

187.69

G15

2800

3100

2950

510

172.88

G16

2500

2800

2650

474

178.87

G17

2200

2500

2350

420

178.72

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GRADE OF
COAL

COST OF
HEAT
(FOB),
Rs./GCal

04-02-2015

GROSS CALORIFIC VALUE, kCal/kg

RUN OF
MINE
COAL
PRICE,
Rs./t

120

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100
80
60
40
20
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
Year

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FOB cost of imported thermal coal, $/t

GRADUAL RISE IN COST [FOB (FREIGHT ON

BOARD)] OF IMPORTED COAL OVER THE YEAR

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60
y = 0.01x + 6.1

55
50

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Drop in GCV (kcal/kg) for 1 % moisture

DROP IN GCV OF COAL FOR 1 % MOISTURE

INCREASE

45
40
35
30
3000

3500

4000
Calorific value (kcal/kg)

4500

5000

10

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IM - affects the coal combustion process,

SM - gives rise to difficulties in handling (transfer and
flow ability) of coal with severe capacity reduction of all
equipment in the coal plant ranging from crushers to
conveyors.
Units tripping on mill choke up, load hunting due to
insufficient flow from bunkers, raw coal feeder jam, etc.,
are quite common during this period.
Even though the bunker level may be full, only 30 % of
the bunker capacity can be utilized due to bonding of
coal at the bunker periphery and flow is only through rat
hole in the bunker centre.

04-02-2015

EFFECT ON COAL MOVEMENT AND

HANDLING IN THE COAL YARD

11

CPRI

Rainy season restricts the plant load ability due to the

movement of sticky coal which contains clayey mineral
matter.
When the surface moisture of coal exceeds 6 %, it
becomes sticky in addition to the stickiness created by
the clay content of the mineral matter leading to severe
capacity restriction in the tipplers, conveyors, crushers,
bunkers and mills.

04-02-2015

EFFECT ON COAL MOVEMENT AND

HANDLING IN THE COAL YARD

12

13

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04-02-2015

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Stocking of sufficient coals of sandy background

which do not have serious sticky properties as
compared to coals of clayey background.
Use of washed coals of sandy background.
Blending of raw coal (GCV=14.5 GJ/kg) with
washed coals (GCV=17.5 GJ/kg) or imported
coals (GCV=21 GJ/kg).
Optimal (partial) filling of bunker levels.

04-02-2015

DEMANDS OF THE RAINY SEASON

THROUGH SEVERAL MEASURES

14

SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR WET COAL HANDLING

MANAGEMENT OF CHUTES
AND BUNKERS

Increased
conveyor angles

Deflector plates of Stainless

steel (SS 304) to chutes

Tarpaulins to cover wagons

Multi bladed
cleaners

Vibratory
feeders/thumpers/rappers
in place of static feeders
Air blasters

Providing slopes for drainage Reduction in belt

of water
speeds

Concreting of storage yards Skirt board seals,

and providing retaining walls baffle plates and
centering plates
at loading points
Rain water channeling,
Self cleaning
Chute modification to
screening system increase angle
dredging and cleaning of
flow passages
Compacting by special
Well designed
compactors instead of bull
wash down
dozers.
drainage system

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Rain guards for conveyors

04-02-2015

MANAGEMENT OF COAL YARD MANAGEMENT OF

CONVEYORS

15

Storage pile design improvement

through compacting. Pyramidal
shapes with drains on either side
lead to low water absorption.
Further the piles must not have
surface depressions or pits.
Used oil may be sprayed on coal
yard instead of reselling.
Alternatively it can be blended
with fuel oil.
Dome for storage of coal
Provision for ground level
tippling (non-pit type) of wagons

MANAGEMENT OF
CONVEYORS
Management of
carry over return

MANAGEMENT OF
CHUTES AND
BUNKERS
Widening of
passages

CPRI

MANAGEMENT OF COAL YARD

04-02-2015

SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS FOR WET COAL HANDLING

Conveyor belt
sealing between
chute and pan of
vibratory feeder to
prevent spillage
Water jet cleaning

