US4233034A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Desulfurization of coal
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
•
Filing: 1979-05-03
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Granted: 1980-11-11
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Expires: 1999-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A process for reducing the amount of pyritic, organic and sulfate sulfur in coal and other carbonaceous materials by contacting sulfur-containing coal or carbonaceous material with hydrogen, transition metal salts and a buffer under increased temperature and pressure. Pyritic sulfides are reduced to ferrous sulfides and organic sulfides are converted to metal sulfides; the sulfides are, then, leached from the coal or carbonaceous material utilizing an acid solution. Alternatively, a metal compound may be added to the acid solution to promote the formation of hydrogen sulfide.
Inventors
- 👤 J. Wayne Miller
- 👤 Mark J. Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:22
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L9/00; C10L9/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A process for desulfurizing coal and other carbonaceous materials which contain pyritic sulfur, organic sulfur and sulfate sulfur which comprises: contacting an aqueous slurry of said coal or carbonaceous material with a transition metal salt, hydrogen and a buffer that buffers within the pH range of from about 4 to about 10 under reaction conditions; and contacting said coal or carbonaceous material with an acid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A process for desulfurizing coal and other carbonaceous materials which contain pyritic sulfur, organic sulfur and sulfate sulfur which comprises: contacting an aqueous slurry of said coal or carbonaceous material with a transition metal salt, hydrogen and a buffer that buffers within the pH range of from about 4 to about 10 under reaction conditions; and contacting said coal or carbonaceous material with an acid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is pulverized to a particle size range of from about 60 to about 400 standard mesh.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises water and coal or carbonaceous material in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises a water-alcohol mixture and coal or carbonaceous material in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 4 wherein water and alcohol are in a molar ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:10.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 5 wherein the alcohol is a member selected from the group consisting essentially of: methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol or isopropanol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the buffer is selected from the group consisting essentially of ammonium acetate, ammonium hydroxide, sodium acetate, acetic acid, or ammonium chloride and mixtures thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the transition metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium or platinum and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the transition metal salt is a member selected from the group consisting of: nickel acetate, nickel formate, nickel nitratehexahydrate, nickel chloride, nickel bromide, nickel fluoride, nickel iodide, ferric acetate, ferric formate, ferric nitrate, ferric chloride, ferric bromide, ferric fluoride, ferric iodide, cobalt acetate, cobalt formate, cobalt nitrate, cobalt chloride, cobalt bromide, cobalt fluoride, or cobalt iodide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the transition metal salt is mixed with the coal or carbonaceous material in sufficient amount to provide a metal to organic sulfur atomic ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction conditions have a temperature of from about 200° F. to about 700° F. and a pressure of from about 100 psig to about 4000 psig.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the acid is a member selected from the group consisting essentially of: hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid or acetic acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the acid and coal or carbonaceous material are mixed in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is contacted with an acid at a temperature of from ambient temperature to about 300° F. and a pressure of from about atmospheric pressure to about 100 psig.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is contacted with an acid in the presence of a metal selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, or platinum and mixtures thereof.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 14 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material and acid are contacted with a metal in an atomic ratio of metal to sulfur of from about 10:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
112 words
A process for desulfurizing coal and other carbonaceous materials which contain pyritic sulfur, organic sulfur and sulfate sulfur which comprises contacting an aqueous slurry of said coal or carbonaceous material, a transition metal salt, hydrogen, and a buffer that buffers within the pH range of from about 4 to about 10 at a temperature of from about 200° F. to about 450° F. and a pressure of from about 100 psig to about 4000 psig, for about 30 minutes to about 5 hours, raising the temperature from about 450° F. to about 700° F. for about 30 minutes to about 25 hours; and contacting said coal or carbonaceous material with an acid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
112 words
A process for desulfurizing coal and other carbonaceous materials which contain pyritic sulfur, organic sulfur and sulfate sulfur which comprises contacting an aqueous slurry of said coal or carbonaceous material, a transition metal salt, hydrogen, and a buffer that buffers within the pH range of from about 4 to about 10 at a temperature of from about 200° F. to about 450° F. and a pressure of from about 100 psig to about 4000 psig, for about 30 minutes to about 5 hours, raising the temperature from about 450° F. to about 700° F. for about 30 minutes to about 25 hours; and contacting said coal or carbonaceous material with an acid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is pulverized to a particle size range of from about 60 to about 400 standard mesh.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises water and coal or carbonaceous material in a volume ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the aqueous slurry comprises a water-alcohol mixture and coal or carbonaceous material in a volume ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process according to claim 20 wherein water and alcohol are in a molar ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:10.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 20 wherein the alcohol is a member selected from the group consisting essentially of: methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, or isopropanol and mixtures thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the buffer is selected from the group consisting essentially of ammonium acetate, ammonium hydroxide, sodium acetate, acetic acid or ammonium chloride and mixtures thereof.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the transition metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rohdium, palladium, osmium, iridium or platinum and mixtures thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
66 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the transition metal salt is a member selected from the group consisting of nickel acetate, nickel formate, nickel nitratehexahydrate, nickel chloride, nickel bromide, nickel fluoride, nickel iodide, ferric acetate, ferric formate, ferric nitrate, ferric chloride, ferric bromide, ferric fluoride, ferric iodide, cobalt acetate, cobalt formate, cobalt nitrate, cobalt chloride, cobalt bromide, cobalt fluoride, or cobalt iodide and mixtures thereof.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the transition metal salt is mixed with the coal or carbonaceous material in sufficient amount to provide a metal to organic sulfur atomic ratio of from about 10:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the acid is a member selected from the group consisting essentially of: hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid or acetic acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the acid and coal or carbonaceous material are mixed in a weight ratio of from about 20:1 to about 1:1.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is contacted with an acid at a temperature of from ambient temperature to about 300° F. and a pressure of from about atmospheric pressure to about 100 psig.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material is contacted with an acid in the presence of a metal selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, or platinum and mixtures thereof.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process according to claim 17 wherein the coal or carbonaceous material and acid are contacted with a metal in an atomic ratio of metal to sulfur of from about 10:1 to about 1:1.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-11-11 | 1984-05-12 | 1984-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-11-11 | 1988-05-12 | 1988-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-11-11 | 1992-05-12 | 1992-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |