CHAPTER 3 COAL AND FUEL HANDLING SYSTEM

Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive overview of fluidized bed coal handling system,

which explores key equipment for receiving and storing coal, factors impacting fuel
consumption, and strategies to optimize its use in the boiler. This chapter also includes
identifying criteria for selecting equipment, discovering different types and their suitability for
specific needs, and looking into safety, environmental aspects, and automation, which all helps
to properly design, and optimize the coal handling process for efficiency and safety.

3.1. Coal Handling

To place coal in storage can be as simple as dumping loads of it from motor trucks onto
the ground in an area assigned to a “coal pile.” However, at many industrial and all utility plants
a mechanical system for receiving coal from the delivery system, conveying it to storage, holding
it safely, then reclaiming it for use will have been provided. A coal-fired power plant's coal
handling operations are thought to be their vitality. It has to be more adaptable, dependable, and
able to handle more coal in less time than it ever has before. Large ground areas are usually
required for this kind of facility, and it is hard to find a good place to sit them. Extra conveyor
length may be needed when a plant must be located on uneven ground in order to achieve the
elevations needed to move coal from one system to another. Thus, a coal handling facility's
configuration, size, and cost are significantly influenced by the property's availability, form, and
contours at the plant site. (Black et al., 1996).

In a thermal power plant, the procedure of loading and unloading coal outside the factory
and storing it in the boiler is referred to as the coal handling system. Coal handling mechanical
equipment, which includes unloading, transport, yard, and auxiliary equipment, is an essential
component. Coal blending, coal supply, and crushing and sieving are examples of accessory
equipment (Zhao et al., 2011).

3.2. Coal Consumption

Coal consumption is necessary in coal handling system to determine the amount of coal
that will be consumed. Obtaining the input power and lower heating value is important to
determine the coal consumption of the power plant. The average thermal efficiency ratings of
CFB powerplant ranges from 85% to 96% depending on the specific design and operating
conditions (EPA, 1982). Furthermore, the efficiency ratings for supercritical coal plants range
from 37% to 40% (MPC, 2021). Since the designers are running a supercritical coal plant,
therefore, the thermal efficiency will range from 37% to 40% and will be using its average
efficiency of 38.5%. The mentioned value will also be used in the computation of the input
power. The in-house use of 10% of total boiler power is also required to determine the plant’s
contracted capacity (Morse, 1932). The configuration will be four (4) units of boilers with a total
capacity of 200 MW. The computation below shows the capacity of the power plant.

 Capacity of the Power Plant:

Design Capacity = 3 x 135 MW

= 405 MW

In-house Capacity = 10% of input power

= 0.1 x 405
= 40.5 MW

Contract Capacity = Design Capacity – In-house

= 405 MW – 40.5 MW
= 364.5 MW
The Table shows the design capacity, in-house capacity, and contract capacity of a power
plant. Design capacity is the maximum amount of power that the plant can produce. In-house
capacity is the amount of power that the plant can produce for its own use. Contract capacity is
the amount of power that the plant has contracted to sell to others.

Based on the computation, the design capacity of the plant is 405 MW. The in-house
capacity is 40.5 MW, which is 10% of the design capacity. This means that the plant uses 10% of
the power it produces for its own operations. The contract capacity is 364 MW, which is the
difference between the design capacity and the in-house capacity. The power plant will use three
(3) 135 MW circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boilers.

 Mass of the Coal:

Design Capacity
Mass of the Coal =
LHV x Efficiency
The capacity obtained is 364 MW (MJ/s) but the design capacity will be used in
computation while the efficiency that will be used is the average thermal efficiency which is
38.5% (MPC, 2021). The lower heating value (LHV) of the selected coal is 9446.29 BTU/lb or
21.97 in terms of MJ/kg (Landis, Carter & Medlin, 1985).

405 MJ/s
Mass of the Coal =
21.97 MJ/kg (0.385)
= 23.64 kg/s

= 47.88 ( )(
kg 3600 s 24 hours
s 1 hour 1 day )
kg
= 4136 532.77
day
MTon
= 4136.53
day
The average consumption of coal will be approximately 4200 metric tons per day. Table
3.1 shows the required desulfurization agent for the coal.

