CA1194304A - Beneficiated coal, coal mixtures and processes for the production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A process for the production of beneficiated coal and coal slurries having low ash, and sulfur involv-ing admixing coal in an aqueous medium with a surface treating admixture comprising a polymerizable monomer, polymerization catalyst and a liquid organic carrier thereby rendering said coal highly hydrophobic and oleo-philic. The resultant beneficiated coal product is formed into coal slurries, such as coal-oil mixtures. In another embodiment, an improved process for the beneficiating of coal and the separation of impurities therefrom is disclosed comprising subjecting coal to surface treatment by contact with an aqueous medium comprising polymerizable monomer, polymerization catalyst and liquid organic carrier, thereby rendering said coal hydrophobic and oleophilic, the improve-ment comprising the high shear intermixing of the surface treated coal with at least one water wash medium thereby providing for the removal of further hydrophilic impuri-ties, such as mineral ash, from the coal. Apparatus for carrying out the process and the products prepared there-from are also provided.

Description

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1 ~ENEFICIATED COAL, COAL MIXTURES AND
_ROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION T~I~REOF
This invention relates to the beneficiation of coal and more particularly to an improved process for -the 5 beneficiation of coal and separation of impurities there-from and the formation of stable beneficiated coal mixtures, such as coal oil mixtures.
Known resources of coal and other solid carbon-aceous fuel materials in the world are far greater than lOthe known resources of petroleum and natural gas combined.
Despite this enormous abundance of coal and related solid carbonaceous materials, reliance on these resources, particularly coal, as primary sources of energy, has been for the most part discouraged. The availability of cheaper, 15cleaner burning, more easily retrievable and transportable fuels, such as petroleum and natural gas, has in the past, cast coal to a largely supporting role in the energy field.
Current world events, however, have forced a new awareness of global energy requirements and of the avail-20ability of those resources which will adequately meet theseneeds. The realization that reserves of petroleum and natural gas are being rapidly depleted in conjunction with skyrocketing petroleum and natural gas prices and the unrest in the regions of the world which contain the largest 25quantities of these resources, has sparked a new interest in the utilization of solid carbonaceous materials, particularly coal, as primary energy sources.
As a result, enormous efforts are being extended to make coal and related solid carbonaceous materials 30equivalent or better sources of energy, than petroleum or natural gas. In the case of coal, for example, much of ~ 9~.

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lthis effort is directed to overcoming the environmental prohlems associated wi-th its production, transportation and combustion. For example, hea~th and safety hazards - associated with coal minin~ have been significantly reduced 5with the onset of new le~islation governing coal mining.
Furthermore, numerous -techniques have been explored and developed to make coal cleaner burning, more suitable for burning and more readily transportable.
Gasification and liquefaction of coal are two 10~such known techniques. Detailed descriptions of various coal gasifaction and liquefaction processes may be found, for example, in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Kirk-Othmer, Third Edi-tion (1980) Volumne 11, pages 410-422 and 44~-473. Typically, these techniques, however, require 15high energy input, as well as the utilization of high temperature and high pressure equipment, thereby reducing their widespread feasibility and value.
Processes to make coal more readily liquefiable have also been developed. One such process is disclosed 20in U.S. Patent No. 4,033,852 tHorowitz~ et al.). This process involves chemically modifying a portion of the surface of the coal in a solvent media, the effect of which renders the coal more readily liquefiable in a solve~t than natural forms of coal, thereby permitting recovery of 25~ liquefiable viscous product by extraction.
In addition to gasification and liquefaction, other methods for converting coal to more convenient forms for burning and transporting are also known. For example, the preparation of coal-oil and coal-aqueous mixtures are 30 described in the literature. Such liquid coal mixtures offer considerable advantages. In addition to being more

