Process for treating noncaking coal to form passivated char

A continuous process for treating noncaking coal to form stable char, the process comprising the sequential steps of:

• a) providing a noncaking coal feed:
• b) drying the coal to remove moisture therefrom and form a dry coal;
• c) pyrolyzing the dry coal by progressively heating substantially all of the coal to a temperature sufficient to vaporize and remove low end volatile materials from the coal to form char having an equilibrium moisture content of from about 20-30 wt % to about 5-10 wt % and sufficient to mobilize at least a portion of high end volatile materials within the char and at least partially collapse micropores within the char;
• d) cooling the char to a temperature sufficient to demobilize the volatile materials within the at least partially collapsed micropores of the char to pyrolytically passivate the char and form a char having about 14-22 wt % high end volatiles;
• e) oxidatively passivating the char of step d) with a process gas having about 3%-21% by volume oxygen by chemisorption of oxygen;
• f) substantially simultaneously rehydrating and cooling the char to form a char having about 5-10 wt % moisture;
• and
• g) finally passivating the char of step f) with a process gas having about 3%-21% by volume oxygen and about 90% relative humidity by chemisorption of oxygen to form stable char.