Upgrading coking coals and coke production

Claim 2

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, wherein said dispersion contains about 10 to 40 percent by weight of said coal fines.

Claim 3

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, including the step prior to said agitation step, of aerating said mixture to form rising air bubbles therein and cause bridging of said fines into larger particles suitable for attachment to said bubbles and removing sediment.

Claim 4

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, including the step of forming a blend of said dried agglomerates and particles of natural coal and then carbonizing said blend.

Claim 5

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, including the steps of controlling the basicity of said mixture in the pH range of 8-10 and adding a pyrite depressant to said mixture to aid in separation therefrom of pyrite and other mineral matter.

Claim 6

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, wherein the said preheating step is performed by direct contact of combustible gases containing sufficient sensible heat, and wherein the hydrocarbon loss from said agglomerates during said preheating step is transferred to said gases for enrichment thereof and subsequent recycling.

Claim 7

Process for producing coke as defined in claim 1, including the step of adding to said coal fines iron oxide-containing materials.

Claim 8

Process for producing coke which comprises agglomerating coal fines by preparing an aqueous dispersion thereof, adding a bridging liquid consisting essentially of a coke oven tar to said dispersion, said water in said dispersion being sufficiently hot to render said coke oven tar liquid, and agitating the resulting mixture to cause substantial displacement of the water on said particles by said bridging liquid and to form substantially spherical agglomerates of said fines containing said coke oven tar, separating said agglomerates from the aqueous phase of said mixturE, drying said agglomerates, preheating said agglomerates to a temperature within the range of 350* to 700* C. by burning in situ combustible gases including those arising on heating said agglomerates to said temperature range, briquetting said preheated agglomerates and carbonizing said briquetted agglomerates to produce form coke.