Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
In a process for beneficiation of coal which comprises chemically grafting a hydrophobic and oilophilic polymer surface onto pulverized coal in aqueous slurry and thereafter separating ash which remains preferentially water-wetted from the polymer surface treated coal particles by drawing off water-wetted ash phase and recovering the hydrophobic coal-oil phase: the improvement which comprises subjecting the recovered hydrophobic coal-oil phase to a high shear intermixing zone where the coal phase and a wash water phase are intermixed in a high shear zone and ejected under shearing pressures in intimate admixture of commingled droplets of coal-oil phase and wash water phase through and into impinging contacts with the surface and mass of a receiving mass of wash water, whereby ash particles priorly present in the coal-oil phase are forced into intimate contact with water; the preferentially water-wetted ash being thereby released into the water phase and removed with said water phase, the hydrophobic coal-oil mass floats upon and is separated from the water phase, physically held water is removed from the coal-oil phase by mechanical means and a beneficiated "dry" coal-oil product recovered.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
In a process for beneficiation of coal which comprises chemically grafting a hydrophobic and oilophilic polymer surface onto pulverized coal in aqueous slurry and thereafter separating ash which remains preferentially water-wetted from the polymer surface treated coal particles by drawing off water-wetted ash phase and recovering the hydrophobic coal-oil phase: the improvement which comprises subjecting the recovered hydrophobic coal-oil phase to a high shear intermixing zone where the coal phase and a wash water phase are intermixed in a high shear zone and ejected under shearing pressures in intimate admixture of commingled droplets of coal-oil phase and wash water phase through and into impinging contacts with the surface and mass of a receiving mass of wash water, whereby ash particles priorly present in the coal-oil phase are forced into intimate contact with water; the preferentially water-wetted ash being thereby released into the water phase and removed with said water phase, the hydrophobic coal-oil mass floats upon and is separated from the water phase, physically held water is removed from the coal-oil phase by mechanical means and a beneficiated "dry" coal-oil product recovered.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanical means of water removal from the washed coal-oil phase is centrifuging.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanical means of water removal from the washed coal-oil phase is by means of a filtration step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
89 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanically dewatered and de-ashed hydrophobic "dry" coal-oil mixture initially recovered is admixed with liquid hydrocarbon fuel and water insoluble RC.sup.═O --OH acids where R is an unsaturated hydrocarbon moiety of more than about 8 carbon atoms, a graft polymerization metal ion initiator and a peroxidation catalyst and a second graft polymerization is performed, thereafter the acid ion groups present in the surface modified coal-oil mixture are converted to a metal ion and a pumpable liquid coal-oil product recovered having thixotropic rheological properties.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the mechanically dewatered and de-ashed hydrophobic "dry" coal-oil initially recovered is admixed with liquid hydrocarbon fuel and water insoluble RC.sup.═O --OH acids where R is not essentially unsaturated as to its hydrocarbon moiety of more than about 8 carbon atoms and thereafter the acid ion groups present in the surface modified coal-oil mixture are converted to a metal ion and a pumpable coal-oil product is recovered characterized by non-settling properties.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the water phase is preconditioned by a water treatment procedure before use.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the water-treating procedure includes treatment of the water with water-treating amounts of sodium pyrophosphate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the water treatment procedure includes water-treating amounts with both organic and inorganic surfactants.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 6, wherein the water treatment procedure includes passage through ion exchange water-softeners to remove unwanted ions both anionic and cationic included in the water source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 5, wherein water insoluble RC.sup.═O --OH acids are predominantly naphthenic acids.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 5, wherein the water insoluble RC.sup.═O --OH acids are predominantly inherent in a Venezuelan crude oil addition high in naphthenic acid.