2h. New Technologies: Pulverized Coal-Fire Boilers

Another developed technology is the pulverized coal-fire boiler. In North Dakota, pulverized coal-fired boilers are used at the following power plants:

• • Antelope Valley Station
• • M.R. Young Station
• • Coal Creek Station
• • Coyote Station
• • Leland Olds Station

In these plants, mined coal is pulverized into a powder and then blown directly into a burner in the boiler. The burner mixes the powdered coal with the air and forces it out of a nozzle. The coal burns like a gas, allowing for more efficient combustion. Additionally, this process removes up to 97% of the combined air pollution emissions!

Pulverized coal-fired boilers operate between 30 and 32% efficiency. A new generation of pulverized coal-fired boiler technology is currently under development, which will permit generating efficiencies of 42% or more.