Inter-particle impingement fracture of heterogeneous material

Abstract

A process for comminuting particles of heterogeneous material. The particles of heterogeneous material are fragmented and broken into smaller particle size by breaking them against each other. Heterogeneous material means two or more different solid materials or phases in the same solid. The component materials may have different specific gravity and/or hardness. In the process, a slurry of particles of heterogeneous material is pumped through an agitated mixture of impingement media, wherein the impingement media has a size greater than a size of the particles, wherein adjacent impingement media interact to create impingement zones through which the particles pass and impinge each other to cause the particles to fracture and break into smaller particles. The impingement media may be from 5 to 10 times larger than the particles. The impingement media may be harder than the particles. The heterogeneous material may be coal.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.