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1 readily transportable than dry solid coal, they are rnore easlly storable, and less subject to the risks of explosion by spontaneous ignition. Moreover, providing coal in a fluid form makes it feasible for burning in conventional 5 appara-tus used for burning fuel oil. Such a capabili-ty can greatly facilitate the transition from fuel oil to coal as a primary energy source. Typical coal-oil and coal-aqueous mixtures and their preparation are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,7~2,8$7, U.S. Patent No. 3,617,095, lO U.S. Patent No. 4,217,109, U.S. Patent No. 4,101,293 and British Patent No. 1,523,193.
Regardless, however, of the form in which the coal is ultimately employed, the coal or coalcombustion products must be cleaned becausethey contain substantial amounts of 15sulfur, nitrogen compounds and mineral matter, including significant quantities of metal impurities. During com-bustion these materials enter the environment as sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides and compounds of metal impuri-ties.
If coal is to be accepted as a primary energy source, it 20must be cleaned to prevent pollution of the environment either by cleaning thecombustion products of the coal or the coal prior to burning.
Accordingly, physical as well as chemical coal cleaning (beneficiation) processes have been explored.
2sIn general, physical coal cleaning processes involve pulverizing the coal to release the impurities, wherein the fineness of the coal generally governs the degree to which.the impurities are released. However, because the costs of preparing the coal rise exponentially 30with the amount of fines to be treated, there is an economic optimum in size reduction. Moreover, grinding coal even to extremely fine sizes may not he effective in removing all 3~

l the impurities. Based on the physical properties that ef~ect the separation of the coal from the impurities, physical coal cleaning methods are generally divided into four categories: gravity, flota-tion, magnetic and electri-5 cal methods. In contrast to physical coal cleaning, chemicalcoal cleaning techniques are in a very early stage of development. Known chemical coal cleaning techniques include, for example, oxidative desulfurization of coal (sulfur is converted to a water-soluble form by air oxidation), 10 ferric salt leaching (oxidation o:E pyritic sulfur with ferric sulfate), and hydrogen peroxide-sulfuric acid leaching.
Other methods are also disclosed in the above-noted refer-ence to the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Volume 6, pages 314-322.
While it is obvious from the foregoing that enormous efforts have been made to make coal a more utilizable source of energy, furtner wGrk and improvements are still necessary and desirable before coal, coal mixtures and other solid carbonaceous fuel sources are accepted on 20 a wide scale as ~rimary sources of energy.
Thus, the present invention relates to a process which comprises contac-ting coal in an aqueous medium with a surface treating mixture comprisillg a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization catalyst and a li~uid organic 25 carrier, thereby providing a hydrophobic and oleophilic coal product adapted to the removal of further ash and sulfur by water separation techniques. The resul-tant pro-duct is highly suitable for the formation of beneficiated coal slurri.es and/or cleaned particulate coal.
Moreover, in a further embodiment oE the present invention an improved process for beneficiating coal is 3~

1 provided which comprises chemically surface -treating coal in an aqueous medium to render said coal hydrophobic and oleophilic, thereafter separating the hydrophobic and oleophili.c coal phase from the ash containing water phase 5 and recovering the hydrophobic and oleophilic coal phase, the particular improvement comprising subje,cting the chem-ically surface treated hydrophobic and oleophilic coal to high shear intermixing with an aqueous wash medium whereby additional ash and other hydrophilic impurities are 10 released into the aqueous medium and a hydrophobic coal phase floats upon and separates from a water phase.
In the accompanying figures~ Fig. 1 is a flow diagram illustrating the process of the present invention whereby solid carbonaceous material, such as coal, is 15 beneficiated.
Fig. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a preferred manner by which solid carbonaceous materials, such as coal, are beneficiated according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a further flow diagram depicting another 20 preferred mode by which the present invention is performed.
Fig. 4 is an illustration of a typical vessel which may be utilized in the practice of the present. invention.
In accordance with the present invention, a highly beneficiated coal product is produced by a process 25 which involves surface treating particles of coal in an aqueous medium with a surface treating admixture com-prising a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization catalyst and a liquid organic carrier, thereby rendering said coal particles hydrophobic and oleophilic. Thus, the process 30 of this invention provides a highly beneficia-ted coal product of relatively low water content which can be even further dehydrated (dried) to a remarkable degree wi.thout the use 6~

