Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
In the process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles dispersed in water, a process for producing a coal-water slurry having a high coal concentration, a low viscosity and a good stability, which process comprises causing the slurry to have a composition of coal particles having particle size in the range of 1,000 μm to 0.005 μm, so that when the coal particles are divided into 8 fractions (F 1 , F 2 , - - - and F 8 ), each fraction having a particle size range listed below wherein D L represents the maximum particle size of 1,000 μm of the coal particles, the proportions by weight of the coal particles contained in the respective fractions, relative to the total weight of the coal particles contained in the slurry falling within the following ranges of numeral values: ______________________________________
F.sub.1 :
(D.sub.L /4 to D.sub.L)
29.0 to 50.0% by weight
F.sub.2 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.2 ) to less than D.sub.L /4)
20.0 to 25.0% by weight
F.sub.3 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.3 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.2)
12.0 to 15.0% by weight
F.sub.4 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.4 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.3)
6.0 to 10.0% by weight
F.sub.5 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.5 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.4)
3.0 to 12.0% by weight
F.sub.6 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.6 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.5)
1.5 to 5.2% by weight
F.sub.7 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.6)
0.8 to [4.9%]4.0%
by weight
F.sub.8 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to 0)
0.7 to 9.0% by weight
______________________________________ and adding a dispersant and pH-adjuster.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
In the process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles dispersed in water, a process for producing a coal-water slurry having a high coal concentration, a low viscosity and a good stability, which process comprises causing the slurry to have a composition of coal particles having particle size in the range of 1,000 μm to 0.005 μm, so that when the coal particles are divided into 8 fractions (F 1 , F 2 , - - - and F 8 ), each fraction having a particle size range listed below wherein D L represents the maximum particle size of 1,000 μm of the coal particles, the proportions by weight of the coal particles contained in the respective fractions, relative to the total weight of the coal particles contained in the slurry falling within the following ranges of numeral values: ______________________________________
F.sub.1 :
(D.sub.L /4 to D.sub.L)
29.0 to 50.0% by weight
F.sub.2 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.2 ) to less than D.sub.L /4)
20.0 to 25.0% by weight
F.sub.3 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.3 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.2)
12.0 to 15.0% by weight
F.sub.4 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.4 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.3)
6.0 to 10.0% by weight
F.sub.5 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.5 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.4)
3.0 to 12.0% by weight
F.sub.6 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.6 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.5)
1.5 to 5.2% by weight
F.sub.7 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.6)
0.8 to [4.9%]4.0%
by weight
F.sub.8 :
(D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to 0)
0.7 to 9.0% by weight
______________________________________ and adding a dispersant and pH-adjuster.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the particle size distribution of coal particles having particle size in the range of 1,000 μm to 0.005 μm substantially satisfies the following equation and the following ranges of numeral values: ##EQU5## wherein D represents a particle size of coal particles; D L , the maximum particle size thereof; D s , the minimum particle size thereof; and q, an index.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the slurry is composed so that coal particles of 1 μm or less can be present in an amount of 5 to 46% by weight and those of 0.05 μm or less can be present in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein the slurry is pumped through a pipeline and has a coal content of 60 to 80% by weight and a viscosity of at least 5,000 cP, in terms of numeral values obtained when an inner cylinder-rotation type viscometer is rotated at a shear rate of 90 sec -1 for 5 minutes.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
97 words
A process according to claim 4, wherein the dispersant is at least one kind of anionic dispersant selected from the group consisting of naphthalenesulfonic acid, orthophosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acids represented by H 3 PO 4 , (HPO 3 ) 6 , H 4 P 2 O 7 , tartaric acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetate, ligninsulfonic acid, salts and condensates of the foregoing, tannins including quebracho-tannin and metal salts of carboxymethylcellulose, and is added to the slurry, as a dispersant for coal particles in an amount of up to 3% weight based on the coal weight.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
In the process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles and at least one dispersant and pH-adjuster dispersed in water, a process for producing a coal-water slurry having a high coal concentration, a low viscosity and a good stability, which process comprises causing the slurry to have a composition of coal particles, wherein the particle size distribution of the coal particles is in the range of 300 μm to 0.005 μm and substantially satisfies the following equation and the following ranges of numeral values: ##EQU6## wherein D represents a particle size of coal particles; D L , the maximum particle size thereof; D s , the minimum particle size thereof; and q, an index.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
115 words
