Why does coal slurry use water instead of either diesel or crude oil?

[RandomPoster]

Wouldn't powdered coal mixed with either diesel or crude oil have a considerably higher energy density that a coal and water slurry?

In particular, if you grind unrefined coal into a powder and mix it with crude oil to make a sludge, how good of a fuel would it make for a steam train? Also, how much money would be saved in refinement?

 

[JGalt]

Not sure, but I think the crude would make the fire too hot. They didn't have modern metallurgy back in the day of steam engines.

Just guessing though.

 

[Dekster]

Wouldn't powdered coal mixed with either diesel or crude oil have a considerably higher energy density that a coal and water slurry?

In particular, if you grind unrefined coal into a powder and mix it with crude oil to make a sludge, how good of a fuel would it make for a steam train? Also, how much money would be saved in refinement?

Some do use coal-oil slurry but the coal is there more to extend the fuel than it is the oil there to deliver the coal. Water is cheaper, more abundant, does not require access to oil, and is more economically stable in terms of costs.

 

[Thunk]

I can't even imagine how dirty the smoke would be...and it would stick to everything.

Hapless passersby would take in a lung full & keel over dead

 

[RandomPoster]

Used motor oil can be purchased for $20 a barrel and added to the mix. Anything flammable from landfill garbage as well as dead animals could be thrown in there as well. Soaking the garbage and dead animals in coal-oil sludge would kill the smell.

I'm thinking of a train company trying to keep their fuel costs down.

 

[Thunk]

Well, why not add our spent nuclear fuel in there as well?

Add a kick of energy to that coal fire

 

[RandomPoster]

Well, why not add our spent nuclear fuel in there as well?

Add a kick of energy to that coal fire

It looks like nuclear waste could make an ideal fuel for a steam train.

DO RADIOACTIVE WASTES PRODUCE HEAT

"This "unstoppable" heat, due to radioactivity alone,
is called "decay heat".

For example, in a 1000 megawatt reactor, immediately
after shutdown the decay heat would be about 200
megawatts. And if the pumps do not keep pumping
water through the core to remove that decay heat,
the fuel will get hotter and hotter as more and more
heat is added, so the temperature will rise higher and
higher until the fuel itself begins to melt at about 2800
degrees celsius."

 

[bripat9643]

Wouldn't powdered coal mixed with either diesel or crude oil have a considerably higher energy density that a coal and water slurry?

In particular, if you grind unrefined coal into a powder and mix it with crude oil to make a sludge, how good of a fuel would it make for a steam train? Also, how much money would be saved in refinement?

They remove the water prior to use. Diesel or crude oil would raise the cost by several orders of magnitude.

 

[bripat9643]

Used motor oil can be purchased for $20 a barrel and added to the mix. Anything flammable from landfill garbage as well as dead animals could be thrown in there as well. Soaking the garbage and dead animals in coal-oil sludge would kill the smell.

I'm thinking of a train company trying to keep their fuel costs down.

The price of a ton of coal is $45. It takes a lot of barrels to hold a tone of coal.