Methods and systems for storage of renewable energy sources in increased energy density coal

Abstract

Methods and systems for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from a coal-fired power plant by using thermal energy from a non-carbon source to reduce the amount of electrical energy needed to reduce the moisture content of coal and increase the energy density of coal prior to combustion are provided. The system includes at least one non-carbon thermal energy source; a coal processing plant configured to reduce the moisture content of coal and produce an increased energy density beneficiated coal, wherein said at least one non-carbon thermal energy source is used to reduce an electrical need of the coal processing plant; and a coal-fired power plant configured to combust the increased energy density beneficiated coal thereby producing electricity on demand at an increased efficiency with reduced carbon dioxide emissions from the plant. The renewable energy source is selected from microwave, hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, and/or wave power.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from a coal-fired power plant by using electrical energy from a renewable electricity source to reduce the amount of electrical energy needed to increase the energy density in a beneficiated coal comprising:
 at least one renewable electricity energy source;   a coal processing plant, wherein the renewable electricity source is configured to power a coal beneficiation process; and   a coal-fired power plant configured to combust the increased energy density beneficiated coal thereby producing electricity on demand at an increased efficiency with reduced carbon dioxide emissions from the plant.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the renewable electricity source is selected from hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, wave power and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a location of the coal processing plant is selected from a coal mine, a coal transportation terminal, a coal-fired power plant, a same site as the non-carbon thermal energy source and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the coal transportation terminal is selected from terminals providing access to a ship, barge, rail, truck and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the coal processing plant is integrated with a coal-fired power plant and shares use of coal handling, coal crushing and coal conveying equipment. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said increased energy density coal is configured to be stored, transported and later combusted to produce said electricity on demand. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  in which the coal processing plant is configured to convert electrical energy to microwave energy to reduce the moisture content of the coal. 
     
     
         10 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A system to store electricity from a renewable electricity source by using the electricity to power in a coal processing plant to decrease the moisture content of coal resulting in an increased energy density beneficiated coal that can be subsequently combusted to produce electricity on demand comprising:
 a coal processing plant;   at least one renewable electricity source configured to input energy into a coal beneficiation process in the coal processing plant to produce the increased energy density coal that stores the inputted renewable electricity; and   a coal-fired power plant configured to convert the stored renewable electricity in the increased energy density coal to electricity on demand.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the at least one renewable electricity source is selected from hydroelectric power, solar power, wind power, wave power and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13  wherein a location of the coal processing plant is selected from a coal mine, a coal transportation terminal, a coal-fired power plant, a same site as the renewable electricity source and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the coal transportation terminal is selected from terminals providing access to a ship, barge, rail, truck and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the coal processing plant is integrated with the coal-fired power plant and shares use of coal handling, coal crushing and coal conveying equipment. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said increased energy density coal is configured to be stored, transported and subsequently combusted to produce said electricity on demand. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said at least one renewable electricity source is configured to preheat the coal prior to processing. 
     
     
         20 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the solar power is selected from photovoltaic panels or a concentrated solar thermal system to produce the electrical energy. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 1  where the coal beneficiation process involves reducing a moisture content of the coal to increase an energy density of the coal. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the coal beneficiation process is configured to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy to reduce the moisture content of the coal. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the mechanical energy to reduce moisture content comprises high-pressure compaction. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the coal processing plant is configured to convert electrical power to microwave energy to reduce the moisture content of the coal. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the coal beneficiation process further comprises the addition of a halogen to the coal beneficiation process. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the coal beneficiation process further comprises a removal of sulfur-containing compounds from said coal. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a thermal energy source configured to reduce a quantity of the electrical energy necessary to power the beneficiation process. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38  wherein the thermal energy is selected from fossil fuel combustion, waste energy, and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39  wherein the waste energy is selected from waste heat and/or low-quality steam generated from a power plant or industrial process. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 13  wherein the solar power comprises either photovoltaic panels or a concentrated solar thermal system to produce the electrical energy. 
     
     
         42 . The system  claim 13  wherein the coal beneficiation process converts electrical energy to mechanical energy to reduce the water content of the coal. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the mechanical energy to reduce the water content of coal comprises high-pressure compaction. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43  wherein the coal processing plant is configured to convert electrical power to microwave energy to remove moisture from the coal. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising a thermal energy source to supplement the renewal electricity source and configured to reduce a quantity of electrical energy necessary to beneficiate the coal. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45  wherein the thermal energy is selected from fossil fuel combustion, waste energy, and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46  wherein the waste energy is selected from waste heat and/or low-quality steam generated from a power plant or industrial process.