1 of thermal energy. The ash content of the coal prepared by the present process is reduced to low levels and mineral sulfur compounds present are also removed. Moreover, the final coal product has enhanced BTU content and can be burned 5as a solid or combined with fuel oil or water to produce highly desirable beneficiated coal mixtures or slurries which are readily transportable and cleanly burned.
As used herein, the term "beneficiation" is in-tended to include methods for cleaning or otherwise removing impurities lOfrom a substrate, such as coal and to the recovery of coal from coal streams, such as, for example, the recovery of coal from waste strçams in coal processing operations and the con-centration or dewatering of coal streams or slurries such as, for example, by the removal of water in, ~or example, coa]
15slurry pipelines.
In one embodiment for carrying out the present invention, wherein raw mined coal is employed as the feedstock, it is initially preferred to reduce raw mined coal or other solid carbonaceous material to a fine 20 diameter size and to remove unwanted rock, heavy ash and the like materials collected in the mining operation.
Thus, the coal is pulverized and ini-tially cleaned, usually in the presence o~ water, wherein the coal is suspended and/or sufficiently wetted to permit fluid flow. The coal 25is pulverized employing conventional equipment such as, for e~ample, ball or rod mills, breakers and the like.
It is generally desirable, although not necessary to the present process, to employ certain water conditioning (treating) additives in the pulverization operation. Such 30 additives assist in rendering the ash more hydrophilic, ~7~ ~ 3~

whic~ facili-tatesthe separation thereof~in a manner that will be discussed hereinafter. Typical addltives which are useful for purposes of this invention include conventional inorganic and organic dispersants, surfactants, 5 and/or wetting agents. Preferred additives for this purpose include sodium carbonate, sodium pyrophosphate, and the like.
The coal-a~ueous slurry formed in the pulverization operation is typically one having a coal to water ratio of from about 0.5:1 to about 1:5 and preferably about 1:3 lO parts by weight, re~pectively. If utilized, the water treating additives, hereinbefore described, are employed in small amounts, usually, for e~ample, from about 0.25 to about 5%, based on the weight of dry coal. While it is generally recognized that more impurities are liberated as the 15 size of the coal is reduced, the law of diminishing returns applies in that there is an economic optimum which governs the degree of pulverization. In any event, for the purposes of this invention, it is generally desirable to crush the coal to a particle size of from about ~8 to abou~ less 20 than 325 mesh, preferably about 80% of the particles being of about a 200 mesh size (Tyler Standard Screen Size).
Any type coal can be employed in the process of the present invention. Typically, these include, for eY~ample, bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, anthracite, lignite 25 and the like. Other solid carbonaceous fuel materials, such as oil shale, tar sands, coke, graphite, mine tailings, coal from refuse piles, coal processing fines, coal fines from mine ponds or tailings, carbonaceous fecal matter and the llke are also contemplated for treatment by the 3Oprocess herein. Thus, for the purposes of this invention, the term "coal" is also intended to include these kinds of other solid carbonaceous fuel materials or streams.

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1 In carrying out the beneficiation process herein, the coal-aqueous slurry, containing the pulverized coal, is contacted and admixed with a surface treating mixture comprised of a polymerizable monomer, polymerization catalyst 5 and a small amount of a liquid organic carrier, such as fuel oil.
Any polymerizable monomer can be employed in the sur-face treating polymerization reaction medium. While it is more convenient`to utilize monomers which are liquid at ambient tem-10 perature and pressure, gaseous monomers which contain olefinicunsaturation permitting polymerization with the same or dif-ferent molecules can also be used. Thus, monomers intended to be employed-herein may be characteri~ed by the formula XHC=CHX' wherein X and X' each may be hydrogen or any of a 15 wide variety of organic radicals or inorganic substituents.
Illustratively, such monomers include ethylene, propylene, blltylene, tetrapropylene, isoprene, butadiene, such as 1,4--butadiene, pentadiene, dicyclopentadiene, octadiene, olefinic petroleum fractions, styrene, vinyltoluene, vinylchloride, 20 acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-rnethylolacrylamide, acrolein, maleic acid, maleic anhydride, fumaric acid, abietic acid and -the like.
A preferred class of monomers for the purposes of the present invention are unsaturated carboxylic acids, esters, 25 anhydrides or salts thereof, particularly those included within the formula 1l wherein R is an olefinically RC-OR' unsaturated organic radical, preferably con-taining from about 2 to about 30 carbon atoms, and R' is hydrogen, a sal-t-30 forming cation such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metalor ammonium cation, or a satura-ted or ethylenically un-3~

