Equipment for Power Plant Coal Handling

Process Overview

What this application covers

Coal-fired power plants receive coal by rail, road, conveyor, or barge and route it through stockyards, crusher houses, and bunker feed conveyors to gravimetric feeders that meter coal to pulverizers. Power plant coal handling is high-availability service — plant outages from coal handling failures cost more than the handling equipment itself — so redundancy, condition monitoring, and accessibility are central design considerations.

Process Flow

Step by step

01

Unloading

Track hoppers, rotary car dumpers, ship unloaders, or truck dump stations receive coal.

02

Stockyard handling

Stackers build the stockpile; reclaimers retrieve to the plant.

03

Crusher house

Coal is crushed to pulverizer-feed size, typically below 20–30 mm.

04

Bunker feed

Bunker feed conveyors deliver crushed coal to plant bunkers above the boiler.

05

Gravimetric feed

Gravimetric feeders meter coal to each pulverizer by weight.

06

Ash handling

Bottom ash and fly ash are removed from the boiler and routed to disposal.

Buying Notes

Technical Buying Considerations

Power plant coal handling equipment is judged on availability (typically 95%+ design target), accessibility for maintenance, and tolerance to variations in coal quality. Spare capacity in conveyors and crushers is normal; bunker capacity is sized to cover several hours of full-load operation between deliveries.

Process equipment

Required Equipment

Belt conveyor system

Coal Conveyor Systems

Belt conveyor systems for moving raw coal, washed coal, and rejects between mining, preparation, and load-out points.

200–6,000 tph Raw coal, washed coal, middlings, rejects, coal fines

Coal crusher

Coal Crushers

Primary and secondary crushers for reducing run-of-mine coal to handleable, screenable, or preparation-ready sizes.

50–3,000 tph Run-of-mine coal, washed coal, middlings

Coal feeder

Coal Feeders

Apron, belt, vibrating, and reciprocating feeders for metered coal extraction from hoppers and silos.

20–4,000 tph Raw coal, washed coal, fines, blends

Magnetic separator

Magnetic Separators

Magnetic separators for tramp iron removal and magnetite recovery in coal preparation circuits.

5–500 tph Coal and tramp metal; dense medium with magnetite

Conveyor belt cleaner

Belt Cleaners

Primary and secondary belt cleaners for controlling carryback on coal handling conveyors.

Sized to belt width Belt carryback (residual coal, fines)

Dust suppression system

Dust Suppression Equipment

Dry fog, wet spray, and chemical dust suppression systems for coal mining, transfer points, and stockyards.

Sized to transfer point or area Coal dust, fugitive emissions

Related Guides

Coal Handling Equipment Guide

A reference guide to the equipment used in moving and storing coal between mining, processing, and end-use.

Frequently Asked

FAQ

Why is power plant coal handling availability so important?

A power plant pulverizer trip caused by coal supply failure forces unit load reduction and may eventually trip the unit. Coal handling failures are a leading cause of forced outages, so the handling system is designed with redundancy and accessible maintenance.

How is coal crushed for pulverizers?

Coal arriving at a power plant is typically crushed to below 20–30 mm before being delivered to the pulverizers. Roll crushers, sizers, and impact crushers are used; the choice is driven by coal hardness and moisture.

What is the role of gravimetric feeders in a power plant?

Gravimetric feeders meter coal to each pulverizer by mass flow rather than volumetric flow. Accurate mass flow is necessary because combustion control depends on knowing the heat input rate, which is a function of coal mass and calorific value.

How are stockyards designed?

Stockyards are sized to hold enough coal to bridge supply interruptions (often 15–30 days of consumption). Stackers and reclaimers are matched to coal handling rates; bridge-type bucket-wheel reclaimers are common for high-tonnage plants.