ABSTRACT

Pulverized coal (PC) fired boilers have been the mainstay of coal-based power generation worldwide for almost 100 years. This is not surprising as coal is the most abundant and widely distributed fossil fuel, with global reserves of about 1,000 billion tons (IEA, 2010a). Coal fuels more than 40% of the world’s electricity. The percentage of coal-based electricity is  much higher  in some countries, such as South Africa (93%), Poland (92%), China (79%), Australia (78%), Kazakhstan (75%), and India (69%). The growing needs of developing countries are likely to ensure that coal remains a major source of electricity in the foreseeable future despite climate change policies (IEA, 2010 a, b).