1 saturated hydrocarbyl radical, preferably containing from1 to about 30 carbon atoms, either unsubstituted or sub-stituted with one or more halogen atoms, carboxylic acid groups and/or hydroxyl groups in which the hydroxyl hydrogens 5 may be replaced with saturated and/or unsaturated acyl groups, the latter preferably containing from about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms. Specific monomers conforming to the fore-going structural formula include unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic, ricinoleic, 10 mono-, di- and tri-glycerides, and other esters of unsat-urated fatty acids, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl-acrylate, ethyacrylate, ethylhexylacrylate, tertiarybutyl-acrylàtel oleylacrylate, methylmethacrylate, oleylmeth-acrylate, stearylacrylate, stearylmethacrylate, laurylmeth-15 acrylate, vinylacetate, vinylstearate, vinylmyristate,vinyllaurate, unsaturated vegetable seed oil, soybean oil, rosin acids, dehydrated castor oil, linseed oil, oli~e oil, peanut oil, tall oil, corn oil and the like. For the purposes of this invention, tall oil and corn oil have 20 been found to provide particularly advantageous results. Corn oil is especially preferred. Moreover, it is to be clearly understood that compositions containing compounds within the foregoing formula and in addition containing, for example, saturated fatty acids such as palmitic, stearic, etc. are 25 also contemplated herein~ Also contemplated herein as monomers are aliphatic and/or polymeric petroleum materials.
The amount of polymerizable monomer will vary depending upon the degree of surface treatment desired. In general, however, monomer amounts of from about 0.005 to abou~
300.1%, by weight7 o~f~the dry coal are used.

The catalysts employed in ~he coal surface treatir.g beneficiation reaction of the present invention are any such materials commonly used in polymerization reactions. These include, for e~ample, anionic~ cationic or free radical catalysts.
5 Free radical catalysts or catalyst systems (also refexred to as addition polymerization catalysts, vinyl polymerization catalysts or polymerization initiators) are preferred herein.
Thus, illustratively, free radical catalysts contemplated herein include, for example, inorganic and organic peroxides such as benzoyl peroxide, methylethyl ketone peroxide, tert-butyl-hydroperoxide, hydrogen peroxide, ammonium persulfate, di-tert-butvlperoxide, tert-butyl-perbenzoate, peracetic acid and in-cludin~ such non-peroxy free-radical initiators as the diazo compounds such as l,l'-bisazoisobutyronitrile and the like.
Typically, for t~e purposes of this invention ! any catal~tic amount (e.g. 1 pound per ton of dry coal feed~ of the foregoing described catalysts can be used.
Moreover, free radical polymerization systems commonly employ free radical initiators which function 20 to help Lnitiate the free radical reaction. For the purposes herein, any of those disclosed in the prior art, such as those disclosed, fox example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,033,852, may be used. Specifically~
some of these initiators include, for example, water 25 soluble salts, such as sodium perchlorate and perborate, sodium persulfate, potassium persulfate, ammonium persulfate, silver nitrate, water soluble salts of noble metals such as platinum and gold, sulfites, nitrites and other compounds ccntaining the like oxidizing anions, and water soluble salts of iron, nickel 30 chromium, copper, mercury, aluminum, cobalt, manganese, zinc, arsenic, antimony, tin, cadmium, and the like.

