Process for the production and recovery of fuel values from coal

Claim 2

A process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce volatile fuel values and char therefrom comprising: a. continuously introducing into a pyrolysis zone i. particulate coal having a particle size less than about 14 mesh, ii. heated particulate char at a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said particulate char, and iii. a gas, substantially without introducing free oxygen into said pyrolysis zone, and maintaining said coal and char in turbulent gas-entrained flow in said pyrolysis zone wherein the parts by weight of said particulate char to the total weight of particulate char and particulate coal being introduced into said pyrolysis zone is such as to permit said particulate coal to be heated within said pyrolysis zone to a temperature of between about 900° F. and about 1400° F. to produce a product stream containing a first gaseous product and a first solid product, said first gaseous product comprising said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone and volatile fuel values produced from said particulate coal, and said first solid product comprising said particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone and a char produced from said coal; b. removing said product stream from said pyrolysis zone; c. substantially separating said first solid product from said first gaseous product; and d. heating at least a portion of said first solid product, before permitting substantial exposure of same to free oxygen, to a temperature of between about 1200° F. to about 1800° F. to evolve a second gaseous product which is a hydrogen-rich gas, and to produce a second solid product.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said second gaseous product is more than 50 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said second gaseous product contains at least about 70 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 further comprising heating at least a portion of said first solid product to a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said first solid product and using said first solid product so heated as said heated particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 further comprising returning at least a portion of said second solid product to said pyrolysis zone as said heated particulate char.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said particulate coal remains within said pyrolysis zone for a period of time of between about 0.01 seconds and about 3 seconds.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein the said period of time is from about 1 to about 2 seconds.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein said particulate coal is introduced into said pyrolysis zone by first entraining said particulate coal in an entraining gas to produce an entrained coal stream and introducing said entrained coal stream into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein said heated particulate char is introduced into said pyrolysis zone by first entraining said heated particulate char in an entraining gas to produce an entrained heated char stream and introducing said entrained heated char stream into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 further comprising minimizing the exposure of said particulate coal to oxygen prior to its introduction into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 further comprising cooling said first gaseous product to produce a condensed product and an uncondensed product.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 further comprising substantially separating said condensed product from said uncondensed product and hydrotreating said condensed product with said second gaseous product.

Claim 14

The process of claim 1 further comprising heating at least a portion of said second solid product to a temperature between about 2300° F. and about 2800° F. in a substantial absence of free oxygen to reduce the sulfur content of said second solid product.

Claim 15

The process of claim 13 wherein said heating of said second solid product is for a period of time no greater than about 20 minutes.

Claim 16

The process of claim 1 wherein said heating of said first solid product is by indirect heating at a pressure above atmospheric in a hydrogen-rich gas.

Claim 17

The process of claim 15 wherein said pressure above atmospheric is between about 15 psia and about 100 psia.

Claim 18

The process of claim 16 wherein said indirect heating is for a period of time of about 10 minutes.

Claim 19

The process of claim 1 further comprising heating said first solid product with a gas enriched with hydrogen to reduce the sulfur content of said first solid product.

Claim 20

The process of claim 18 wherein said gas enriched with hydrogen comprises at least in part said second gaseous product.

Claim 21

The process of claim 1 wherein said product stream contains sulfides of iron and further comprising magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said product stream.

Claim 22

The process of claim 1 wherein said first solid product contains sulfides of iron and further comprising magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said first solid product.

Claim 23

The process of claim 1 wherein said particulate coal contains sulfur and further comprising admixing between about 1 and about 5 parts by weight, based upon the weight of sulfur in said particulate coal, of a particulate sulfur acceptor with said particulate coal prior to introducing said particulate coal into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 24

The process of claim 22 wherein said sulfur acceptor is iron oxide.

Claim 25

The process of claim 23 wherein said product stream contains sulfides of iron and further comprising magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said product stream.

Claim 26

The process of claim 1 wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is at least in part a product of said process.

Claim 27

The process of claim 1 wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is produced at least in part from said first gaseous product.

Claim 28

The process of claim 1 wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is produced in part from said volatile fuel values.

Claim 29

The process of claim 1 further comprising using at least a portion of said second gaseous product as a portion of said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 30

The process of claim 1 wherein a solids content of material in the pyrolysis zone is from about 0.1 to about 10 percent by volume, from about 5 to about 66 parts by weight of solids introduced into the pyrolysis zone is particulate coal, based upon the total weight of the coal and char, and from about 95 to about 34 parts by weight of solids introduced into the pyrolysis zone is particulate char, based upon the total weight of the coal and char.

Claim 31

The process of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first solid product produced by passage of the particulate coal and char through the pyrolysis zone is heated to a temperature of from about 1150° F. to about 1600° F. and thereafter is utilized to form a portion of the heated particulate char introduced into the pyrolysis zone.

Claim 32

The process of claim 30 wherein the particulate char utilized in the formation of said heated particulate char has a temperature of about 1150° F.

Claim 33

The process of claim 1 wherein a solids content of material in the pyrolysis zone is 3 percent by volume.

Claim 34

The process of claim 1 wherein an amount of heated particulate char is introduced into the pyrolysis zone which equals 90 parts by weight of char based upon the total weight of particulate coal and char.

Claim 35

The process of claim 1 wherein the gas is a hydrogen enriched gas.

Claim 36

The process of claim 1 wherein the volatile fuel values produced upon pyrolysis of coal are catalytically hydrotreated with at least a portion of the second gaseous product.

Claim 37

The process of claim 1 wherein the particulate coal contains sulfur and the gas contains hydrogen.

Claim 38

A process of claim 1 wherein said first solid product is degasified and desulfurized by heating to a temperature ranging between from about 2300° F. to about 2800° F. for a period of time up to about 20 minutes in a carrier gas substantially free of oxygen to degasify and desulfurize the solids.

Claim 39

The process of claim 1 wherein the particulate coal is heated to a temperature of from about 900° F. to about 1100° F. in the pyrolysis zone.

Claim 40

A process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce volatile fuel values and char therefrom comprising: a. continuously introducing into a pyrolysis zone i. a particulate coal having a particle size less than about 14 mesh, ii. a heated particulate char at a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said particulate char, and iii. a gas, substantially without introducing free oxygen into said pyrolysis zone, and maintaining said coal and char in turbulent gas-entrained flow in said pyrolysis zone, wherein said particulate coal has a residence time in said pyrolysis zone of between about 0.01 second and about 3 seconds, and wherein the parts by weight of said particulate char-to-the total weight of particulate char and particulate coal being introduced into said pyrolysis zone is such as to permit said particulate coal to be heated within said pyrolysis zone to a temperature of between about 900° F. and about 1400° F. to produce a product stream containing a first gaseous product and a first solid product, said first gaseous product comprising said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone, and said volatile fuel values produced from said particulate coal, and said first solid product comprising said particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone and a char produced from said coal; b. removing said product stream from said pyrolysis zone; c. substantially separating said first solid product from said first gaseous product; d. heating at least a portion of said first solid product, before permitting substantial exposure of same to free oxygen, to a temperature of between about 1200° F. to about 1800° F. to evolve by decomposition of said first solid product a second gaseous product which is a hydrogen-rich gas, and to produce a second solid product; e. heating at least a portion of said first solid product to a temperature between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said first solid product and using it as said heated particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone; f. cooling said first gaseous product to produce a condensed product and an uncondensed product; and g. wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is at least in part a product of said process.

Claim 41

A process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce volatile fuel values and char therefrom comprising: a. continuously introducing into a pyrolysis zone i. a particulate coal having a particle size less than about 14 mesh, ii. a heated particulate char at a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said particulate char, and iii. a gas, substantially without introducing free oxygen into said pyrolysis zone, and maintaining said coal and char in turbulent gas-entrained flow in said pyrolysis zone, wherein said particulate coal has a residence time in said pyrolysis zone of between about 0.01 second and about 3 seconds, and wherein the parts by weight of said particulate char-to-the total weight of particulate char and particulate coal being introduced into said pyrolysis zone is such as to permit said particulate coal to be heated within said pyrolysis zone to a temperature of between about 900° F. and about 1400° F. to produce a product stream containing a first gaseous product and a first solid product, said first gaseous product comprising said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone, and said volatile fuel values produced from said particulate coal, and said first solid product comprising said particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone and a char produced from said coal; b. removing said product stream from said pyrolysis zone; c. substantially separating said first solid product from said first gaseous product; d. heating at least a portion of said first solid product, before permitting substantial exposure of same to free oxygen, to a temperature of between about 1200° F. to about 1800° F. to evolve by decomposition of said first solid product a second gaseous product which is a hydrogen-rich gas, and to produce a second solid product; e. heating at least a portion of said first solid product to a temperature between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said first solid product and using it as said heated particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone; f. cooling said first gaseous product to produce a condensed product and an uncondensed product; and g. wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is at least in part a product of said process.

