US4119410A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for improving coal
Assignee: Hazen Research Inc
•
Filing: 1977-01-31
•
Granted: 1978-10-10
•
Expires: 1997-01-31
Abstract
Abstract In a process for improving coal containing elemental sulfur wherein the coal is treated with a metal containing compound in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of various impurities contained within the coal thereby permitting their removal by magnetic separation, the improvement comprising removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur prior to performing the magnetic susceptibility enhancement treatment.
Inventors
- 👤 James K. Kindig
- 👤 Ronald L. Turner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 15:53
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L9/00; C10L9/10; C10L9/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
In a process for improving coal containing impurities and elemental sulfur wherein the coal is treated with a metal containing compound in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of one or more of the impurities susceptible to the metal containing compound treatment, thereby permitting the removal of these impurities by magnetic separation, the improvement comprising: removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur prior to performing the magnetic enhancement treatment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
In a process for improving coal containing impurities and elemental sulfur wherein the coal is treated with a metal containing compound in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of one or more of the impurities susceptible to the metal containing compound treatment, thereby permitting the removal of these impurities by magnetic separation, the improvement comprising: removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur prior to performing the magnetic enhancement treatment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the means for removing elemental sulfur comprises heating the coal to at least a temperature for at least a period of time sufficient to essentially meet or exceed a time and temperature relationship expressed as: ##EQU2## wherein D is time in hours and T is temperature in degrees Celsius, and is not less than about 95° C., and wherein K is preferably at least about 0.5.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 2 wherein K is preferably at least about 5.0.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the coal is heated to a temperature of at least about 100° C. for at least about one hour.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the heat pretreatment step is conducted in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, steam, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, air, ethane, propane, butane, and other hydrocarbon compounds in the gaseous state at the pretreatment temperature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the means for removing elemental sulfur comprises pretreating the coal with steam.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 6 wherein the steam pretreatment means is conducted within a temperature range of from about 100° C. to about 300° C. for at least about 0.25 hours with from about 2% to about 50% water based on the weight of the coal being treated.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the means for removing elemental sulfur comprises solvent extraction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of carbon tetrachloride, toluene, acetone, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, ether, and liquid ammonia.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration of the coal following the elemental sulfur removal step is less than about 200 parts per million.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration of the coal following the elemental sulfur removal step is less than about 50 parts per million.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration of the coal following the elemental sulfur removal step is less than about 10 parts per million.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the impurities enhanced comprise a member selected from the group consisting of pyrite and ash-forming minerals.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the impurities enhanced comprise pyrite.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the impurities enhanced comprise ash forming minerals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the metal containing compound is a substantially undecomposed carbonyl selected from the group consisting of iron carbonyl, nickel carbonyl, cobalt carbonyl, molybdenum carbonyl, tungsten carbonyl, chromium carbonyl, and derivatives of these carbonyls.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the metal containing compound consists essentially of iron carbonyl.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 17 wherein the iron carbonyl consists essentially of iron pentacarbonyl.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the metal containing compound is an iron compound.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is a member selected from the group consisting of ferrous chloride and ferric chloride.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is an organic iron containing compound.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the organic iron containing compound is capable of exerting sufficient vapor pressure, with iron as a component in the vapor, so as to bring the iron into contact with the impurity at the reaction temperature.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 22 wherein the vapor pressure of the organic iron containing compound is at least about 10 millimeters of mercury at the reaction temperature.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 21 wherein said organic iron containing compound is selected from the group consisting of ferrocene, ferrocene derivatives, and β-diketone compounds of iron.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is selected from the group consisting of ferrocene, dimethyl ferrocenedioate, 1,1'-ferrocenedicarboxylic acid, ferric benzoylacetonate, ferric acetylacetonate, ferrous acetylacetonate, ferric octoate, α-hydroxyethyl ferrocene, and ferrous formate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is an ester of a ferrocene carboxylic acid derivative.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 26 wherein the ester of a ferrocene carboxylic acid derivative is dimethyl ferrocenedioate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is a simple iron salt of a monobasic or dibasic organic acid.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the iron salt of a monobasic organic acid is iron formate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is a β-diketone.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 30 wherein the β-diketone iron compound is selected from the group consisting of ferric benzoylacetonate, ferric acetylacetonate and ferrous acetylacetonate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is an iron salt of a carboxylic acid.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 32 wherein the iron salt of a carboxylic acid is a ferric octoate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the iron compound is a hydroxyalkyl derivative of ferrocene.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 34 wherein the hydroxyalkyl derivative of ferrocene is a α-hydroxyethyl ferrocene.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
67 words
A process for improving coal containing elemental sulfur and impurities comprising: (a) subjecting the coal to a means for removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur present; (b) thereafter contacting the coal with iron carbonyl under reaction conditions such as to increase the magnetic susceptibility of one or more impurities contained within the coal; thereby permitting the removal of the altered impurities by magnetic separation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
67 words
A process for improving coal containing elemental sulfur and impurities comprising: (a) subjecting the coal to a means for removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur present; (b) thereafter contacting the coal with iron carbonyl under reaction conditions such as to increase the magnetic susceptibility of one or more impurities contained within the coal; thereby permitting the removal of the altered impurities by magnetic separation.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
83 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the means for removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur present in the coal comprises pretreating the coal by heating it to at least a temperature for at least a period of time sufficient to essentially meet or exceed a time and temperature relationship expressed as: ##EQU3## wherein D is time in hours and T is temperature in degrees Celsius, and not less than about 95° C., and wherein K is at least about 0.5.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 37 wherein the coal is heated to a temperature of at least about 100° C. for at least about one hour.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 37 wherein the coal is heated to a temperature of at least about 170° C. for at least about one hour.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
58 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the means for removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur contained within the coal comprises a steam pretreatment within a temperature range of from about 100° C. to about 300° C. for at least 0.25 hours with from about 2% to about 50% water based on the coal being treated.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the means for removing at least a portion of the elemental sulfur contained within the coal comprises solvent extraction.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 41 wherein the solvent is a member selected from the group consisting of carbon tetrachloride, toluene, acetone, ethyl alcohol, ether, and liquid ammonia.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 41 wherein the solvent is a combination of hot toluene and warm acetone.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 41 wherein the solvent is petroleum ether.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration in the coal following the elemental removal step is less than about 200 parts per million.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration in the coal following the elemental sulfur removal step is less than about 50 parts per million.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the elemental sulfur concentration in the coal following the elemental sulfur removal step is less than about 10 parts per million.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the impurities enhanced comprise pyrite.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 36 wherein the impurities enhanced comprise ash forming minerals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3938966A
Cited
US4052170A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-10-09 | 1982-04-10 | 1982-10-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-10-09 | 1986-04-10 | 1986-10-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-10-09 | 1990-04-10 | 1990-10-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |