Method for removing undesired components from coal

A method for comminuting the hydrocarbonaceous material within a porous hydrocarbonaceous solid containing mineral matter into a shattered product which comprises

• (a) preparing a slurry of a lower molecular weight monohydric alcohol and the hydrocarbonaceous solid;
• (b) raising the pressure and temperature imposed on the slurry to a pressure and temperature above the critical temperature and pressure of the alcohol to force alcohol into the pores of the solid and to convert the alcohol into a supercritical fluid;
• (c) maintaining the slurry above the critical temperature and pressure of the alcohol for a length of time sufficient to permit the supercritical fluid to substantially saturate the pores of the solid;
• and
• (d) substantially instantaneously reducing the pressure imposed on said slurry to a second lower pressure to provide a pressure differential between the supercritical fluid within the solids and the surface of the solids sufficient to cause the solids to shatter and to provide said shattered product.

A method of treating a hydrocarbonaceous material containing an admixture of hydrocarbonaceous components and mineral components to increase the usefulness of the material as a fuel, comprising, in combination:

• (a) admixing the hydrocarbonaceous material with a low molecular weight alcohol to form a slurry of alcohol and hydrocarbonaceous material;
• (b) heating and pressurizing the slurry to a temperature and pressure above the critical temperature and critical pressure of the alcohol;
• (c) maintaining the slurry at a supercritical temperature and pressure, prior to step (d), for a length of time sufficient to permit the alcohol to substantially saturate the hydrocarbonaceous material and achieve the desired degree of interaction with the hydrocarbonaceous components, thereby providing:
• (1) a dissolved portion of the hydrocarbonaceous components in alcohol;
• (2) an undissolved suspended portion of the hydrocarbonaceous material saturated with the alcohol;
• and (3) a discrete suspended portion of the mineral components;
• (d) passing the slurry, in a substantially instantaneous manner, from the supercritical pressure to an expansion zone having a temperature and pressure below the critical temperature and critical pressure of the alcohol, thereby flash precipitating the dissolved portion of the hydrocarbonaceous components as discrete hydrocarbonaceous particles and providing a pressure differential between the alcohol saturating the undissolved suspended portion of the hydrocarbonaceous materials and the surface of said material sufficient to comminute the hydrocarbonaceous from the mineral components therein without substantially comminuting either the mineral components therein or the discrete undissolved suspended portion of the mineral components, thereby producing an admixture of the discrete hydrocarbonaceous particles and discrete mineral particles;
• and
• (e) separating the discrete hydrocarbonaceous particles from the discrete mineral particles in a separation zone to provide an enriched hydrocarbonaceous fraction of material and an enriched mineral fraction of material.