Claim 42

The process of claim 39 wherein said second gaseous product is more than 50 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 43

The process of claim 39 wherein said second gaseous product contains at least about 70 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 44

The process of claim 39 further comprising returning at least a portion of said second solid product to said pyrolysis zone as said heated particulate char.

Claim 45

The process of claim 39 wherein said particulate coal is introduced into said pyrolysis zone by first entraining said particulate coal in an entraining gas to produce an entrained coal stream and introducing said entrained coal stream into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 46

The process of claim 39 wherein said heated particulate char is introduced into said pyrolysis zone by first entraining said heated particulate char in an entraining gas to produce an entrained heated char stream and introducing said entrained heated char stream into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 47

The process of claim 39 further comprising substantially separating said condensed product from said uncondensed product and hydrotreating said condensed product with said second gaseous product.

Claim 48

The process of claim 39 further comprising heating at least a portion of said second solid product to a temperature between about 2300° F. and about 2800° F. in a substantial absence of free oxygen for a period of time no greater than about 20 minutes to reduce the sulfur content of said second solid product.

Claim 49

The process of claim 39 wherein said heating of said first solid product is by indirect heating at a pressure between about 15 psia and about 100 psia and for a period of time of about 10 minutes.

Claim 50

The process of claim 39 further comprising heating said first solid product with at least a portion of said second gaseous product to produce a char of lower sulfur content than the sulfur content of said first solid product.

Claim 51

The process of claim 39 wherein said product stream contains sulfides of iron and further comprising magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said product stream.

Claim 52

The process of claim 39 wherein said first solid product contains sulfides of iron and further comprising magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said first solid product.

Claim 53

The process of claim 39 wherein said particulate coal contains sulfur and further comprising admixing between about 1 to about 5 parts by weight, based upon the weight of sulfur in said particulate coal, of a particulate sulfur acceptor comprising iron oxide with said particulate coal prior to introducing said particulate coal into said pyrolysis zone and magnetically separating said sulfides of iron from said product stream.

Claim 54

The process of claim 39 wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is produced at least in part from said first gaseous product.

Claim 55

The process of claim 39 wherein said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone is produced in part from said volatile fuel values.

Claim 56

The process of claim 39 further comprising using at least a portion of said second gaseous product as a portion of said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 57

The process of claim 39 further comprising separating said condensed product from said uncondensed product, treating said uncondensed product to remove at least a portion of any carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide present therein and using said uncondensed product after said treating at least in part as said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 58

A process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce volatile fuel values and char therefrom comprising: a. continuously introducing into a pyrolysis zone i. particulate coal having a particle size less than about 14 mesh, ii. heated particulate char at a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said particulate char, and iii. a gas, substantially without introducing free oxygen into said pyrolysis zone, and maintaining said coal and char in turbulent gas-entrained flow in said pyrolysis zone wherein the parts by weight of said particulate char-to-the total weight of particulate char and particulate coal being introduced into said pyrolysis zone is such as to permit said particulate coal to be heated within said pyrolysis zone to a temperature of between about 900° F. and about 1400° F. to produce a product stream containing a first gaseous product and a first solid product, said first gaseous product comprising said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone and volatile fuel values produced from said particulate coal, and said first solid product comprising said particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone and a char produced from said coal; b. removing said product stream from said pyrolysis zone; c. substantially separating said first solid product from said first gaseous product; and d. heating at least a portion of said first solid product to a temperature of between about 2300° F. and about 2800° F. in a non-oxidizing environment to reduce the sulfur content thereof and to produce a second solid product.

