Abstract A substantially water-free, high solid content, stable and combustible fuel slurry and the method for producing the same are disclosed. The slurry includes about 5 to about 50 weight percent of solid particulate carbonaceous material, such as powdered coal, with substantially the entire balance of the slurry being comprised of liquid hydrocarbon fuel, such as Bunker C (No. 6) fuel oil, a slurry suspension stabilizing agent and a slurry viscosity reducing agent. The slurry viscosity reducing agent is preferably a detergent, which is added in an amount to reduce the viscosity of the slurry to a pumpable and flowable level without the addition of substantial quantities of water. In the process, the addition of detergent as the slurry viscosity reducing agent prevents formation of a gel during storage of the slurry.
Inventors
👤 Grant W Metzger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-24 16:17
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L1/00; C10L1/32; C10L1/322
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE, HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT, STABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE FUEL SLURRY COMPRISING: ABOUT 5 TO ABOUT 50 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A SOLID PARTICULATE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL OF A SIZE BELOW ABOUT 200 MESH, ABOUT 94 TO ABOUT 49 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUEL, A MINOR SLURRY SUSPENSION STABILIZING AMOUNT OF STARCH, AND A MINOR NON-AQUEOUS SLURRY VISCOSITY REDUCING AMOUNT OF SOAP AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID SLURRY AT A VISCOSITY BELOW ABOUT 300 SECONDS SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL WHEN SAID SLURRY IS AT A TEMPERATUE OF ABOUT 175*F, SAID LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUEL CONTAINING SAID STARCH AND SAID SLURRY VISCOSITY REDUCING AGENT AND BEING THOROUGHLY ADMIXED WITH THE PARTICLES OF SAID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
116 words
A SUBSTANTIALLY WATER-FREE, HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT, STABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE FUEL SLURRY COMPRISING: ABOUT 5 TO ABOUT 50 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A SOLID PARTICULATE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL OF A SIZE BELOW ABOUT 200 MESH, ABOUT 94 TO ABOUT 49 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUEL, A MINOR SLURRY SUSPENSION STABILIZING AMOUNT OF STARCH, AND A MINOR NON-AQUEOUS SLURRY VISCOSITY REDUCING AMOUNT OF SOAP AND BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SAID SLURRY AT A VISCOSITY BELOW ABOUT 300 SECONDS SAYBOLT UNIVERSAL WHEN SAID SLURRY IS AT A TEMPERATUE OF ABOUT 175*F, SAID LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUEL CONTAINING SAID STARCH AND SAID SLURRY VISCOSITY REDUCING AGENT AND BEING THOROUGHLY ADMIXED WITH THE PARTICLES OF SAID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A slurry as defined in claim 1 wherein, said slurry viscosity reducing agent is present in an amount of about 0.10 to about 0.50 weight percent, and said starch is present in an amount of at least about 0.05 weight percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A slurry as defined in claim 2 wherein, said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is a fuel oil having a viscosity in the range of about 50 to about 300 seconds Saybolt universal at 175*F, and said slurry viscosity reducing agent is present in an amount of about 0.20 to about 0.40 weight percent.