Method and apparatus for blending lignite and coke slurries

1. A method, comprising:

preparing a coke slurry;

preparing a lignite slurry separate from the coke slurry; and

combining the coke slurry with the lignite slurry to form a coke/lignite slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the coke slurry comprises:

grinding coke in a coke grinder; and

combining the ground coke with water in a coke slurry tank to form the coke slurry.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the lignite slurry comprises:

grinding lignite in a lignite grinder;

combining the ground lignite with water in a lignite slurry tank to form the lignite slurry; and

resting the lignite slurry in the lignite slurry tank to enable moisture equilibration of the lignite slurry.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the lignite slurry with the coke slurry comprises:

mixing the coke slurry and the lignite slurry in a combination slurry tank to form the coke/lignite slurry;

resting the coke/lignite slurry in the combination slurry tank to enable moisture equilibration of the coke/lignite slurry.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the coke slurry with the lignite slurry comprises combining approximately equal parts of the coke slurry with the lignite slurry to create approximately a 50% coke and 50% lignite slurry.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein combining the coke slurry with the lignite slurry comprises combining approximately three parts of the coke slurry with approximately two parts of the lignite slurry to create approximately a 60% coke and 40% lignite slurry.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising adding lignosulfonic acid, sodium salt to the coke/lignite slurry.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising gasifying the coke/lignite slurry.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising using syngas generated from the gasification of the coke/lignite slurry to produce electricity.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein preparing the coke slurry comprises:

grinding coke in a coke grinder; and

combining the ground coke with water in a coke slurry tank to form the coke slurry; and

wherein preparing the lignite slurry comprises:

grinding lignite in a lignite grinder;

combining the ground lignite with water in a lignite slurry tank to form the lignite slurry; and

resting the lignite slurry in the lignite slurry tank to enable moisture equilibration of the lignite slurry.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lignite slurry comprises a lignite having a moisture content of at least approximately 29% and an ash content of at least approximately 30%.

12. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

preparing the coke slurry in a coke slurry tank of a slurry preparation system;

preparing a lignite slurry separate from the coke slurry in a lignite slurry tank of the slurry preparation system; and

combining the coke slurry with the lignite slurry to form a coke/lignite slurry in a coke/lignite slurry tank of the slurry preparation system.

13. A method, comprising:

producing a coke/lignite slurry from lignite having a moisture content of at least approximately 29% and an ash content of at least approximately 30%, wherein producing the coke/lignite slurry comprises combining a coke slurry with a lignite slurry.

14. The method of claim 13 , comprising gasifying the coke/lignite slurry.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the lignite slurry comprises a stabilized lignite slurry.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the coke/lignite slurry comprises approximately 50% coke slurry and 50% lignite slurry.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the coke/lignite slurry comprises approximately 60% coke slurry and 40% lignite slurry.