Experimental study demonstrates optimal combustion and conductivity at 8–12% coal concentration, suggesting an ideal operating window for industrial fuel applications.
Key Points
To investigate how coal particle concentrations ranging from 0% to 50% affect the electrophysical, rheological, and thermal-engineering properties of coal–water suspensions.
Evaluated coal–water suspensions across coal particle concentrations from 0% to 50%.
Measured electrical conductivity, combustion efficiency, and flow characteristics to test alignment with Stauffer’s percolation theory.
Formulated an optimization model integrating electrical conductivity, combustion efficiency, and hydraulic transport losses.
Electrical conductivity rose sharply between 0% and 10% coal concentration before plateauing above 15%, identifying a critical percolation threshold of 12%.
Combustion efficiency peaked at 10–12% concentration and subsequently dropped due to rheological flow constraints.
An optimal industrial working concentration range was established at 8–12% to balance combustion output against hydraulic pumping losses.