Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of making coke comprising the steps of charging coal into a plurality of compartments whose walls comprise a material which is adaptable to being heated by induction and wherein said plurality of compartments commonly share an induction coil means which surrounds said plurality of compartments and said induction coil means does not individually surround any of said compartments, heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained within each compartment of said plurality of compartments to convert said coal to coke, and discharging said coke from said plurality of compartments.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
104 words
A method of making coke comprising the steps of charging coal into a plurality of compartments whose walls comprise a material which is adaptable to being heated by induction and wherein said plurality of compartments commonly share an induction coil means which surrounds said plurality of compartments and said induction coil means does not individually surround any of said compartments, heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained within each compartment of said plurality of compartments to convert said coal to coke, and discharging said coke from said plurality of compartments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of heating said walls of said compartments by said induction coil means is further characterized by the step of isolating each compartment of said plurality of compartments in such a way as to have each compartment separated from its adjacent compartment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of isolating each compartment of said plurality of compartments is further characterized by the step of thermally insulating each compartment in such a way as to have the loss of heat from each compartment reduced to a minimum in order to efficiently drive the heat from the walls of each compartment to the coal contained within each compartment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said step of isolating each compartment of said plurality of compartments is further characterized by the step of electrically insulating each compartment in such a way as to have the short-circuiting of the magnetic flux from one compartment to an adjacent compartment reduced to a minimum in order to uniformly heat the walls of said compartments.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means is further characterized by the step of locating each compartment of said plurality of compartments outside the confines of the other compartments.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of charging coal into said plurality of compartments is further characterized by the step of distributing the coal charged into said plurality of compartments in such a way as to have substantially the same amount of coal delivered to each compartment of said plurality of compartments.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of distributing the coal charged into said plurality of compartments in such a way as to have substantially the same amount of coal delivered to each compartment of said plurality of compartments is further characterized by the step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment in order to press the coal downwardly within each compartment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment is further characterized by the step of applying mechanical force in the downward direction substantially across the surface of the coal contained at the top of each compartment to press the coal downwardly and cause the movement of the contents contained within each compartment by compression.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment in order to press the coal downwardly within each compartment is further characterized by the step of forcing coke out of each compartment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method a set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment and said step of forcing coke out of each compartment are further characterized by the step of controlling the amount of coal pressed into each compartment and controlling the amount of coke discharged out of each compartment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment and said step of discharging coke out of each compartment are further characterized by the step of operating said method semi-continuously.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment and said step of discharging coke out of each compartment are further characterized by the step of operating said method continuously.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained with each of said compartments to convert said coal to coke is further characterized by the step of collecting the products of said devolatilization.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of said devolatilization is further characterized by the step of employing at least some products of said devolatilization for the drying and preheating of the coal charged.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of said devolatilization is further characterized by the step of treating said products of said devolatilization to condense the condensables contained in said products.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of said devolitization is further characterized by the step of cracking at least some hydrocarbons contained in said products of said devolatilization.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of controlling the temperature of said products to above the condensation temperature of tar.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of controlling the temperature and pressure of said products of devolatilization to enhance the formation of methane.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of controlling the temperature of said products to maintain them below the cracking temperature of methane.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of forcing said products to flow downwardly for down-drafting.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of forcing said products upwardly for up-drafting.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein said step of collecting the products of devolatilization is further characterized by the step of combining the collection of gases in an up-draft and a down-draft direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained within each of said compartments to convert said coal to coke is further characterized by the step of cooling the coke after devolatilization.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of cooling the coke is further characterized by dry-quenching coke.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein said step of cooling the coke is further characterized by the step of cooling the coke with contaminated water in order to simplify the disposal of such water.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as set forth in claim 23 wherein the step of cooling the coke is further characterized by the step of mixing the gases resulting from the cooling of the coke with the products of devolatilization in order to simplify the clean-up of said gases.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained within each compartment of said plurality of compartments to convert said coal to coke is further characterized by the step of subjecting the contents of said compartments to a divergent downward feed.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means to cause the devolatilization of the coal contained within each compartment of said plurality of compartments to convert said coal to coke is further characterized by the step of subjecting the coal contained within said compartments to supplemental heating surfaces disposed within said compartments.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means is further characterized by the step of operating said plurality of compartments which is surrounded by induction coil means under a positive pressure to force the gases out of said plurality of compartments under pressure.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as set forth in claim 29 wherein said step of operating said plurality of compartments under a positive pressure is further characterized by the step of enveloping said plurality of compartments and said induction coil means by an external envelope to contain the gases and prevent pollution.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of heating said walls of said plurality of compartments by said induction coil means is further characterized by the step of heating said compartments in the vertical direction in zones to result in an efficient and controllable mode of heating.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method as set forth in claim 1 further characterized by the step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment in order to press the coal within each compartment.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein said step of pressing the coal charged into each compartment is further characterized by the step of applying mechanical force to the surface of the coal contained at one end of each compartment to press the coal into the compartment and cause the movement of the contents contained within each compartment to compress.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as set forth in claim 33 further characterized by the step of forcing coke out of the other end of each compartment as coal is pressed into said one end of the compartment.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method as set forth in claim 34 further characterized by the step of controlling the amount of coal pressed into one end of each compartment and controlling the amount of coke discharged out of the other end of each compartment.