US4055400A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Extracting sulfur and ash
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Filing: 1975-04-07
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Granted: 1977-10-25
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Expires: 1995-04-07
Abstract
Abstract A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out the sulfur compounds and ash, separating the easily removable leached out materials from the remainder of the fuel, and washing said remainder of the fuel. The concentration of alkali in the solution typically is about 1 to 35 percent by weight, and the mixture typically is heated for at least about 5 minutes at about 350° C, about 1 hour at 300° C, about 2 hours at 250° C, about 4 hours at 200° C, about 10 hours at about 125° C, or for at least a time approximately proportionately between the foregoing times at an intermediate temperature. The pressure may be provided at least in part by oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen plus nitrogen, or hydrogen plus nitrogen.
Inventors
- 👤 Edgel P. Stambaugh
- 👤 George F. Sachsel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 14:16
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L9/00; C10L9/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, or a calcium or ammonium hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, separating the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, and washing said remainder of the fuel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
106 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, or a calcium or ammonium hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, separating the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, and washing said remainder of the fuel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the concentration of alkali in the solution is about 1 to 35 percent by weight.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the mixture is heated for at least about 5 minutes at about 350° C, about 1 hour at 300° C, about 2 hours at 250° C, about 4 hours at 200° C, about 10 hours at about 125° C, or for at least a time approximately proportionately between the foregoing times at an intermediate temperature.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the mixture is heated at a pressure provided at least in part by oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen plus nitrogen, or hydrogen plus nitrogen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the extraction is substantially continuous, comprising the steps of continuously introducing the fuel at a preselected rate into the alkaline solution to form a slurry, moving the slurry through a region maintained at the elevated temperature and pressure to leach out the sulfur compounds and ash, moving the slurry outside the leaching region and separating the easily removable leached out materials from the remainder of the fuel by filtering, moving said remainder of the fuel away from the separated leached out materials, and washing said remainder.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as in claim 5, wherein the resulting solution containing the leached out materials is regenerated by removing the leached out materials therefrom and is recycled as the liquid aqueous medium in the continuous process.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of substantially continuously extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising continuously introducing the fuel at a preselected rate into an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, so as to form a slurry, heating the resulting slurry to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig, moving the slurry through a region maintained at the elevated temperature and pressure to leach out the sulfur compounds and ash, moving the slurry outside the leaching region and separating the easily removable leached out materials from the remainder of the fuel, moving said remainder of the fuel away from the separated leached materials, and washing said remainder.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of substantially continuously extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising continuously introducing the fuel at a preselected rate into an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, so as to form a slurry, heating the resulting slurry to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig, moving the slurry through a region maintained at the elevated temperature and pressure to leach out the sulfur compounds and ash, moving the slurry outside the leaching region and separating the easily removable leached out materials from the remainder of the fuel, moving said remainder of the fuel away from the separated leached materials, and washing said remainder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as in claim 7 wherein the slurry is pumped continuously through a heated reactor to selectively extract the impurites.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as in claim 7 wherein the easily removable leached out materials are separated from the remainder of the fuel by filtering.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the concentration of alkali in the solution is about 1 to 35 percent by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 7, wherein the slurry is heated for at least about 5 minutes at about 350° C, about 1 hour at 300° C, about 2 hours at 250° C, about 4 hours at 200° C, about 10 hours at about 125° C, or for at least a time approximately proportionately between the foregoing times at an intermediate temperture.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the slurry is heated at a pressure provided at least in part by oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen plus nitrogen, or hydrogen plus nitrogen,
Claim 15
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, separating the solution containing the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, washing the remainder of the fuel, regenerating the solution by removing the leached out materials therefrom, and recycling the regenerated solution for use as said aqueous medium.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
124 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium, or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide, sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, separating the solution containing the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, washing the remainder of the fuel, regenerating the solution by removing the leached out materials therefrom, and recycling the regenerated solution for use as said aqueous medium.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 12, wherein the easily leached out materials are separated from the remainder of the fuel by filtering.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, filtering the mixture to separate the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, and washing said remainder of the fuel.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of extracting a substantial proportion of the pyritic, organic, and sulfate sulfur compounds and ash present in a solid carbonaceous fuel of the coal or coke type comprising mixing the fuel with an aqueous alkaline solution containing a sodium, calcium or ammonium carbonate, hydroxide sulfide, or hydrosulfide, or a plurality thereof, heating the resulting mixture to at least about 125° C at a pressure of at least about 25 psig to leach out said sulfur compounds and ash, filtering the mixture to separate the easily removable leached out materials from the solid remainder of the fuel, and washing said remainder of the fuel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the concentration of alkali in the solution is about 1 to 35 percent by weight.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the mixture is heated for at least about 5 minutes at about 350° C, about 1 hour at 300° C, about 2 hours at 250° C, about 4 hours at 200° C, about 10 hours at about 125° C, or for at least a time approximately proportionately between the foregoing times at an intermediate temperature.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as in claim 1, wherein the mixture is heated at a pressure provided at least in part by oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen plus nitrogen, or hydrogen plus nitrogen.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-10-24 | 1981-04-25 | 1981-10-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-10-24 | 1985-04-25 | 1985-10-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-10-24 | 1989-04-25 | 1989-10-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |