Other Technologies

Abstract

Although the major part of research and development effort on coal utilisation is directed to the technologies of fluidised bed combustion, gasification and liquefaction, a number of other developments that could have an impact on the future pattern of coal use are also taking place. Such developments are concerned not only with the coal utilisation technologies themselves but also their interactions with the processes of coal extraction, transport and handling, and other major energy sources such as crude oil and nuclear power. The purpose of the present chapter is to review briefly the most important of the developments in order to provide a context for the major technologies considered in the preceding three chapters.