Table 3.1 Required Desulfurization Agent for Coal

Requirement of Desulfurization Agent

Coal Sulfur Calcium

Calcium Calcium
Carbonate Limestone
(Ca) Oxide (CaO)
(CaCO3)

Pet Coke 6 0.075 0.105 0.188 0.228

Imported
South
0.5 0.006 0.009 0.016 0.019
African-B
Grade

Lignite 3 0.038 0.053 0.094 0.114

Indian 1 0.013 0.018 0.031 0.038

Philippines 1.5 0.019 0.026 0.047 0.057

Indonesian 1 0.013 0.018 0.031 0.038

Source: Padhan and Kumar, 2013

Since the coal will be obtained from East Kalimantan, Indonesia, the recommended ratio
of limestone is 0.038. If the sulfur content in coal is higher, then it is required to mix a higher
ratio of limestone to reduce the SOx level (Padhan and Kumar, 2013). The Table below shows
the summary of coal consumption based on different duration from per hour to per year.

Table 3.2 Summary of Coal Consumption

Value Per Unit

Duration Value (MTons)
(Tons per unit)

Per Hour 172.36 57.45

Per week (7 Days) 28955.73 9651.91

Per month (30 days) 124 095.98 41365.33

Per year (365 days) 1509834.46 503278.15

Limestone-Coal ratio 0.038

Since the utilized coal per day is 4136.53 metric tons, the proposed power plan will
consume 124 095.98 MTons or approximately 125 000 MTons per month. Value per unit was
added to identify how many Mtons of coal are needed for each boiler unit. Since the proposed
power plant will use a 3 x 135 – MW fluidized bed boiler, the value was divided into 3 to get the
value per unit.

3.3. Coal Handling Process

From coal loading and unloading to stockpiling, coal handling oversees the coal stock.
Numerous mechanical devices are used in the coal conveying system process. The loading and
unloading of coal, the coal yard, the transport, and the additional machinery are important stages
in the coal handling process. Crushing and sieving, coal blending and supply, removal iron, and
other items are included in the accessory equipment. Every business aims to maximize profits
and boost production by utilizing all of its resources to upkeep and care, ensuring that the
machinery is operating at peak efficiency and free from malfunctions, accidents, and waste
(Ojha, 2015). The Figure below shows the flow of coal handling process.
 Coal Delivery Coal Unloading Conveyor 1

Stacking Coal Yard Reclaiming

Conveyor 2 Coal Crushing Conveyor 3

Coal Silo Conveyor 4 Coal Firing (Furnace)

Figure 3.1 Coal Handling Process

3.3.1. Coal Ship and Delivery

The mode of transit to where it will be used depends on the distance to be covered. For
international transportation, ships are commonly used depending on their size. The selected coal
will be delivered from Tanjung Bara port, Indonesia, to the power plant, which is located in Sitio
San Ramon, Talisayan, Zamboanga City. The Tanjung Bara Coal Terminal has the capability
to directly load coal onto ships. It also has a barge-loading facility, which transfers coal to
oceangoing vessels on the open sea using floating cranes (KPC, 2021). Table 3.3 below shows
the vessels size requirement in Tanjung Bara port.

Table 3.3 Vessel Size Requirement in Tanjung Bara Port

Tanjung Bara Port
Type Cargo
Number of Wharves 4 Wharves, 350 meters long each
Nominal Loading Rate 4 200 TPH
Maximum Vessel Size
Max. Length 310 Meters
Max. Beam 50 Meters
Max. Draft 27 Meters + Height of tide
Max. Deadweight 210 000 DWT
Source: Marine Traffic, 2017
 The selected transporter is a bulk carrier or bulker which is a merchant ship specially
designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, steel coils, and cement, in
its cargo holds. The barge was considered a coal transporter for the power plant. Based on the
consumption data in Table 3.2, 125 000 metric tons of coal are needed per month. Thus, the
consumption of coal can be delivered in a single delivery, depending on the capacity of the
vessel, since the maximum deadweight allowed by the port is 210 000 per vessel.

The selected carrier is a Panamax bulk carrier. It has a LOA (Length Overall) of 224.94,
beam of 32.26m and draft of 14.139m (SPSC, 2023). The Table below shows the specifications
of the selected bulk carrier.