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1 Particularly preferred initiators herein are the water soluble eopper salts, i.e. cuprous and cupric salts, such as copper acetate, eopper sulfate and copper nitrate. Most advantageous results have been obtained herein with euprie 5 nitrate, Cu(NO3)2. Further initiators contemplated herein include metal salts of organic moities, typically metal salts of organie acids or eompositions containing lO or~anie acids, sueh as naphthenates, tallates, oetanoates, ete. and other organie soluble metal salts, said metals ineluding copper, ehromium, mereury, aluminum, antimony, arsenie, eobalt, manganese, niekel, tin, lead, zinc, rare earths, mixed rare earths, and mixtures thereof and double 15 sa~ts of sueh metals. The eombination of copper and eobalt salts, partieularly cupric nitrate and eobalt naphthenate, have been found to provide particularly good and synergistic results.
The amounts of free radieal initiator contemplated 20 herein are any eatalytie amount ar.d generally are within the range of from about lO-lO00 ppm (parts per million~ of the metal portion of the initiator, preferably 10-200 ppm,based on the amount of dry eoal.
The surfaee treating reaction mi~ture of the present invention also ineludes a liquid organie carrier.
This liquid organic earrier is utilized to facilitate contact of the surface of the eoal partieles with the polymerization reaetion medium. Thus, liquid organie earriers ineluded within the seope of this invention are, 3o for exam~le, fuel oil, sueh as No. ~ or No. 6 fuel oils, non-fuel oil liauid organie carriers, sueh as hydro-earbons ineluding, for example, benzene, toluene, -12- '~

1 xylene, hydrocarbons fractions, such as naphtha and me~ium boiling petroleum fractions (boiling poin-t 100-180C);
dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, dimethylsulfoxide, methanol, ethanol, isopropvl 5 alcohol, acetone, methylethyl ]~etone, ethyl acetate and the like and mixtures thereof.
The amounts of li~uid organic carrier, such as fuel oil, utilized in the surface treatment reaction herein are generally in the range of from ab~utO.25 to about 5% by lO weight,based on the weight of dry coal.
The surface treatment reaction of the present process is carried out in an aqueous medi~ The amount of water employed for this purpose is generally from about 65~ to about 95%, by weight, based on the weight of coal 15 slurry.
The surface treating reaction conditions will, of course, vary, depending upon the specific reactants employed and results desired. Generally, however, any polymerization conditions which result in the formation 20 of a hydrophoblc or oleophilic surface on the coal can be utilized. More specifically, typical reaction conditions include, for example, temperatures in the range of from about 10C to about 90C, atmospheric to nearly atmospheric pressure conditions and a contact time, i.e. reaction time, 25 of from about 1 second to about 30 minutes, preferably from about 1 second to about 3 minutes. Preferably, the surface treatment reaction is carried out a~ a temperature of from about 15C to about 80C and atmospheric pressure for about 2 minutes. In general, however, the longer the 3O reaction time, the more enhanced are the results.

