Sustainable Power Generation through Real-Time Coal Analysis
Coal | Open Pit Mine & Power Plant | Sustainable Mining
How a leading power plant in Australia utilised real-time elemental analysis to ensure consistency in material specification.
BACKGROUND
A large integrated coal mine and power generation facility in Australia faced increasing pressure to meet environmental and efficiency targets while maintaining consistent fuel quality. As the power plant’s primary fuel supplier, the mine needed to ensure coal composition met strict specifications to support cleaner combustion, minimise waste, and reduce emissions. Traditional sampling and laboratory methods provided delayed results, making it difficult to respond to variations in real time.
THE CHALLENGE
Ensuring that coal delivered to the power station met optimal quality targets was critical to both operational efficiency and environmental performance. Without continuous monitoring, fluctuations in ash, moisture, and elemental composition often led to inefficient combustion, clinker build-up, and variable calorific value. These issues not only affected power generation efficiency but also increased maintenance frequency and carbon emissions, directly impacting the site’s sustainability objectives.
Having a PSA support agreement in place ensures we can maintain reliable performance across our nine online analysers. This allows us to achieve quick turnaround times for calibrations, maintenance and troubleshooting, helping us operate the plant as efficiently as possible and respond promptly to changing conditions
THE SOLUTION
To address these challenges, the operation installed an AllScan elemental analyser at key transfer points between the mine and the power station. By delivering real-time elemental data on every tonne of coal, the analyser allowed site personnel to actively manage blending and maintain consistent fuel quality.
The analyser continuously measured key elements such as ash, silicon, aluminium, iron, calcium, and moisture content. These insights enabled rapid adjustments to feed control and stockpile management, ensuring the coal supplied to the power plant aligned with required specifications for optimal combustion efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
IMPLEMENTATION & DISCOVERY
Installation of the AllScan system was completed with minimal disruption to production. Once operational, engineers integrated the analyser’s data directly into the plant’s control system, giving operators immediate visibility of coal composition trends. Within weeks, the site observed more stable boiler performance, a reduction in out-of-spec material delivered to the power station, and fewer load interruptions. The success of this implementation demonstrated how on-belt analysis can serve as a cornerstone technology for sustainable energy production in coal-based operations.
THE RESULTS
The application was a success, with operators now using instantaneous data from the AllScan elemental analyser to monitor and adjust the plant in real time. Continuous analysis has enabled greater control over product quality and a more consistent fuel supply to the power station.
Real-Time Feed Control: Operators use instantaneous results to monitor coal composition and make precise, timely adjustments to the plant.
Consistent Quality Management: Rolling 12-hour data ensures average product quality remains stable across each shift.
Reliable Performance: Daily averages show the operation maintained its 28% ash specification 74% of the time and never missed specification by more than 1%.
Expanded Use Across Site: Due to the analyser’s success, the customer is now calibrating additional AshScans at the Run of Mine to monitor material entering the plant.
Critical Operational Role: The AllScan is vital to plant performance, with operations ceasing if the analyser is offline.
Continuous Support: The site maintains a comprehensive 24/7 Performance Service Agreement (PSA) with RTI to ensure ongoing uptime, maintenance, and system reliability.
Customer Satisfaction: The customer has expressed high satisfaction with the AllScan’s accuracy, consistency, and contribution to sustainable, efficient energy production.
By implementing RTI’s AllScan, the operation ensured ash content remained in spec, keeping the power plant operational.
INDUSTRY IMPLICATIONS & FUTURE APPLICATIONS
This success highlights the broader role of real-time analysis in driving sustainable mining and energy outcomes. As the industry transitions toward lower-emission and efficiency-focused operations, technologies like the AllScan can:
Support Closed-Loop Process Control: Integrate seamlessly with plant automation systems for predictive adjustments.
Enable Data-Driven Sustainability Reporting: Provide continuous quality metrics to verify environmental compliance.
Extend Across the Value Chain: Optimise feed from mine to generation, ensuring long-term operational resilience.
Adapt to Emerging Energy Standards: Position coal operations to meet evolving carbon and efficiency benchmarks.
CONCLUSION
Through the implementation of AllScan technology, the operation achieved measurable gains in fuel efficiency, process stability, and environmental performance. By turning real-time data into actionable insights, the site demonstrated that sustainability and productivity can advance hand in hand, setting a new benchmark for responsible coal-based energy production.