Method for producing a dried particulate coal fuel from a particulate low rank coal

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said finely divided coal particles are of a size less than about 100 Tyler Mesh.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein at least about 80 percent of said finely divided coal particles are separated.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said deactivating fluid is oil.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein said dried coal is treated with said deactivating fluid in an amount sufficient to reduce the dusting tendency of said dried coal.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 wherein a major portion of said finely divided coal particles are separated from said dried coal in said coal cooling zone and wherein said separated finely divided coal particles are separated into a first portion of a size less than about 80 Tyler Mesh and a second portion of a size greater than about 80 Tyler Mesh with said second portion being added to said dried coal.

Claim 8

In a method for producing a dried particulate coal fuel having a reduced tendency to spontaneously ignite from a particulate low rank coal, said method consisting essentially of: (a) charging said coal to a coal drying zone; (b) supporting said coal above a support means in said coal drying zone, said support means being adapted to the flow of hot fluidizing gas upwardly through said support means and said coal; (c) flowing hot fluidizing gas upwardly through said support means and said coal at a rate sufficient to fluidize said coal to dry said coal to a water content of less than about 14 weight percent water; (d) recovering said coal from said coal drying zone; (e) cooling said dried coal to a temperature below about 100° F. in a coal cooling zone and treating said dried coal with a deactivating fluid to reduce the tendency of said dried coal to spontaneously ignite, an improvement comprising separating at least a major portion of the finely divided coal particles of a size less than about 80 Tyler Mesh from said dried coal prior to treating said dried coal with said deactivating fluid.

Claim 9

In a method for producing a dried particulate coal fuel having a reduced tendency to spontaneously ignite from a particulate low rank coal, said method consisting essentially of: (a) charging said coal to a coal drying zone; (b) supporting said coal above a support means in said coal drying zone, said support means being adapted to the flow of hot fluidizing gas upwardly through said support means and said coal; (c) flowing hot fluidizing gas upwardly through said support means and said coal at a rate sufficient to fluidize said coal to dry said coal to a water content of less than about 14 weight percent water; (d) recovering said coal from said coal drying zone; (e) cooling said dried coal to a temperature below about 100° F. in a coal cooling zone and treating said dried coal with a deactivating fluid to reduce the tendency of said dried coal to spontaneously ignite, an improvement comprising separating at least a major portion of the finely divided coal particles of a size less than about 80 Tyler Mesh from said dried coal prior to treating said dried coal with said deactivating fluid.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 7 wherein said finely divided particles are of a size less than about 100 Tyler Mesh.

Claim 11

The improvement of claim 7 wherein a major portion of said finely divided coal particles are separated from said dried coal in said coal cooling zone in a finely divided coal particle stream and wherein said finely divided coal particle stream is thereafter separated into a first portion of a size less than about 80 Tyler Mesh and a second portion greater than about 80 Tyler Mesh with said second portion being added to said dried coal.

Claim 12

The improvement of claim 7 wherein said deactivating fluid is oil.

Claim 13

The improvement of claim 7 wherein said dried coal is treated with said deactivating fluid in an amount sufficient to reduce the dusting tendency of said dried coal.