Extracting sulfur and ash

A method of substantially continuously extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising

• continuously introducing the fuel at a preselected rate into an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, so as to form a slurry,
• heating the resulting slurry to at least about 125.degree. C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig,
• moving the slurry through a region maintained at the elevated temperature and pressure to leach out the sulfur compounds and ash,
• moving the slurry outside the leaching region and separating the easily removable leached out materials from the remainder of the fuel,
• moving said remainder of the fuel away from the separated leached materials, and washing said remainder.

A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising

• mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof,
• heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125.degree. C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash,
• separating the solution containing the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel,
• washing the remainder of the fuel,
• regenerating the solution by removing the leached out materials therefrom, and
• recycling the regenerated solution for use as said aqueous medium.