US 4,045,092 A · Fuel composition and method of manufacture

Abstract

An economical fuel composition that can be readily transported and stored and that has good nonpollution properties characterized by a combustible, pseudo-thixotropic liquid-solid suspensoid including a critical proportion of coal particles having a critical settling velocity substantially uniformly dispersed in a solution of methyl fuel including methanol, water and other alcohol-soluble constituents of the coal. The critically sized and shaped coal particles are worked in the presence of the methyl fuel to become wet along all surfaces, such that the coal particles are maintained in suspension by even low intensity stirring in storage and do not separate out upon flow through a pipe line. The suspensoid has shear thinning rheological properties so as to be pumpable with a lower apparent viscosity than its at rest viscosity.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A fuel composition comprising a combustible, pseudo-thixotropic liquid-solid suspensoid including a critical proportion of combustible carbonaceous particles having a critical settling velocity substantially uniformly dispersed in a solution of methyl fuel including methanol, water and other alcohol soluble constituents of said carbonaceous particles;

said carbonaceous particles being present in a proportion of 50-80 percent by weight;
said carbonaceous particles being sized and shaped to have a settling velocity in water of less than 21/2 centimeters per second and worked in the presence of said methanol so as to be wet by said methanol along all surfaces;
said carbonaceous particles being held in suspension in said liquid-solid suspensoid by even low intensity stirring in storage and not separating out when pumped through a pipe line;
said suspensoid having shear thinning rheological properties so as to be pumpable with a lower apparent viscosity than its at-rest viscosity.

1 more element

A method of preparing a fuel composition comprising the steps of:

a. preparing combustible carbonaceous particles of -8 mesh sizes with a majority of the carbonaceous particles being of -100 mesh size and having settling velocities of no more than 21/2 centimeters per second in water;
b. working said combustible carbonaceous particles in the presence of methyl fuel including methanol so as to dissolve water and other alcohol-soluble impurities therefrom and activate and wet the surfaces of said combustible carbonaceous particles;
and
c. preparing a combustible, pseudo-thixotropic liquid-solid suspensoid having said worked combustible carbonaceous particles that have been worked to dissolve the alcohol-soluble impurities therefrom substantially uniformly distributed in the methyl fuel solution containing the alcohol soluble impurities dissolved from said combustible carbonaceous particles;
said suspensoid including 50-80 percent by weight of said worked combustible carbonaceous particles and having shear thinning rheological properties so as to be pumpable with a lower apparent viscosity than its at-rest viscosity.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fuel composition and method of manufacture

Life of this patent

Fuel composition and method of manufacture

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13