US4504282A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Production of hydrocarbons
Assignee: MEMPHIS STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE A CORP OF TN
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Filing: 1981-05-20
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Granted: 1985-03-12
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Expires: 2001-05-20
Abstract
Abstract A method of producing a source of rich (in the general range of 900 BTU per cubic foot) gaseous fuel, and a method of producing a rich gaseous fuel, both include reducing metallic manganese or a mixture of metals in which manganese predominates and carbonaceous material to a powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing the powders in a proportion by weight between 1 to 1 and 4 to 1 manganese to carbonaceous material (available carbon), and heating the mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature of between 600° and 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, generally for a period of about forty minutes. The production of gaseous fuel includes the step of treating the source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of steam and a mildly acidic solution. The source material residue is then recycled.
Inventors
- 👤 John W. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 11:13
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C1/00; C07C1/32; C07C1/325; C07C1/327
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
The method of producing a source of gaseous fuel comprising reducing metallic manganese and carbonaceous material to powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing said manganese powder and carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
56 words
The method of producing a source of gaseous fuel comprising reducing metallic manganese and carbonaceous material to powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing said manganese powder and carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material is coal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture is maintained at a temperature of about 740° C. for about forty minutes.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
109 words
The method of producing a gas containing less than 10% hydrogen, less than 50% methane, and the balance substantially all saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons comprising producing a source of gaseous fuel by reducing metallic manganese and carbonaceous material to powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing said manganese powder and carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, and treating said source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of saturated steam, a mildly acidic aqueous solution and a mixture of saturated steam and mildly acidic aqueous solution.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
109 words
The method of producing a gas containing less than 10% hydrogen, less than 50% methane, and the balance substantially all saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons comprising producing a source of gaseous fuel by reducing metallic manganese and carbonaceous material to powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing said manganese powder and carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, and treating said source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of saturated steam, a mildly acidic aqueous solution and a mixture of saturated steam and mildly acidic aqueous solution.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
72 words
The method of producing a source of gaseous fuel comprising reducing to a powder finer than 200 mesh a carbonaceous material and a major proportion of metallic manganese and a minor proportion of iron and aluminum, mixing said metallic powders with said carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° C. nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilbrium by completion of reaction.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
72 words
The method of producing a source of gaseous fuel comprising reducing to a powder finer than 200 mesh a carbonaceous material and a major proportion of metallic manganese and a minor proportion of iron and aluminum, mixing said metallic powders with said carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° C. nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilbrium by completion of reaction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the carbonaceous material is coal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the mixture is maintained at a temperature of about 740° C. for about forty minutes.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
126 words
The method of producing a gas containing less than 10% hydrogen, less than 50% methane, and the balance substantially all saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons comprising producing a source of gaseous fuel by reducing to a powder finer than 200 mesh a carbonaceous material and a major proportion of metallic manganese and a minor proportion of iron and aluminum, mixing said metallic powders with said carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° C. nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, and treating said source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of saturated steam, a mildly acidic aqueous solution, and a mixture of saturated steam and a mildly acidic aqueous solution.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
126 words
The method of producing a gas containing less than 10% hydrogen, less than 50% methane, and the balance substantially all saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons comprising producing a source of gaseous fuel by reducing to a powder finer than 200 mesh a carbonaceous material and a major proportion of metallic manganese and a minor proportion of iron and aluminum, mixing said metallic powders with said carbonaceous material, and heating said mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature not less than 600° C. nor more than 950° C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, and treating said source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of saturated steam, a mildly acidic aqueous solution, and a mixture of saturated steam and a mildly acidic aqueous solution.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4184852A
Cited
US4310334A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-03-11 | 1988-09-10 | 1989-03-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-03-11 | 1992-09-10 | 1993-03-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-03-11 | 1996-09-10 | 1997-03-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |