American Minechem Corporation

Other

Canadian Patents & Development Ltd.

Leonard Messer

C Edward Capes

Allen E McIlhinney

William L Thayer

Richard D Coleman

Both water and carbonaceous material are reclaimed from an aqueous slurry of particles of coal that contains both carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous materials, the slurry being comprised of at least 60 percent water by weight. Preferably, the geometric mean particle size of the coal particles in the aqueous slurry is less than 150 microns. Preferably, the processed aqueous slurry is formed by mixing a low solids aqueous slurry of coal and ash fines from a coal washer with a high solids aqueous slurry of coal and ash fines from a settling pond. A fluid that is in a free-flowing liquid state at temperatures below 80.degree. C. and, preferably, at temperatures below 20.degree. C., and that is lyophobic to the water and the non-carbonaceous particles of the coal, and lyophillic to the carbonaceous fine particles of the coal is added to the aqueous slurry to form a first mixture in which less than 20 percent by weight of the fluid and the carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous coal particles is fluid. The first mixture is then agitated to preferentially agglomerate the carbonaceous particles to form carbonaceous agglomerates while the non-carbonaceous particles remain substantially dispersed in the slurry. The carbonaceous agglomerates are separated from the mixture to form a substantially non-carbonaceous aqueous slurry. A preferably high molecular weight flocculant that is lyophobic to water and lyophilic to non-carbonaceous material is thereafter added to the non-carbonaceous aqueous slurry to form a second mixture, and flocculated solids precipitated from the second mixture to form water and precipitate from the second mixture. Flocculated solids are then separated from the precipitate to provide a substantially solids-free aqueous solution. Preferably, the water separated from the second mixture is recirculated to a coal washing plant, and the solids-free aqueous solution separated from the precipitate is recirculated to the second mixture, or a coal washing plant, to form a closed water system for a coal washing plant.

Method of reclaiming water and coal from coal treatment underflow by

An in-line method for the beneficiation of coal and the formation of a coal-in-oil combustible fuel wherein the coal is wet pulverized, micro-agglomerated with light oil to dissociate a large amount of inorganic impurities and some water, agglomerated with heavy oil to form relatively larger agglomerates and dissociate mainly water with some inorganic impurities, and then mixed with further heavy oil to form the coal-in-oil combustible fuel.

In-line method for the beneficiation of coal and the formation of a

Activated carbon is made by forming a slurry of carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous fine particles, preferably finely divided non-caking coal, in a suspension liquid, preferably water, comprised of at least 60 percent suspension liquid by weight. Preferably, the geometric mean particle size of the fine particles dispersed in the suspension liquid is less than 150 microns. A free-flowing liquid, which is liquid below 80.degree. C. and preferably below 20.degree. C., lyophobic to the suspension liquid and the non-carbonaceous fine particles and lyophilic to the carbonaceous fine particles, is added to the slurry to form a mixture where less than 20 percent by weight of the free-flowing liquid and the carbonaceous and non-carbonaceous fine particles is free-flowing liquid. The resulting mixture is then agitated to preferentially agglomerate the carbonaceous fine particles to form discrete agglomerates, while the non-carbonaceous fine particles remain substantially unagglomerated in the slurry. The discrete agglomerates of carbonaceous material are thereafter separated from the mixture, and carbonized by heating to greater than about 400.degree. C. Then the separated discrete agglomerates are activated to form activated carbon preferably by heating to greater than 800.degree. C. in the presence of steam, carbon dioxide or flue gas.

Method of making activated carbon

A coal treatment underflow of an aqueous slurry of fine solid particles is dewaterized by first adding to the aqueous slurry a preferably high molecular weight flocculant lyophobic to water and lyophilic to fine solid particles to form a mixture. The mixture is charged to a thickener where flocculated solids are settled from the mixture and water separated from the mixture. During settling, the flocculated solids are preferably subjected to increased settling area and changing direction of liquid flow to increase the settling rate of the flocculated solids. A radiation beam is impinged on the flocculated solids transverse the direction of travel of the solids adjacent the discharge means from the thickener, and the impinged radiation beam is detected by detector means to continually measure the density of the flocculated solids preferably by degree of absorption of radiation. The detector in turn produces an electrical signal proportional to the density of the flocculated solids that automatically regulates and controls the rate of discharge of the flocculated solids from the thickener.

Method and apparatus for controlled dewaterizing of coal treatment

A coke oven system is provided having a coke oven preferably with pipeline charging for converting coal into coke. Carryover fines are collected from the coke oven and preferably a preheater therefor, and then agitated by agitator means and the collected carryover fines thereby agglomerated. Preferably, the carryover fines are first mixed with water to form an aqueous mixture, and then agglomerated. The agglomerated carryover fines are then preferably separated from the aqueous mixture by separated means. The agglomerated carryover fines are preferably conditioned in dryer means and recirculated to the coke oven preferably through a preheater.

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Leonard Messer