Recently there have been many new developments in the field of coal handling and storage. These improvements have been brought about largely by the advent of the unit train, the construction of new mines with production potential of several million t/year and the requirements for abatement of environmental damage such as fugitive dust.
One of the innovations currently being incorporated into many mines is the slot or barn storage facility for live storage of large quantities of coal. Fig. 1 shows a cross-section through such a storage barn built using Reinforced Earth. Coal is loaded by an overhead stacking conveyor and is reclaimed by a conveyor running beneath the entire length of the barn. A roof protects the coal from moisture and prevents fugitive dust. Such structures with capacities ranging from 22,000 to 100,000 t, have been constructed at mines and power plants.
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