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US4297108A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Desulfurization of coal

Assignee: Polymer Res Corp of America
•
Filing: 1980-04-22
•
Granted: 1981-10-27
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Expires: 2000-04-22
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Abstract

Abstract Pyritic sulfur, organic sulfur and elemental sulfur are removed from coal by subjecting an aqueous slurry of coal to flotation for removal of most of the pyritic sulfur after which the coal obtained from the flotation is treated with dilute nitric acid which oxidizes any remaining pyritic sulfur and most of the organic sulfur, thus solubilizing the sulfur and reducing the sulfur content thereof. This coal can be filtered, washed and dried, if desired. Further reduction of organic sulfur is obtained by chemical treatment with unsaturated hydrocarbons which bind the organic sulfur thus lowering the sulfur content of the coal sufficiently so that the final product meets all requirements for use for power plants as well as for the metallurgical industry.

Inventors

  • 👤 Carl Horowitz
  • 👤 Michael Dichter

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 14:31
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L9/00; C10L9/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
Method of removing organic sulfur from coal from which the main portion of pyritic sulfur has been removed by froth flotation but which still contains sulfur mainly in the form of organic sulfur and to some extent in the form of pyritic sulfur, which comprises treating such coal containing said organic sulfur with dilute nitric acid, thereby oxidizing any remaining pyritic sulfur and also oxidizing organic sulfur, thereby solubilizing the pyritic sulfur and a substantial portion of the organic sulfur, filtering and washing the thus treated coal, thereby removing the solubilized sulfur and nitric acid therefrom, and treating the thus obtained coal still containing organic sulfur with an unsaturated hydrocarbon which binds remaining organic sulfur thereto thus removing the same from the coal, thereby obtaining substantially completely desulfurized coal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 129 words
Method of removing organic sulfur from coal from which the main portion of pyritic sulfur has been removed by froth flotation but which still contains sulfur mainly in the form of organic sulfur and to some extent in the form of pyritic sulfur, which comprises treating such coal containing said organic sulfur with dilute nitric acid, thereby oxidizing any remaining pyritic sulfur and also oxidizing organic sulfur, thereby solubilizing the pyritic sulfur and a substantial portion of the organic sulfur, filtering and washing the thus treated coal, thereby removing the solubilized sulfur and nitric acid therefrom, and treating the thus obtained coal still containing organic sulfur with an unsaturated hydrocarbon which binds remaining organic sulfur thereto thus removing the same from the coal, thereby obtaining substantially completely desulfurized coal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the nitric acid treatment is effected at a temperature of about 85°-95° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 15 words
Method according to claim 2 wherein the nitric acid treatment is effected under normal pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 13 words
Method according to claim 3 wherein the nitric acid concentration is about 4-6%.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
Method according to claim 4 wherein the ratio of coal to dilute nitric acid is between about 1:3 and 1:4.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein said unsaturated hydrocarbon is an olefin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 25 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein said unsaturated hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of thermocracking gasoline, cocker gasoline, alpha olefins and cycloaliphatic olefins.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 33 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the treatment with the unsaturated hydrocarbon of the coal still containing organic sulfur is effected at a temperature of 100°-200° C. and a pressure of 0-50 psi.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the treatment with the unsaturarted hydrocarbon of the coal still containing organic sulfur is effected in the presence of a peroxide catalyst.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 40 words
Method according to claim 1 wherein the treatment with the unsaturated hydrocarbon of the coal still containing organic sulfur is effected in the presence of an accelerator selected from the group consisting of zinc nitrate, sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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GB536713A Cited
DE1800070A1 Cited
US3926575A Cited
US3909211A Cited
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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) 1984-10-26 1985-04-27 1985-10-27 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-10-26 1989-04-27 1989-10-27 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-10-26 1993-04-27 1993-10-27 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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