# US 9,518,241 B2 · Method of separating and de-watering fine particles

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- Number: US 9,518,241 B2
- Document ID: US9518241B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/915,428
- Filed: 2013-06-11
- Published: 2013-12-26
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2010-02-01
- Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
- Applicants: Roe-Hoan Yoon
- Inventors: Roe-Hoan Yoon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518241B2

## CPC

- C10L 9/10: by using additives
- B03B 1/04: by additives
- B03B 9/00: General arrangement of separating plant, e.g. flow sheets
- B03B 9/005: {specially adapted for coal}
- C10L 9/02: by chemical means
- C10L 2290/24: Mixing, stirring of fuel components
- C10L 2290/34: Applying ultrasonic energy
- 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
- B03B: SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS

## Abstract

A process for cleaning and dewatering hydrophobic particulate materials is presented. The process is performed in two steps: 1) agglomeration of the hydrophobic particles in a first hydrophobic liquid/aqueous mixture; followed by 2) dispersion of the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid to release the water trapped within the agglomerates along with the entrained hydrophilic particles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for separating a hydrophobic particulate material and its hydrophilic contaminant dispersed in an aqueous slurry, the process comprising the steps of
a. agitating the aqueous slurry under conditions of high-shear agitation in the presence of a first hydrophobic liquid to form agglomerates of the hydrophobic particulate material;
b. separating the agglomerates from the aqueous liquid;
c. dispersing the agglomerates in a second hydrophobic liquid, so that water trapped in between the hydrophobic particulate material constituting the agglomerates is liberated from the hydrophobic particulate material; and
d. separating the hydrophobic particulate material from the second hydrophobic liquid and the water liberated from the agglomerates, thereby obtaining hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water, wherein the first hydrophobic liquid and the second hydrophobic liquid are the same or different.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said first or second hydrophobic liquid is selected from the group consisting of n-alkanes, n-alkenes, unbranched and branched cycloalkanes and cycloalkenes with carbon numbers of less than eight, ligroin, naphtha, petroleum naptha, petroleum ether, liquid carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said first hydrophobic liquid is selected from gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and heating oils.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first hydrophobic liquid and the second hydrophobic liquid is recycled.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein said hydrophobic particulate material is naturally hydrophobic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is prepared by coating a selected hydrophilic particulate material with a hydrophobizing agent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is prepared by hydrophobizing with an adsorbing reagent selected from the group consisting of thiol-type collectors, cationic surfactants, anionic surfactants, and non-ionic surfactants.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is smaller than 1 mm in diameter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of evaporating any hydrophobic liquid attached to the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water produced in step d.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein step a produces hydrophobic droplet sizes ranging from about 0.1 μm to about 400 μm.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particulate material is coal, precious metallic minerals, rare earth minerals, platinum group metals, base metal sulfides, phosphates minerals, clays, or iron oxides.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, Therein step c also includes agitation to promote dispersion.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The process of claim 12, wherein the agitation is selected from the group consisting of sonication, ultrasonic vibration, agitation with a dynamic mixer, agitation by a static mixer, and vibrating screens.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein step d is accomplished by sedimentation, vacuum filtration, pressure filtration, centrifugal filtration, or centrifugation.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water have a water content of about 0.1% to about 10%.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic particles substantially free of hydrophilic contaminant and water have a hydrophilic particulate material content of about 1% to about 10%.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein step c is accomplished by creating an upward current of the second hydrophobic liquid to keep heavy minerals in suspension.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein agglomerates formed with the first hydrophobic liquid are washed with the second hydrophobic liquid to recover the first hydrophobic liquid.