In the process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles and at least one dispersant and pH-adjuster dispersed in water, a process for producing a coal-water slurry having a high coal concentration, a low viscosity and a good stability, which process comprises causing the slurry to have a composition of coal particles, wherein the particle size distribution of the coal particles is in the range of 300 μm to 0.005 μm and substantially satisfies the following equation and the following ranges of numeral values: ##EQU6## wherein D represents a particle size of coal particles; D L , the maximum particle size thereof; D s , the minimum particle size thereof; and q, an index.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
98 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein the dispersant is at least one of anionic dispersants selected from the group consisting of naphthalenesulfonic acid, orthophosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acids represented by H 3 PO 4 , (HPO 3 ) 6 , H 4 P 2 O 7 , tartaric acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, ethylenediamine tetraacetate, lignin sulfonic acid, salts and condensates of the foregoing, tannins including quebracho-tannin and metal salts of carboxymethylcellulose, and is added to the slurry, as a dispersant for coal particles in an amount of up to 3% by weight based on the coal weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
A process according to claim 7, wherein the pH-adjuster is at least one kind of pH-adjuster selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, barium hydroxide and sodium carbonate and is added to the slurry as a pH-adjuster for rendering the pH value of the slurry at least 7, in an amount of up to 3% based on the coal weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein the pH-adjuster is at least one kind of pH-adjusters selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, barium hydroxide and sodium carbonate and is added to the slurry as a pH-adjuster for rendering the pH value of the slurry at least 7, in an amount of 3% or less based on the coal weight.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein the slurry is composed so that the coal particles of up to 1 μm can be present in an amount of 5 to 46% by weight and those of 0.05 μm or less can be present in an amount of at least 0.5% by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein the slurry is pumped through a pipeline and has a coal content of 60 to 80% by weight and a viscosity of at least 5,000 cP, in terms of numeral values obtained when an inner cylinder-rotation type viscometer is rotated at a shear rate of 90 sec -1 for 5 minutes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
208 words
A process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles and at least one dispersant and pH-adjuster dispersed in water, comprising the steps of: measuring the distribution of coal particle sizes in a coal-water slurry by dividing the coal particles into eight fractions (F 1 , F 2 , F 3 . . . and F 8 ) with each fraction having a particle size range, respectively, of: ______________________________________
F.sub.1 : (D.sub.L /4 to D.sub.L),
F.sub.2 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.2 to less than D.sub.L /4),
F.sub.3 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.3 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.2),
F.sub.4 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.4 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.3),
F.sub.5 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.5 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.4),
F.sub.6 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.6 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.5),
F.sub.7 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.6), and
F.sub.8 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to D.sub.S);
______________________________________ adjusting the distribution of coal particles sizes U(D) in the slurry to satisfy the following equation: ##EQU7## with D representating a particle size of coal particles D L representating the maximum particle size, D S representating the minimum particle size, and q an index, and with U(D) representating distribution in percentage by weight relative to the total weight contained within the slurry; and adding dispersant and pH adjuster to the slurry.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
208 words
A process for producing a coal-water slurry having coal particles and at least one dispersant and pH-adjuster dispersed in water, comprising the steps of: measuring the distribution of coal particle sizes in a coal-water slurry by dividing the coal particles into eight fractions (F 1 , F 2 , F 3 . . . and F 8 ) with each fraction having a particle size range, respectively, of: ______________________________________
F.sub.1 : (D.sub.L /4 to D.sub.L),
F.sub.2 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.2 to less than D.sub.L /4),
F.sub.3 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.3 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.2),
F.sub.4 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.4 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.3),
F.sub.5 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.5 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.4),
F.sub.6 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.6 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.5),
F.sub.7 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to less than D.sub.L /4.sup.6), and
F.sub.8 : (D.sub.L /4.sup.7 to D.sub.S);
______________________________________ adjusting the distribution of coal particles sizes U(D) in the slurry to satisfy the following equation: ##EQU7## with D representating a particle size of coal particles D L representating the maximum particle size, D S representating the minimum particle size, and q an index, and with U(D) representating distribution in percentage by weight relative to the total weight contained within the slurry; and adding dispersant and pH adjuster to the slurry.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 12, further comprised of adjusting the distribution of coal particle sizes to satisfy the equation with 0.40≦q≦0.45.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 12, further comprised of adjusting the distribution of coal particle sizes to satisfy the equation with 0.40≦q≦0.50.