Coal-Oil Mixtures for Industrial Boilers

As petroleum resources become more costly and less plentiful, alternative forms of energy are being considered. Composite fuels, of which coal-oil mixtures is the most common, have received relatively minor attention until now even though it is the one alternative utilizing existing technology.

Industrial boiler demonstrations of COM fuel are being performed by the Department of Energy and a number of private firms. Ideally, COM can be handled by the same equipment currently used by No. 6 oil systems. Environmental and operating problems occur, due to the coal portion of the mixture, but these are being quickly resolved.

Paper published with permission.