Table 3.4 Specifications of Bulk Carrier

Parameters Specifications
Vessel Name MV New Expedition
Vessel Type Cape-size Bulk Carrier [1]
Deadweight Tonnage 176 387 DWT [1]
Gross Tonnage 92 382 MTons[1]
Main Engine MITSUI-MAN B&W Diesel Engine 6S70MC-C x1set [1]
Speed 15.5 knots [1]
Net Tonnage 84 005 MTons [1]
LOA 292.00 m [1]
Beam 44.98 m [1]
Draft 24.70 m [1]
Source: [1] Mitsui E&S, 2023

Based on the Table above, the selected bulk carrier can transport a deadweight tonnage of
approximately 176 387 DWT. Its speed can reach up to 15.5 knots, its overall length can reach
up to 292 m, its beam up to 44.98 m, and its draft up to 24.70 m. Since the capacity of the
selected carrier will not be able to deliver the required coal per month in a single delivery, thus,
the coal delivery will be divided into two (2) deliveries: 70000 metric tons for the first delivery
and the remaining 55000 metric tons for the second delivery. 70000 metric tons of coal will
be consumed for 16.8 days or approximately 17 days, and the additional 55000 metric tons will
be consumed for 13 days. The Table below shows the coal consumption for each delivery.
 Table 3.5 Coal Consumption for 1st and 2nd Delivery

Coal
Delivery Deadweight
Consumption
1st 70 000 Mtons 17 days
2nd 55 000 Mtons 13 days
The Figure below shows the total distance of transport from Tanjung Bara Port to
Zamboanga Port.

Source: Google Maps

Figure 3.2 Total Distance of Transport from Tanjung Bara Port to Zamboanga Port

According to the Figure above, we can obtain the distance from Tanjung Bara Port to
Zamboanga Port. The distance is 960.25km which can be converted to 518.50 nautical miles for
the computation. Based on the ship’s specification, it has a speed of 25 knots when it is fully
laden. The computation below shows the time of arrival of the ship from Tanjung Bara to
Zamboanga Port and vice versa.

Distance x hours
Time to reach Zamboanga Port = =
Speed 24 hours
518.50 nautical miles 20.74 hours
= = = 1.39 days
15.5 knots 24 hours
Time to reach Zamboanga Port = 1.39 Days or 1 day and 8 hours and 39 mins or approximately 34 hours.
 Based on Table 3.3 the nominal loading rate of Tanjung Bara Port is 4200 TPH. Using
this data, the loading time of the Panamax Bulk carrier can be obtained by using the ratio and
proportion method. The calculation for the loading time of the Panamax carrier is shown below.

4200 MTons 70 000 Mtons

=
1 hour x hours
Loading time of Cape-size carrier = 16.67 hours or 16 hours and 40 minutes.

It will take approximately 17 hours to load 70 000 metric tons of coal to the Cape-size ship.
The total delivery time computation is shown below.

Time of transport from Zamboanga to Tanjung Bara port = 34 hours

Loading time of Cape-size carrier = 17 hours
Time of transport from Tanjung Bara to Zamboanga port = 34 hours
Total Delivery Time = 85 hours or 3.54 days ≈ 4 days

Based on the computation above, the total delivery time of the coal is 3.54 days or
approximately 4 days assuming to have minimal delays.

3.3.2. Coal Unloading

In almost every case of coal handling, equipment may be selected from among a large
number of devices radically different from one another so that no standard systems may be
described. Each installation is an individual problem based on the immediate surroundings.

The primary types of unloaders are the clamshell unloader, continuous bucket ladder
unloader, and the vertical screw unloader (Black & Veatch, 1996).

When coal is delivered to the plant by barge, unloading is readily accomplished by grab
bucket operated from a high coal tower adjacent to the wharf. The coal is hoisted high enough
before being dumped into a receiving hopper that it can then flow by gravity to either live or
dead storage (Morse, 1953).

3.3.2.1. Types of Unloaders

i. Clamshell Bucket Unloader/Grab Rope Trolley Ship Unloader.

A clamshell bucket unloader, also called a grab bucket unloader, is a giant mechanical
apparatus used in ports and terminals to unload bulk materials like coal, ore, and woodchips from
ships and barges. Imagine a giant clamshell with two hinged halves acting as a bucket. These
machines are designed with a seaborne arm that can be raised and lowered together with a cable-
operated grab trolley (Equi, 2017). The clamshell bucket unloader, as shown in Figure 3.X, uses
a bucket suspended from a set of hoisting cables, that is opened and closed by a set of control
cables. Unloading is cyclical, about one bucketful of material every 30 to 40 s.

The clamshell bucket unloader for river barges usually has a low to moderate capacity. A
moderately sized clamshell bucket unloader has a maximum unloading rate, or free digging rate,
of 1,500 tons (1,360 tonnes) per hour when starting to unload the barge. This rate decreases
considerably as the barge is emptied and a full bucket is harder to obtain. For a complete barge,
including clean-up and barge positioning, the average unloading rate is about 50% of the free
digging rate, or 700 to 800 tons (635 to 725 tonnes) per hour (Black & Veatch, 1996).

