Microbiological system for the removal of contaminants from coal

A system for separating coal from iron oxide, sulfur and other impurities, comprising:

• a first tank receiving the coal from a conveyor belt;
• a crusher to reciprocates into and out of the first tank while rotating to grind and shake the coal within the first tank;
• a conduit to direct steam under pressure from a boiler into the first tank to mix with the ground and shaken coal to begin producing a maximum substrate area for chemolithotrophic bacteria and algal species to act upon;
• a mechanical pulverizer apparatus being fed with the ground and shaken coal and steam at a first end and discharging the coal through a second end;
• a sieve and a second tank receiving the ground and shaken coal the mechanical pulverizer apparatus;
• an air exchanger and collection apparatus connected to the second tank by a conduit to collect nanosized particulates of coal;
• a pipeline feeding the coal within the second tank containing a mixture of chemolithophic bacteria from a breeding tank;
• a holding tank receiving the mixture of coal and chemolithophic bacteria;
• a centrifuge receiving the mixture of coal and chemolithophic bacteria from the holding tank and then separating the coal from the mixture;
• and
• a fourth tank to receive the separated and hydrated coal particles from the centrifuge.