16

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04-02-2015

04-02-2015

CORRELATION BETWEEN SURFACE MOISTURE

AND EQUILIBRATED MOISTURE IN MINED COAL

y = -0.827x + 11.927

12
10

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Surface Moisture (%)

14

8
6
4
2
0
5

5.5

6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
Equilibriated Moisture (%)

9.5

10

18

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CORRELATION BETWEEN TOTAL MOISTURE AND

EQUILIBRATED MOISTURE IN MINED COAL

18
16

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Total Moisture (%)

20

14
12
10
y = 0.173x + 11.927

8
5

5.5

6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
Equilibriated Moisture (%)

9.5

10
19

CPRI

In the case of indigenous coals - the heating value

for commercial purposes is based on equilibrated
moisture
Total moisture does not get reflected in the
commercial heating value.
Surface moisture does not get accounted in the
costing.
TPS must insist for coal costing considering TM at
mining point.
SM addition enroute to TPS and in coal yard must
be borne by user.

04-02-2015

BASIS FOR SALE OF COAL

20

y = -85.406x + 7223.4
R = 0.9057

7,000
6,000
5,000

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GCV of imported raw coal (kcal/kg)

8,000

04-02-2015

IMPORTED COAL

4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0
0

10

20
30
40
Total moisture in raw coal (%)

50

60

21

CPRI

There are three cost effects of moisture in coal:

Increase in operation costs due to decreased boiler
efficiency and decreased overall unit efficiency
(increase in heat rate)
Increase in operation and maintenance costs
attributed to handling of wet coal.
Decrease purchase cost of coal due to higher moisture
and hence lower GCV.

04-02-2015

EFFECTS OF MOISTURE IN COAL ON POWER

STATION PERFORMANCE

22

04-02-2015

EFFECTS OF MOISTURE IN COAL ON

POWER STATION PERFORMANCE
83.5

82.5

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Boiler efficiency, %

83.0

82.0
81.5
y = -0.0202x2 + 0.3588x + 81.879
R = 0.9812

81.0
80.5
10

12

14
16
18
Moisture content, %

20

22

23

2660

y = 0.6319x2 - 11.562x + 2628.6

R = 0.9277

2650
2640
2630

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Unit Heat Rate. kcal/kWh

04-02-2015

INCREASE IN UNIT HEAT RATE DUE TO

INCREASED MOISTURE

2620
2610
2600
2590
2580
2570
10

12

14
16
18
Moisture content, %

20

22

24

CPRI

Indian coal
The fuel supply agreements for Indian coals do not have
any provision for accounting the effect of total moisture.
Only equilibrated moisture (IM) gets factored in the pricing.
SM > 7% during the months from October to May and > 9%
during the months from June to September, the coal
quantities shall be calculated in percentage by which the
surface moisture exceeds the foregoing limits.
This corresponds to a TM of approximately 12 % in summer
and 14 % in rainy season which rarely happens.
On this account Indian coal costs do not show sensitivity to
total moisture as indicated in the following figures.

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF MOISTURE IN COAL

25

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF MOISTURE IN

INDIGENOUS COAL
y = 4.7112x + 844.65
R = 0.031

1400
1200
1000

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Indigenous coal price, Rs./Gcal

1600

800
600
400
200
0
0

10
Total Moisture, %

15

20

26

04-02-2015

SENSITIVITY OF INDIAN COAL PRICE (Rs./t)

