Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid fuel includes the steps of partially or completely separating finely powdered coal from pulverized low-rank coal; mixing the separated low-rank coal with a mixed oil containing a heavy oil and a solvent oil to produce an untreated slurry; heating the untreated slurry to dehydrate the low-rank coal and filling the pores of the low-rank coal with the mixed oil; and separating the solid fuel from the heated slurry by solid-liquid separation. The manufacturing method further includes the step of adding the finely powdered coal separated from the low-rank coal to the solid fuel produced by the solid-liquid separation of the heated slurry. The finely powdered coal separated from the low-rank coal has an average particle size of 0.5 mm or less. An apparatus for the manufacturing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an economical method for efficiently drying the plant-derived biomass for which there has been no established method for disposal and reuse. This drying method does not impair the value of plant-derived biomass as a fuel. Disclosed also herein is a method for producing a biomass fuel from the plant-derived biomass which has been dried by the aforesaid method. The drying method consists of dehydrating (drying) plant-derived biomass in oil with heating and modifying it simultaneously. Drying in this way partly decomposes the plant-derived biomass, thereby yielding a good constituent for biomass fuel.

Abstract: A raw material slurry in which a coal is mixed with a mixed oil containing a heavy oil and a solvent oil is subjected to a water vaporization treatment with a vaporizer, and is subjected to solid-liquid separation with a mechanical solid-liquid separator. A separated solid is heated with a dryer while a carrier gas is flown, so as to vaporize the oil and produce a solid fuel. The carrier gas is fed to a cooler through a pipe, and the above-described vaporization oil is condensed and recovered. In a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a solid fuel, an occurrence of blocking in a pipe between the above-described dryer and the cooler can be prevented. An oil is flown on an inner wall surface of the pipe in the neighborhood of a cooler inlet portion with respect to the pipe between the dryer and the cooler.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for upgrading low-rank coal unsuitable for production of a reduced metal by a conventional carbon composite method to produce an upgraded coal suitable for the carbon composite method. The prevent invention also provides a method for producing a high-quality reduced metal using the upgraded coal as a carbonaceous material to be incorporated. In these methods, coal is first aged by heating in an organic solvent to produce upgraded coal for metallurgy having higher thermal plasticity than that of the coal. Then, a mixture of the upgraded coal for metallurgy and a metal oxide-containing raw material is agglomerated by an agglomerator, and the resultant agglomerates are reduced by heating in a moving hearth furnace and then melted by further heating to produce a reduced melt. The reduced melt is cooled and solidified in the moving hearth furnace to produce a reduced solid, and then the reduced solid is discharged to the outside of the furnace.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing solid fuel includes a passage for introducing a supernatant in a mixing tank into a portion between the bottom of the mixing tank and a first slurry pump of a first slurry circulating passage using a third pump, and a passage for introducing a supernatant in an evaporator into a portion between the bottom of the evaporator and a second slurry pump of a second slurry circulating passage using a fourth pump. A method for producing a solid fuel includes introducing a supernatant in a mixing tank into a first slurry circulating passage, for washing a portion where coal deposits, and introducing a supernatant in an evaporator into a second slurry circulating passage, for washing a portion where coal deposits.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid fuel includes the steps of partially or completely separating finely powdered coal from pulverized low-rank coal; mixing the separated low-rank coal with a mixed oil containing a heavy oil and a solvent oil to produce an untreated slurry; heating the untreated slurry to dehydrate the low-rank coal and filling the pores of the low-rank coal with the mixed oil; and separating the solid fuel from the heated slurry by solid-liquid separation. The manufacturing method further includes the step of adding the finely powdered coal separated from the low-rank coal to the solid fuel produced by the solid-liquid separation of the heated slurry. The finely powdered coal separated from the low-rank coal has an average particle size of 0.5 mm or less. An apparatus for the manufacturing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an economical method for efficiently drying the plant-derived biomass for which there has been no established method for disposal and reuse. This drying method does not impair the value of plant-derived biomass as a fuel. Disclosed also herein is a method for producing a biomass fuel from the plant-derived biomass which has been dried by the aforesaid method.

Abstract: In a method of producing direct reduced iron with use of a coal-derived gas, coal is heated to lower the moisture thereof, and the moisture-lowered coal is gasified in a coal gasification furnace to produce a coal-derived gas containing a reducing gas. The reducing gas is then utilized to reduce iron ore in an iron ore reducing furnace. With use of an exhaust gas from the iron ore reducing furnace, the coal is heated in the step of heating coal.

Abstract: In a method of producing direct reduced iron with use of a coal-derived gas, coal is heated to lower the moisture thereof, and the moisture-lowered coal is gasified in a coal gasification furnace to produce a coal-derived gas containing a reducing gas. The reducing gas is then utilized to reduce iron ore in an iron ore reducing furnace. With use of an exhaust gas from the iron ore reducing furnace, the coal is heated in the step of heating coal.

Abstract: A solid fuel in which an oil mixture containing a heavy oil fraction and a solvent fraction is incorporated in fine pores of a porous coal. The improved porous coal is produced by mixing an oil mixture containing a heavy oil fraction and a solvent fraction with a porous coal to obtain a starting slurry, heating the starting slurry to dewater the porous coal, and incorporate, at the same time, the oil mixture into the fine pores of the porous coal and then subjecting the treated slurry to solid-liquid separation.

Abstract: Thermal treated coal which has a water content of not more than 10%, which has pores with an oil adsorbed onto and impregnated into the pore surface, and which is decarboxylated and dehydrated to have a reduced porosity is provided. In its manufacture, porous coal and an oil are mixed to prepare a slurry, and the slurry is heated for effecting slurry dewatering. During the slurry dewatering, oil is adsorbed onto the surface of the pores of the porous coal. Subsequently, the slurry is heated for refining, followed by a solid-liquid separation at the final stage.