Source: Black & Veatch, 1996

Figure 3.3 Barge Unloading System with Clamshell Bucket Unloader

The clamshell bucket unloader for ocean barges or ships is similar in design and
operation to the unloader described for river barges, except that the machine travels on a set of
rails on the dock (see Figure 3.X). This allows the ocean barge or ship, because of its size, to
remain stationary while the unloader repositions from hold to hold. In addition, the boom is
hinged at the front of the support tower and can be raised to allow the ships to dock. The
clamshell bucket unloader for ocean barges and ships can have a maximum free digging rate of
3,000 tons (2,720 tonnes) per hour, falling to about 50% of the free digging rate for the complete
unloading operation.
 Source: atlas-ssi, n.d.

Here's a breakdown of its key components and operation (Richmond Engineering, 2017):

 Clamshell bucket: This is the heart of the machine, resembling two hinged halves of a
giant clam. It's made of robust steel and designed to withstand the wear and tear of
handling heavy materials.
 Winches and wire ropes: These operate the opening and closing of the clamshell bucket,
allowing it to scoop up material from the vessel's hold.
 Hoisting arm: This raises and lowers the clamshell bucket, enabling it to reach different
depths within the cargo hold.
 Hopper: The clamshell bucket discharges the scooped material into a hopper, which acts
as a temporary holding area.
 Feeder system: This system, often involving conveyors or belts, transfers the material
from the hopper to its final destination or storage location.

ii. Continuous Bucket Ladder Unloader.

The continuous bucket ladder unloader for ocean barges or ships may have design and
operation similar to that for the unloader described for river barges, or it may use the bucket
chain assembly "L" shaped at the bottom to improve the reach in the hold. The machine travels
on a set of rails on the dock as does the clamshell unloader for ocean barge or ship. In addition,
 the boom and digging head assembly can be rotated to improve the machine's reach. Also, the
boom is hinged or pivoted at the support tower to clean the ship during docking.

The continuous bucket ladder unloader, for ocean barges and ships, can have a maximum
free digging rate of 5,000 tons (4,540 tonnes) per hour when starting to unload the vessel, or a
finished unloading rate of about 65% of the free digging rate.

The continuous bucket ladder unloader employs a series of buckets supported between two
strands of roller chain running in a continuous loop (digging head assembly), as shown in Fig.
3.X. The buckets are filled as they are dragged through the material in the barge and are emptied
as they pass over a discharge sprocket (Black & Veatch, 1996).

Source: Black & Veatch, 1996

Figure 3.5 Continuous Bucket Ladder Unloader
a. Pneumatic CBU

Basically, the material in the hold is sucked through a suitably-shaped device into a
collector and stored in a tank connected to a vacuum unit through a filtering system. The material
collected in the tank is then conveyed to its destination using a pneumatic pressure handling
system. Usually there are a few intermediate storage tanks near the quay, which work in parallel
in order to guarantee continuous unloading. The suction collector usually runs on tracks on the
quayside in order to run parallel to the ship and pick up the material all along the ship's length
(Equi, 2017).
 Pneumatic systems transport bulk material to the pier at high product speed using
telescopable spouts, airlocks, filter systems and the suction nozzle, as seen in Figure 3.X.

Source: Equi, 2017

Figure 3.6 Pneumatic System Transport

Principle of Operation - Two-vessel vacuum/pressure unloading system, see Figure 3.X (Equi,
2017).

1. The three-section vacuum arm (1) and vacuum nozzle (2) are manipulated through the
material.
2. Material is drawn by vacuum through the arm piping and hoses into the transfer vessels
(3). Suction is created by a rotary lobe vacuum blower (4).
3. The vacuum air is separated from the material by multiple high-efficiency filter cartridges
(5). Material falls by gravity to the kettle bottom.
4. Once the kettle is full, it is pressurized by air supplied by an oil-free screw compressor
(6). The pressurizing air is introduced into the top of the kettle, as well as through
multiple aeration pads (7) to fluidize the material in the kettle bottom.
5. Upon reaching optimal pressure, the discharge valve opens (8) and the material is
conveyed into the pipeline (9). A multistage air bypass system (10) controls the air/
material mixture for optimal efficiency.
6. While one kettle is pressurizing and discharging, the other kettle is filling – assuring
uninterrupted, high-capacity conveying.
Source: Equi, 2017
Figure 3.7 Two-Vessel Vacuum Unloading System

