Process for making liquid and gaseous fuels from caking coals

Claim 2

IN A COAL CONVERSION PROCESS WHICH INCLUDES EXTRACTION BY MEANS OF A SOLVENT OF A FINELY DIVIDED CAKING COAL, WHEREBY A MIXTURE OF EXTRACT, SOLVENT AND UNDISSOLVED CARBONACEOUS RESIDUE IS PRODUCED, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: A. EFFECTING SEPARATION OF SAID MIXTURE INTO AT LEAST TWO PARTS, THE FIRST PART BEING A LIQUID-RICH FRACTION CONTAINING PRINICIPALLY EXTRACT AND SOLVENT, AND THE SECOND PART BEING A SOLIDS-RICH FRACTION, THE SOLIDS HAVING A FINER SIZE CONSIST THAN SAID FED COAL; B. SUBJECTING SAID SOLIDS-RICH FRACTION TO CARBONIZATION TO YIELD FINELY DIVIDED CHAR HAVING A SIZE CONSIST FOR THE GREATER PART LESS THAN 1/8 INCH; C. MIXING CAKING COAL HAVING A SIZE CONSISTS FOR THE GREATER PART LESS THAN 1/8 INCH WITH SAID CHAR; D. SUBJECTING THE MIXTURE FROM STEP (C) TO AGGLOMERATION ABOVE THE TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE CAKING COAL BEGINS TO SOFTEN, WHEREBY AGGLOMERATES ARE FORMED HAVING A MINIMUM SIZE OF 1/8 INCH; AND E. SUBJECTING SAID AGGLOMERATES FIRST TO CARBONIZATION AND THEN TO GASIFICATION IN A DOWNWARDLY MOVING BED GASIFIER, WHEREBY A GASEOUS FUEL IS PRODUCED.

Claim 3

In a coal conversion process which includes extraction by means of a solvent of a finely divided caking coal, whereby a mixture of extract, solvent and undissolved carbonaceous residue is produced, the IMPROVEMENT which comprises: a. effecting separation of said mixture into at least two parts, the first part being a liquid-rich fraction containing principally extract and solvent, and the second part being a solids-rich fraction, the solids having a finer size consist than said feed coal; b. subjecting said solids-rich fraction to carbonization to yield finely divided char having a size consist for the greater part less than 1/8 inch; c. mixing a portion of the same caking coal as that used in said solvent extraction and having a size consist for the greater part less than 1/8 inch with said char; d. subjecting the mixture from step (c) to agglomeration above the temperature at which the caking coal begins to soften, whereby agglomerates are formed having a minimum size of 1/8 inch; and e. subjecting said agglomerates first to carbonization and then to gasification in a downwardly moving bed gasifier, whereby a gaseous fuel is produced.

Claim 4

In a coal conversion process which includes extraction by means of a solvent of a finely divided caking coal, whereby a mixture of extract, solvent and undissolved carbonaceous residue is produced, the IMPROVEMENT which comprises: a. effecting separation of said mixture into at least two parts, the first part being a liquid-rich fraction containing principally extract and solvent, and the second part being a solids-rich fraction, the solids having a finer size consist than said feed coal; b. subjecting said solids-rich fraction to carbonization to yield finely divided char having a size consist for the greater part less than 1/8 inch; c. mixing a portion of the same caking coal as that used in said solvent extraction and having a size consist for the greater part less than 1/8 inch with said char; d. subjecting the mixture from step (c) to agglomeration above the temperature at which the caking coal begins to soften, whereby agglomerates are formed having a minimum size of 1/8 inch; and e. subjecting said agglomerates first to carbonization and then to gasification in a downwardly moving bed gasifier, whereby a gaseous fuel is produced.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 2 wherein carbonization of said solids-rich fraction is conducted in a fluidized low temperature zone.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 3 wherein the hot char from the fluidized carbonization zone is further heated before admixture with the caking coal.