Chemical additives to inhibit the air oxidation and spontaneous combustion of coal

Abstract

The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for treating piles of low-rank coal to inhibit its spontaneous combustion. The method involves applying to the low-rank coal a composition containing VAE and crude glycerin. The composition prevents water from evaporating out of the low-rank coal. This prevents the formation within the low-rank coal of hollow openings which are a huge factor in causing its spontaneous combustion. The composition has better performance than its ingredients do alone. In fact it is so effective that certain cumbersome low-rank coal-handling methods, such as FIFO recordkeeping and inventorying, not using pinch points, or only using elbow-free equipment can be disregarded when the composition is used.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.