Process for agglomerating carbonaceous materials

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF AGGLOMERATING DISCRETE CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES IN A TUMBLING ZONE OF A ROTATING RETORT INCLUDING CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES PREVIOUSLY SUBJECT TO AGGLOMERATION IN SAID TUMBLING ZONE COMPRISING, INTRODUCING FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTILES AND FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES PRECIOUSLY SUBJECTED TO AGGLOMERATION INTO SAID TUMBLING ZONE, SAID CARBONACEOUS PARTILES HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE SPECTRUM AS SAID COAL PARTICLES, MAINTAINING SAID TUMBLING ZONE UNDER AGGLOMERATIVE CONDITIONS, TUMBLING SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES AND SAID FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES AND SAID OF A PITCH BINDER UNDER NONOXIDATIVE CONDITIONS UNTIL AGGLOMERATES ARE FORMED, WITHDRAWING SAID AGGLOMERATES FROM SAID TUMBLING ZONE, SEPARATING SAID AGGLOMERATES INTO PRESELECTED SIZED FRACTION INCLUDING A DESIRABLE SIZE FRACTION AND AN OFFSIZE FRACTION, COMMINUTING SAID OFFSIZE FRACTION SO THAT SAID COMMINUTED PRODUCT FORMS FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES HAVING A SIZE SPECTRUM SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES. RECYCLING SAID CONNIMUTED PRODUCT OF AGGLOMERATES HAVING A SIZE SPECTRUM SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES TO SAID TUMBLING ZONE FOR AGGLOMERATION WITH SAID FINELY FIVIDED COAL PARTICLES, SEPARATING AND CALCINING IN A CALCINER SAID DESIRABLE SIZE FRACTION, RECOVERING FORMCOKE FROM SAID CALICINER, AND RECOVERING A VAPOROUS PRODUCT FROM SAID CALCINER, A PORTION OF WHICH IS CONDENSED TO SERVE AS A PART OF SAID PITCH BINDER.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF AGGLOMERATING DISCRETE CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES IN A TUMBLING ZONE OF A ROTATING RETORT INCLUDING CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES PREVIOUSLY SUBJECT TO AGGLOMERATION IN SAID TUMBLING ZONE COMPRISING, INTRODUCING FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTILES AND FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES PRECIOUSLY SUBJECTED TO AGGLOMERATION INTO SAID TUMBLING ZONE, SAID CARBONACEOUS PARTILES HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZE SPECTRUM AS SAID COAL PARTICLES, MAINTAINING SAID TUMBLING ZONE UNDER AGGLOMERATIVE CONDITIONS, TUMBLING SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES AND SAID FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES AND SAID OF A PITCH BINDER UNDER NONOXIDATIVE CONDITIONS UNTIL AGGLOMERATES ARE FORMED, WITHDRAWING SAID AGGLOMERATES FROM SAID TUMBLING ZONE, SEPARATING SAID AGGLOMERATES INTO PRESELECTED SIZED FRACTION INCLUDING A DESIRABLE SIZE FRACTION AND AN OFFSIZE FRACTION, COMMINUTING SAID OFFSIZE FRACTION SO THAT SAID COMMINUTED PRODUCT FORMS FINELY DIVIDED CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES HAVING A SIZE SPECTRUM SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES. RECYCLING SAID CONNIMUTED PRODUCT OF AGGLOMERATES HAVING A SIZE SPECTRUM SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS SAID FINELY DIVIDED COAL PARTICLES TO SAID TUMBLING ZONE FOR AGGLOMERATION WITH SAID FINELY FIVIDED COAL PARTICLES, SEPARATING AND CALCINING IN A CALCINER SAID DESIRABLE SIZE FRACTION, RECOVERING FORMCOKE FROM SAID CALICINER, AND RECOVERING A VAPOROUS PRODUCT FROM SAID CALCINER, A PORTION OF WHICH IS CONDENSED TO SERVE AS A PART OF SAID PITCH BINDER.