Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for treating particulate solids having surface moisture which comprises the steps of: (a) spraying the particulate solids prior to exposure to a freezing environment with an effective amount of a blend of hydrophile and lipophile surfactants in a liquid hydrocarbon at a concentration of 1 to 50 weight percent which blend has the property of forming a homogenous microemulsion at 20° C. when added to water at the salinity of said surface moisture on the particulate solids to be sprayed and at a water to hydrocarbon ratio in the range between 99:1 and 85:15; and (b) forming a microemulsion by the resulting admixture of said blend and said surface moisture between said solids whereby the cohesive strength of such solids when frozen is reduced.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for treating particulate solids having surface moisture which comprises the steps of: (a) spraying the particulate solids prior to exposure to a freezing environment with an effective amount of a blend of hydrophile and lipophile surfactants in a liquid hydrocarbon at a concentration of 1 to 50 weight percent which blend has the property of forming a homogenous microemulsion at 20° C. when added to water at the salinity of said surface moisture on the particulate solids to be sprayed and at a water to hydrocarbon ratio in the range between 99:1 and 85:15; and (b) forming a microemulsion by the resulting admixture of said blend and said surface moisture between said solids whereby the cohesive strength of such solids when frozen is reduced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said ratio is about 95:5 and said microemulsion when contacted with wet particulate solids will form a water-in-oil coarse emulsion at 20° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
227 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said blend of surfactants consists of: (A) an alkali metal, ammonium, alkyl ammonium, alkanol ammonium or ethoxylated alkanol ammonium salt of an alkyl or alkyl aryl sulfonic acid of the generic formula R--SO.sub.3 H wherein R is an alkyl or alkyl benzene group containing 8-30 carbon atoms in the alky chain and the benzene ring may be additionally substituted with one or two alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms each; (B) An ethoxylated surfactant of the generic formula: R.sub.1 X(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O)Y wherein R 1 is an alkyl or mono- or di-alkyl aryl group containing 8 to 30 carbon atoms. X is ##STR2## Y is --H, --SO 3 - M + or --(PO 3 H) - M + wherein M + is an inorganic or ammonium cation including alkyl substituted ammonium cations; R 2 is an alky group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a polyethoxy ether group containing from 1 to 30 (CH 2 CH 2 O) groups; R 3 is H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R 4 is a poly hydroxy group derived from glycerol, glycols, sorbitol, or various sugars; and, n is an integer of from 1 to 30 and said hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of No. 2 diesel oil, kerosene, naphthas, wite oils and pure alkane
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said solids are coal and characterized further by a subsequent step of depositing in-situ a water-in-oil coarse emulsion on the surfaces of said solids.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 4 wherein said surface moisture is slightly saline water and said water-in-oil coarse emulsion is contiguous with and continuous on the surface of said particles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein said saline water contains from 0.1 to 1.5 percent by weight of sodium chloride, said lipophile is dinonylphenol reacted with 9 moles of ethylene oxide and said hdydrophile is the monoethanol amine salt of dodecyl xylene sulfonic acid.