Treatment of coal
AssigneeSaudi American Minerals Inc.
InventorLarry Hunt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process for treating coal to enhance its rank, wherein the temperature of the material is gradually increased in a controlled set of atmospheres, to allow for the reduction of surface and inherent moisture and the controlled reduction of volatile matter while maintaining the coal's natural structural integrity. The process reduces the time, capitalization, and production costs required to produce coal of enhanced rank, thus substantially increasing the cost effectiveness and production rate over prior processes.
Claims27
1-29. (canceled)
A process for treating coal to increase its rank, comprising heating the coal in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to remove substantially all moisture and a predetermined amount of from 5 to 95% of volatile matter from the coal while maintaining a majority of the coal's natural structural form and integrity, wherein said non-oxidizing atmosphere is comprised of steam and volatiles removed during heating.
A process for treating coal in an inert atmosphere to increase its rank, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating coal at 200-250° F. to produce coal virtually free of surface moisture;
- (b) heating the coal produced in step (a) to a temperature of 400-750° F. for about 2-4 minutes to produce coal having inert moisture content of between 2-5%;
- (c) heating the coal produced in step (b) to a temperature of about 900-1100° F. for up to about 5 minutes to produce coal having an inherent moisture content of 1-2% and mass reduction of up to 50%;
- (d) heating the coal produced in step (c) to a temperature of 1300-1550° F. for about 2-4 minutes, to produce coal having a moisture content of less than 2% and volatiles content of less than 25%;
- (e) heating the coal produced in step (d) to a temperature of about 2000-2400° F. for 2-4 minutes, to produce coal having a moisture content of less than 2% by weight and a volatile content of 15% or less by weight;
- (f) cooling the coal produced in step (e) by exposing to a cooling gas which is substantially free of oxygen and moisture to form treated coal;
- and
- (g) collecting the treated coal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.