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1 ln the practice of the present invention, the coal can ~e contacted with the surface treating ingredients by employing various techniques. For example, one technique is to feed the aqueous pulverized coal slurry through a 5 spraying means, e.g. nozzle, and add the surface treating ingredients, i.e. polymerizable monomer, polymerization catalyst, initiator and liquid organic carrier to the aqueous coal spray. The resultant total spray mixture is then introduced to an aqueous medium contained in a 10 beneficiation vessel. In a preferred embodiment when this technique is used, the surface treated aqueous coal rnixture now in the vessel is recycled to the same vessel by re-feeding the mixture to the vessel through at least one of said spraying means.
In a second technique, the aqueous coal slurry and surface treating ingredients, i.e. polymerizable monomer, polymeriza-tion catalyst, initiator and liquid organic carrier, are admixed in a premix tank and the resultant admixture is sprayed, e.g. through a nozzle, into an 20aqueous medium contained ln a beneficiation vessel. In another and third technique, the resultant surface treated aqueous coal mixture, formed in the beneficiation vessel in accordance with the foregoing described second technique, is recycled to the same vessel by re-feeding 25the mixture to the vessel through at least one of said spraying rrleans.
As the surface treating reaction is completed, the hydrophobic and oleophilic beneficiated coal particles float to the surface of the liquid mass. The ash, still 30 remaining hydrophilic, tends to se-ttle and is removed to the wa-ter phase. Thus, the coal which results from reac-., l tio.~ with the hereinbefore described polymerizabl.e surfacetreating mixture is e~tremely hydrophobic and oleophilic and consequently readily floats and separates from the aqueous phase, provid.ing a ready water washing and for high 5 recoveries of coal. The floating hydrophobic coal is also readily seperablefrom the aqueous phase (for example, a s~im-ming screen may be used for the separation), which contains ash, sulfur and other impurities which have been removed from the coal. While it is not completely understood and while lO not wishing to be bound to any theory, it is believed that the surface treatment polymerizatio:n reaction i.nvolves the for~ation of a polymeric organic coating on the surface of the coal by molecular grafting of polymeric side chains on the coal molecules.
In the practice of -the present invention, the surface treated coal is preferably subjected to at least one further wash step wherein the coal phase or phases are redispersed, with good agitation, e.g. employing high speed mixers, as a slurry in fresh wash water. Preferably, 20 the initially surface treated coal is aclded to the wash water under atomizing pressure through a spray nozzle thus forming minute droplets in air which are directed with force onto and into the surface of the fresh water mass.
In this manner, some air is incorporated into the system.
By spraying, the wash water and the treated coal phase are intimately admixed under high speed agitation and/or shear produced by the spray nozzle under super atmospheric pressures. In this manner, the hydrophobic coal particles are jetted into intimate contact with 30 the wash water through one or more orifices of the spray nozzle thereby inducing air inclusion, both in the passage through the nozzle as well as upon i.mpingement upon and into the air-wate:r interface o:E the wash water bath.

l U.S. Patents 4,34~,126 and 4,347,127 both issued on August 31, 1982, describe and claim a particularly effective method and apparatus for sepa-rating the treated coal particles from unwanted ash and 5 sulfur in the water phase utilizing an aeration spray technique, wherein a coal froth phase is formed by spraying or injecting the treated coal-water slurry into the surface of the cleaning water. Briefly, according to the method and apparatus there described, the coal slurry is injected lO through at least one selected spray nozzle, preferably of the hollow cone type, at pressures, for example, at from about 15-20 psig, at a spaced-a~art distance above the water surface, into the water surface producing aeration and a frothing or foaming of the coal particles, causing 15 these particles to float to the water surface for skimming off.
The foregoing described washings may be carried out with the treated coal slurry in the presence of simply water at temperatues of, for example, about 10 to about 20 90C, preferably about 30C, employing from about 99 to about 65 weight percent water,based on the weight of dry coal feed. Alternatively, additional amounts of any or all of the heretofore described surface treating ingredients i.e. poly-merizable monomer, catalyst, initiator, liquid organic 25 carrier, may also be added to the wash wa~er. Moreover, the washing conditions e.g. temperature, contact time, etc., utilized when these ingredients are employed can be the same as if only water is present or the washing conditions can be the same as those described heretofore with respect 30 to surface treatment of the coal with the surface treating mixture. Of course, water conditioning additives may also be utilized during the washing steps, if desired.

.~g 3~a l After washing and/or additional surface treatmen-t, the beneficiated coal may be dried to low wa-ter levels simply by mechanical means, such as by centrifugation, pressure or vacuum filtration etc., thus avoiding -the necessity for 5 costly thermal energy to remove residual water. The beneficiated coal prepared by the process of this invention, as hereinbefore described, yenerally contains from about 0.5%
to about 10.0% by weight ash,based on the weight of clry coal. Moreover, the sulfur content is from about 0.1~ to 10 about 4% by weight, preferably about 0.3 -to about 2%,based on the weight of dry coal and the water content is from about 2% to about 25%, preferably from about 2% to about 15%, by weight, based on the weight of dry coal.
At this point, the beneficiated coal can be used as 15 a high energy content, ash and sulfur reduced, fuel product.
This beneficiated fuel product can be utilized in a direct firing burner apparatus. Alternatively, the beneficiated particulate coal can be blended with a carrier such as oil to provide a highly stable and beneficiated coal slurry,such 20 as a coal-oil mixture (COM). Oil, preferably fuel oil, such as No. 2, or No. 6, is blended with the beneficiated coal at any desired ratio. These ratios typically include from about 0.5 to about 1.5 parts by weight coal to l part oil.
Preferably a l:l weight ratio is employed.
-It is also to be understood herein that the solid beneficiated coal product of the present invention can also be redispersed in aqueous systems for pumping through pipe-lines. If desired, to provide improved stability, selected metal ions, by way of their hydroxide or oxide, can be added 3o to the aqueous dispersion to preferably adjust the pH of the slurry to above 7. Thus, for this purpose, alkali and/or alkaline earth metals, each as, sodium, potassium, calcium, nia~nesium, etc., hydroxide or oxides,can be used.