b. Elevator Bucket Chain CSU

Continuous ship unloaders (CSU) are equipped with an L-shaped, bucket-elevator-type

unloading device that is suspended from the CSU's boom. The material to be unloaded is
scooped up by the bucket elevator at the horizontal segment of the "L", while at the vertical
segment, the bucket elevator transports the material to the top of the CSU's boom, where it is
unloaded onto a belt conveyor. The entire L-shaped system can rotate 360°, allowing full access
to the entire hold. The design of the horizontally suspended portion of the bucket-elevator-type
unloading device allows for superior emptying, thus minimizing the manual cleanup needed by
dozers. Our continuous ship unloaders feature a cantilevered, but guided chain-and-bucket
suspension that protects the bottom of a ship's hold. The CSU traverses on pier-mounted rails
along the full length of a ship, see Figure 3.X (Equi, 2017).
 Source: Equi, 2017

Source: Tenova

Figure 3.8 Elevator Bucket Chain

Here's how an Elevator Bucket Chain CSU works (Tenova, n.d.):

 Boom and Bucket Chain: The CSU has a long, movable arm called a boom, equipped
with a tailor-made bucket chain that runs along its entire length. This bucket chain is
designed to efficiently collect material from the ship's hold.
 Digging and Conveying: As the boom extends into the ship's hold, the bucket chain
scoops up material and continuously carries it upwards along the boom.
 Discharge: Once the buckets reach the top of the boom, they discharge the material onto a
conveyor belt or into a hopper for further transport.

Figure 3.9 Boom and Bucket Chain

iii. Vertical Screw Unloader

The vertical screw unloader is used for coal and is similar in concept to the continuous
bucket ladder unloader in that the coal is continuously discharged from the barge or ship. The
lower end of the vertical screw may have a counterrotating feeder or a horizontal feeder screw to
feed the coal to the vertical screw. The vertical screw conveyor is supported from a cantilevered
boom. The travel of the machine, the rotation of the boom, and the tilt of the vertical screw
permit the unloading of coal from all areas of the hold.

The vertical screw unloader can have an unloading rate of 2,000 tons (1,810 tonnes) per
hour and an average unloading rate for the complete vessel of 60% of the unloading rate. The
self-unloading ship has a conveyor system beneath the hold's hopper bottom to discharge the
material from the cargo holds and elevate it to the boom conveyor. The boom conveyor can be
rotated perpendicular to the ship and discharged either into a hopper or onto the ground (Black &
Veatch, 1996).

The Vertical Screw unloader is designed to move bulk cargo from ship to shore in the
shortest possible time. It can handle most dry bulk cargoes ranging from powders via granules to
lumps. The capacity range suits most bulk operator needs to handle one cargo or multiple
cargoes through the same unloader. The same machine can be used for handling feedstuff one
day and fertilizers another without requiring changes to the equipment (see Figure 3.X).

Source: Equi, 2017

Figure 3.10 Vertical Screw Unloader
Components of Vertical Screw Unloader:

 Feeder/Feeding Head: A rotating head, often counter-rotating, that breaks up and gathers
material, feeding it into the vertical screw conveyor.
 Vertical Screw Conveyor: A large, spiraling shaft (screw flight) housed within a
cylindrical casing. The screw flight is typically made of steel and rotates continuously.
 Horizontal Screw Conveyor: An optional component used to transport the material
horizontally to a receiving hopper or conveyor belt.
 Rotating Tower: A central structure that allows the vertical conveyor to reach different
points within the hold of a ship or storage silo.
 Electric Control System: Manages the operation of the motor, hydraulics, and other
components.
 Hydraulic Auxiliary System: Powers the movement of the unloader, including rotation,
lifting, and reaching mechanisms.

Functionality and Material Transport (Thomasnet, 2022):

 The vertical screw conveyor is capable of transporting dry to semi-fluid materials and is
commonly used in applications such as wastewater facilities, wood production, chemical
and food industries, and mining operations. It is designed to take up a small footprint and
is efficient in transporting materials on vertical paths and steep inclines.
 The method of feeding these conveyors depends heavily on the product being
transported. For example, light material cannot be fed using a gravity hopper alone, as the
auger blades act as a fan and blow the material out. Therefore, a screw-type feeder is
most often paired with these designs to regulate feeding flow and ensure the passage of a
uniform volume of material into the conveyor.