TO TOTAL MOISTURE
4900
y = -16.121x + 4442
R = 0.0929

4500

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Indian coal price, Rs./t

4700

4300
4100
3900
3700
3500
0

10
Total Moisture, %

15

20

27

04-02-2015

SENSITIVITY OF INDIAN COAL PRICE (Rs./t) TO TOTAL

MOISTURE IF THE MOISTURE EFFECT IS CONSIDERED
4400
4350
4250
4200

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Coal cost, Rs./t

4300

4150
y = -43.38x + 4556.2

4100
4050
4000
3950
3900
0

6
8
10
Total Moisture, %

12

14

16

28

04-02-2015

880
870
860
850
840
830
820
810
800
790
780
770

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Coal cost, Rs./Gcal

SENSITIVITY OF INDIAN COAL PRICE (RS./GCal) TO

TOTAL MOISTURE IF MOISTURE EFFECT IS CONSIDERED

y = -9.7836x + 921.21

6
8
10
Total Moisture, %

12

14

16

29

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF IMPORTED COALS TO

MOISTURE
5000
4500
4000

y = -90.488x + 5702.7
R = 0.8939

3500

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Imported coal price, Rs./MT

5500

3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
0

10

20

30
40
Total moisture, %

50

60

30

y = -0.2174x2 + 3.5573x + 730.98

R = 0.6839

800
700

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Imported coal price, Rs./GCal

900

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF IMPORTED COALS TO

MOISTURE

600
500
400
300
0

10

20

30
40
Total moisture, %

50

60

31

Particular
Boiler efficiency

Design/
operating
Design

02

Boiler efficiency

Operating

03

Unit heat rate

Design

04

Unit heat rate

Operating

05

Impact on cost of energy

generated due to decreased
performance of boiler
Impact on cost of energy
generated due to decreased
performance of boiler
Impact on cost of energy
generation due to lower
purchase
price
of
high
moisture coal
Impact on cost of energy
generation due to lower
purchase
price
of
high
moisture coal

Design

% per 1 % -0.123
increase
in
-0.270
moisture
kcal/kWh per 1 % 3.1
increase
in
8.2
moisture
Rs./kWh
0.010

Operating

Rs./kWh

0.015

Design

Rs./kWh

0.36

Operating

Rs./kWh

0.38

06
07

08

Units

Value

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Sl.
No.
01

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF COALS TO

GENERATION COST AND FUEL COST

32

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Imported coal
It is clearly seen that the cost impact due to actual
decrease in energy efficiency is very small (Rs. 0.01 to
0.015/kWh) as compared to reduced fuel purchase
cost component of generation cost (Rs. 0.36/kWh)
because as the TM increases the price of coals
decrease.

04-02-2015

COST SENSITIVITY OF MOISTURE IN COAL

33

CPRI

Moisture in coal has a negative impact on the energy

performance and all efforts are required from the mine
till the coal is fired into the boilers, to ensure that
moisture does not get added to the coal and its heating
value is preserved.
If the boilers are designed for operating on high moisture
coals, the high moisture
imported coals can be
successfully fired in an economical fashion as the open
market price of coals with higher moisture will be lower
than coals with lower moisture.

04-02-2015

CONCLUSIONS

34

CPRI

The overall cost of generation will be lower for coals with

higher moisture contents.
The increased generation cost due to lower boiler efficiency
and unit overall efficiency (Rs. 0.015/kWh) will be completely
offset by the component due to decreased purchase price of
higher moisture coals (Rs. 0.38/kWh).
Therefore, for imported coals the economics is in favour of
operating on higher moisture coals based on the coal pricing.
In the case of indigenous coals, the heating value for
commercial purposes is based on equilibrated moisture
which is equivalent to inherent moisture and the total
moisture does not get reflected in the commercial heating
value.

04-02-2015

CONCLUSIONS

35

CPRI

In other words, surface moisture does not get accounted in the

costing.
However, in the case of both imported coals and indigenous
coals, addition of surface moisture or moisture
addition/deterioration in heating value in the coal yard of the
power plant is to the account of the user and must be
minimized.
Besides just the heating value the difficulties in flow ability,
crushing, pulverizing and injection of coal into the furnace of
the boiler present operational problems which affect
loadability.
The impact of 1% moisture on unite heat rate is 8-9 kcal/kWh.

04-02-2015

CONCLUSIONS

36

CPRI

THANK YOU

37

04-02-2015