# US 8,465,667 B2 · Chemical additives to inhibit the air oxidation and spontaneous combustion of coal

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- Number: US 8,465,667 B2
- Document ID: US8465667B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/438,917
- Filed: 2012-04-04
- Published: 2012-10-04
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-30
- Assignees: Nalco Company
- Applicants: Ronald V. Davis; Stephen J. Blubaugh
- Inventors: Ronald V. Davis; Stephen J. Blubaugh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465667B2

## CPC

- C10L 9/10: by using additives
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of inhibiting the spontaneous combustion of a mass of low-ranked coal, the method comprising the step of applying to the coal an inhibitor composition, the composition comprising crude glycerin and a VAE copolymer or a PVA copolymer and in a ratio of between 90:10 and 10:90.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the coal is left undisturbed for a period of time in which it is probable that but for the presence of the composition, the mass would have suffered from an oxidation induced spontaneous combustion.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the low-ranked coal is exposed to air or an oxidizing atmosphere for a period of at least 5 days prior to the coal being positioned into a pile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the coal is handled by an apparatus comprising at least one pinch point through which the coal will pass and wherein portions of the coal will accumulate and persist.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the coal is loaded into a ship's hold and will remain undisturbed in a pile of at least 30,000 tons for at least 10 days.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the coal is sub-bituminous coal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the composition inhibits the spontaneous combustion at a rate greater than that of a mixture of VAE mixed with pure glycerin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the mass is within a ship's hold.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 excluding the use of a FIFO method in handling the mass.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the composition inhibits the oxidation of carbonyl groups within the coal for at least 60 days and but for the composition the carbonyl groups would have undergone at least a 50% increase in the oxidation of the coal's carbonyl groups.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the mass is a stagnant mass which has formed in one item selected from the list consisting of a rathole, an arch, a crack in the walls of a piece of coal handling equipment that coal is passing through, and any combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein were the mass is a stagnant mass adjacent to a flow of coal mass.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein were the mass is a stagnant mass but were the mass made of high ranked coal instead of low ranked coal the mass would not be stagnant and would have readily flowed through a coal handling process.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the composition prevents the oxidation of carbonyl groups within the coal for at least 60 days and but for the composition the carbonyl groups would have undergone at least a 50% increase in the oxidation of the coal's carbonyl groups.