Abstract: The invention relates to a coal dewatering system, method and apparatus. The dewatering system includes a preheater vessel (82) having a chamber (101) for heating coal, an inlet (84) to permit the passage of coal into the chamber (101), and an outlet (86) for permitting the passage of coal from the chamber (101). The dewatering vessel also includes a heating mechanism (98) associated with the preheater vessel (82) to heat coal contained in the chamber (101) and a non-return valve (92) to substantially prevent heated coal removed from the preheater chamber (101) via the outlet (86) from re-entering the preheater vessel (82) via the outlet (86). The dewatering system further includes a dewatering unit (60) adapted to receive the heated coal from the outlet (86) via the non-return valve (92) and to thereby dewater the coal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coal dewatering system, method and apparatus. The dewatering system includes a preheater vessel (82) comprising a chamber (101) for heating coal, an inlet means (84) to permit the passage of coal into the chamber (101), and an outlet means (86) for permitting the passage of coal from the chamber (101). The dewatering vessel also includes a heating means (98) associated with the preheater vessel (82) to heat coal contained in the chamber (101) and a non-return valve means (92) to substantially prevent heated coal removed from the preheater chamber (101) via the outlet means (86) from re-entering the preheater vessel (82) via the outlet means (86). The dewatering system further including a dewatering unit (60) adapted to receive the heated coal from the outlet means (86) via the non-return valve means (92) and to thereby dewater the coal.

Abstract: This invention provides a process and apparatus for gasifying a particulate solid carbonaceous fuel with a high moisture content, the process comprising: introducing the fuel into one or more pressurized drying vessels without adding water to the fuel; reducing the moisture content of the fuel in the drying vessel(s) to a level suitable for gasification by passing hot product gas through the or each drying vessel such that the fuel particles are entrained in the gas flow, thereby cooling and humidifying the gas; separating the cooled and humidified gas from the fuel; transferring the fuel with reduced moisture content from the or each drying vessel to a gasification vessel, gasifying the fuel in the gasification vessel to produce hot product gas; and introducing at least a portion of the hot product gas into the or each drying vessel. The invention also relates to an integrated process for producing power, especially electric power, from particulate solid carbanaceous fuel.