Components and Operation (nar-robotics, 2021) [1] & (iqsdirectory, 2024) [2]:

 The main components of a vertical screw unloader include a horizontal screw conveyor,
vertical screw conveyor, and special reclaiming device. The driving device and discharge
port are generally placed at the same end of the conveyor to keep the screw shaft in a
more favorable tension state, while the feed port is placed near the tail of the other end as
far as possible [1].
  To maintain a constant speed, reduce wear and power consumption, and increase
efficiency, controlling the amount of bulk material fed to the screw conveyor is critical.
Bulk metering devices such as screw feeders are necessary for this purpose [2].

Source: ResearchGate

Figure 3.11 Vertical Screw Unloader Components

 3.3.2.2. Coal Unloader Selection

To be able to determine the appropriate unloader for the designed power plant, different parameters such as unloading rate and
time, lowest amount of operating expense (OPEX) and the specific power consumption are considered. The table below shows the
comparisons of the specifications of different types of unloaders.

Table 3.5 Unloader Specifications

UNLOADER SPECIFICATIONS

Clamshell Continuous Bucket Ladder

FEATURES UNIT Bucket/Grab Rope Elevator Bucket Vertical Screw
Pneumatic
Trolley Ship Chain

Coal Dust Formation [1] - Medium Medium Medium Low

Unloading Capacity Rate

[2]
tph 3000 1200 5000 2500

Power Consumption (per

kWh/t 0.4 0.9 0.45 0.6
rate unloaded tph) [2]

Operational Efficiency [2] % 55 65 75 70

OPEX (per ton unloaded)

[2]
US$/t 5.20 4.30 3.5 4.6

Source: [1] Heyl & Patterson, Inc., n.d., [2] Equi, 2017
 Using the summary table, the unloading time for each unloader can now be obtained through computation. The computations
below show the unloading time for each unloader if it is selected using the equation below.

Capacity of Bulk Carrier

Unloading Time =
Unloading Rated Capacity

For the Clamshell Bucket/Grab Rope Trolley Ship:

Capacity of Bulk Carrier 70 000 Mtons

Unloading Time = = = 23.33 hrs ≈ 23 hours and 20 minutes
Unloading Rated Capacity 3000 Mtons/hr

For the Pneumatic Continuous Bucket Ladder:

Capacity of Bulk Carrier 70000 Mtons

Unloading Time = = = 58.33 hrs ≈ 58 hours and 20 minutes
Unloading Rated Capacity 1200 Mtons/hr

For the Elevator Bucket Chain Continuous Bucket Ladder:

Capacity of Bulk Carrier 70000 Mtons

Unloading Time = = = 14 hours
Unloading Rated Capacity 5000 Mtons/hr

For the Vertical Screw:

Capacity of Bulk Carrier 70000 Mtons

Unloading Time = = = 28 hours
Unloading Rated Capacity 2500 Mtons/hr
 Table 3.6 Coal Unloader Selection
UNLOADER SPECIFICATIONS
Clamshell Continuous Bucket Ladder
FEATURES UNIT Bucket/Grab Rope Elevator Bucket Vertical Screw
Pneumatic
Trolley Ship Chain
Coal Dust Formation [1] - Medium Medium Medium Low
Unloading Rated Capacity
[2] tph 3000 1200 5000 2500
Power Consumption (per
kWh/t 0.4 0.9 0.45 0.6
rate unloaded tph) [2]
Operational Efficiency [2] % 55 65 75 70
OPEX (per ton unloaded)
[2] US$/t 5.20 4.30 3.5 4.6
Source: [1] Heyl & Patterson, Inc., n.d., [2] Equi, 2017

The unloaders have a different Rated capacity, Unloading time, OPEX and Energy Consumption. Therefore, the selected coal
unloader is Elevator bucket chain unloader since comparing the data of the 4 unloaders Elevator bucket chain has the lowest amount
of operating expense (OPEX), energy consumption and the highest unloading capacity rate this makes the work more efficient and less
expensive.
3.3.3. Stacking and Reclaiming

3.3.4. Coal Crusher

3.3.5. Coal Silos

3.3.6. Coal Conveyor

3.4. Limestone Handling

3.4.1. Limestone Storage

3.4.2. Limestone Preparation

3.4.3. Limestone Silo

3.5. Diesel Fuel Handling

3.5.1. Diesel Fuel Storage and Tank Farm

3.5.2. Diesel Fuel Preparation

3.5.3. Diesel Fuel Transfer Pump

3.5.4. Diesel Fuel Injection System

3.6. Coal Handling Summary