California Institute of Technology

The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Naresh K Rohatgi

John J Kalvinskas

Earl R Collins, Jr

William H Corcoran

Wilbur J Marner

Karel Grohmann

Nick Vasilakos

Fluidics flow control of a multiphase supply using a cylindrical chamber is achieved by introducing the supply flow radially into the chamber. The supply flow exits through a port in the center at the chamber. A control fluid is then introduced tangentially about 90.degree. upstream from the supply port. A second control fluid port may be added about 90.degree. upstream from the first control fluid port, but preferably two sets of supply and control ports are added with like ports diametrically opposite each other. The control fluid flows against the circular wall of the control chamber, which introduces a vortex in the flow of the supply flow that decays into a spiral path to the exit port in the center of the chamber. The control flow rate may thus be used to control the spiral path, and therefore the supply flow rate through the exit port.

Vortex generator for flow control

A method of desulfurization is described in which high sulfur coals are desulfurized by low temperature chlorinolysis (12) of coal in liquid media, preferably water, followed by hydrodesulfurization (26) at a temperature above 500.degree. C. The coals are desulfurized to an extent of up to 90% by weight and simultaneously dechlorinated to a chlorine content below 0.1% by weight. The product coals have lower volatiles loss, lower oxygen and nitrogen content and higher fixed carbon than raw coals treated with hydrogen under the same conditions. Heating the chlorinated coal to a temperature above 500.degree. C. in inert gas such as nitrogen results in significantly less desulfurization.

Hydrodesulfurization of chlorinized coal

A method of desulfurizing coal is described in which chlorine gas is bubbled through an aqueous slurry of coal at low temperature below 130 degrees C., and at ambient pressure. Chlorinolysis converts both inorganic and organic sulfur components of coal into water soluble compounds which enter the aqueous suspending media. The media is separated after chlorinolysis and the coal dechlorinated at a temperature of from 300 degrees C. to 500 degrees C. to form a non-caking, low-sulfur coal product.

Coal desulfurization by aqueous chlorination

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West Covina, CA, United States of America

Naresh K Rohatgi