Method of obtaining maximum separability of organic matter from ash in coal extraction processes

Claim 1

METHOD OF FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY ASH-FREE BITUMINOUS COAL SOLUTION, COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: (A) FORMING A MIXTURE OF A FINELY DIVIDED BITUMINOUS COAL AND FROM ABOUT 1 PART TO ABOUT 6 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF THE COAL OF AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON CREOSOTE TYPE EXTRACTION OIL HAVING AN INITIAL BOILING POINT OF ABOUT 180*C.; (B) HEATING SAID MIXTURE FOR A PERIOD OF FROM ABOUT 2 TO ABOUT 60 MINUTES AT A TEMPERATURE FROM ABOUT 5*C. TO ABOUT 50*C. IN EXCESS OF THE TEMPERATURE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM SOLUBILITY OF THE COAL CONSTITUENTS IN THE OIL AND AT A PRESSURE FROM ABOUT 750 TO ABOUT 2000 P.S.I.G. TO ATTAIN MAXIMUM SEPARATION OF SOLUBLE COAL CONSTITUENTS FROM INSOLUBLE RESIDUE; (C) REDUCING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE MIXTURE TO BETWEEN ABOUT 160*C. AND ABOUT 200*C. AND (D) SEPARATING THE RESULTING SOLUTION AT BETWEEN ABOUT 160*C. AND ABOUT 220*C. FROM THE INSOLUBLE RESIDUE OF THE COAL TO FORM A CLARIFIED CARBONIZABLE SUBSTANTIALLY ASH-FREE COAL SOLUTION.