Claim 59

A process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce volatile fuel values and char therefrom comprising: a. continuously introducing into a pyrolysis zone i. particulate coal having a particle size less than about 14 mesh, ii. heated particulate char at a temperature of between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said particulate char, and iii. a gas, substantially without introducing free oxygen into said pyrolysis zone, and maintaining said coal and char in turbulent gas-entrained flow in said pyrolysis zone wherein the parts by weight of said particulate char-to-the total weight of particulate char and particulate coal being introduced into said pyrolysis zone is such as to permit said particulate coal to be heated within said pyrolysis zone to a temperature of between about 900° F. and about 1400° F. to produce a product stream containing a first gaseous product and a first solid product, said first gaseous product comprising said gas introduced into said pyrolysis zone and volatile fuel values produced from said particulate coal, and said first solid product comprising said particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone and a char produced from said coal; b. removing said product stream from said pyrolysis zone; c. substantially separating said first solid product from said first gaseous product; and d. heating at least a portion of said first solid product to a temperature of between about 2300° F. and about 2800° F. in a non-oxidizing environment to reduce the sulfur content thereof and to produce a second solid product.

Claim 60

The process of claim 56 wherein said heating of said first solid is in the presence of a carrier gas which is substantially free of oxygen.

Claim 61

The process of claim 56 wherein said heating of said first solid is for a period of time not greater than about 20 minutes.

Claim 62

The process of claim 56 further comprising heating at least a portion of said first solid product to between about 1000° F. and the ash softening temperature of said first solid product and using said first solid product so heated as said heated particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 63

In a process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce a first char product and a first gaseous product comprising volatile fuel values wherein particulate coal is heated to an elevated temperature with a heated particulate char in a pyrolysis zone which is operated substantially without introducing free oxygen thereto, and wherein said heating is controlled by adjusting the properties of materials introduced to the pyrolysis zone such as the particle size of said particulate coal, the temperature of said heated particulate char, the ratio of particulate coal-to-heated particulate char, and the period of time of heating, the improvement which comprises heating at least a portion of said first char product before permitting substantial exposure of it to a source of free oxygen to a temperature between about 1200° F. and about 1800° F. in a substantial absence of free oxygen to evolve a second gaseous product which is a hydrogen-rich gas, and to produce a second char product.

Claim 64

In a process for the pyrolysis of coal to produce a first char product and a first gaseous product comprising volatile fuel values wherein particulate coal is heated to an elevated temperature with a heated particulate char in a pyrolysis zone which is operated substantially without introducing free oxygen thereto, and wherein said heating is controlled by adjusting the properties of materials introduced to the pyrolysis zone such as the particle size of said particulate coal, the temperature of said heated particulate char, the ratio of particulate coal-to-heated particulate char, and the period of time of heating, the improvement which comprises heating at least a portion of said first char product before permitting substantial exposure of it to a source of free oxygen to a temperature between about 1200° F. and about 1800° F. in a substantial absence of free oxygen to evolve a second gaseous product which is a hydrogen-rich gas, and to produce a second char product.

Claim 65

The process of claim 60 wherein said second gaseous product is more than 50 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 66

The process of claim 60 wherein said second gaseous product contains at least about 70 percent by volume hydrogen.

Claim 67

The process of claim 60 further comprising using at least a portion of said second char product as at least a portion of said heated particulate char introduced into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 68

The process of claim 60 further comprising cooling said first gaseous product to produce a condensed product and an uncondensed product, substantially separating said condensed product from said uncondensed product, and hydrotreating said condensed product with said second gaseous product.

Claim 69

The process of claim 60 further comprising heating at least a portion of said second char product to a temperature between about 2300° F. and about 2800° F. in a substantial absence of free oxygen to reduce the sulfur content of said second char product.

Claim 70

The process of claim 65 wherein said heating of said second char product is for a period of time no greater than about 20 minutes.

Claim 71

The process of claim 60 wherein said heating of said first char product is by indirect heating at a pressure above atmospheric in a hydrogen-rich gas.

Claim 72

The process of claim 67 wherein said pressure above atmospheric is between about 15 psia and about 100 psia.

Claim 73

The process of claim 68 wherein said indirect heating is for a period of time of about 10 minutes.

Claim 74

The process of claim 60 further comprising using at least a portion of said second gaseous product to convey particulate material into said pyrolysis zone.

Claim 75

The process of claim 60 wherein said heating of said first char product comprises contacting said first char product with said second gaseous product to produce a char of lower sulfur content than the sulfur content of said first char product.

Claim 76

The process of claim 60 further comprising introducing said second gaseous product into said pyrolysis zone to hydrotreat materials therein.

Claim 77

The process of claim 60 further comprising contacting said first char product with said second gaseous product to reduce the sulfur content of said first char product.