Sodium hydroxide is preferred.
It has also been discovered herein that a stabil-ized coal-oil mixture can be provided by the presence therein of the alkali or alkaline earth metal,e.g. (sodium, potas-5 sium, calcium, magnesium, etc.) salt of a ~atty acia of the formuia wherein R" is a saturated or an olefinically R"C-O~I
unsaturated organic radicalO Thus, the hereinbefore described unsaturated fatty acids, i.e., O , wherein RCOR' R' is hydrogen and R is as defined before, are also intended for use herein. The presence of these fatty acid salts in the beneficiated coal-oil mixtures of this invention permits the ready dispersion of the coal in the fuel oil to produce 15 a gel or other structure which retards settling almost indefinitely. Other metal ions, in addition to alkali or alkaline earth metals,are also useful to form stabilizin~
fatty acid salts. These other metals include, for example, iron, zinc~ aluminum and the like.
Generally, the amount of fatty acid utilized in forming the stable coal-oil mixture will be from 3.0 to 0.5%
by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture. The amount of alkali or alkaline earth containing compound util-i.zed to form the yel will be sufficient to neutralize a sub-25stantial portion of the fatty acid and thus generally variesfrom about 0.1 to 1.0% and usually 0.1% to 0.6% by weight, based on the total weight of the coal-oil mixture. Preferably for a 50:50 coal-oil mixture, 1.5~6 by wei~ht acid and 0.3%
by weight of neutralizing compound are added to the mixture.
3 An alternative practice herein to form stable coal-oil mi~tures is to subject the coal-oil mixture to an additional surface treating reaction where additional amounts of polymerizable monomer and polymerization catalyst are added to a mixture of -the beneficiated coal in oil. In this case, the polymerizable monomer is again an unsaturated carboxylic acid as described above, preferably tall oil, used in amounts of 3.0 to 0.5gO by weight, preferably 1.5%, based on the to-tal weight of the mixture. The polymerization catalyst can be any of those described hereinbefore and is preferably cupric nitrate, used in amounts of 2.0 to 10 ppm ~parts per million), preferably 5 ppm, based on the total weight of the mixture.
The polymerizable monomer and po:Lymerization catalyst are added to the coal-oil mixture with stirring. Thereafter, alkali or alkaline earth metal compound, such as sodium hydroxide, in an amount of 0.6 to 0. l~o ~ by weight, preferably 0.3%, based on the total weight of the mixture is added to the mixture.
The resulting product is a preferred stabilized coal-oil mixture~
Another process which is suitable herein for prepar-ing stable beneficiated coal-oil mixtures involves admixing beneficiated coal with a fatty acid ester, such as triglyceride, preferably tallow, and a base, such a sodium hydroxide. A
further process is described and claimed in U.S. Patent

4,306,883 granted December 22, 1981, which describes a process for Eorming stabilized coal-oil mixtures by initially admixing, under low shear conditions and at an elevated temperature, coal, oil, polymerizable monomer and polymerization catalyst, and immediately thereafter subjecting the mixture to a condi-tion of high shear agitation at the same elevated temperature.
The resultant coal-oil .~

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1 mix-ture is -then treated with a gelling agent, such as a hydroxide, like sodium hydroxlde, to form a stable bene-ficiated coal-oil mixture which is in the form of a gel or thixo-tropic mixture.
The coal fuel oil products, i.e. coal-oil mi~tures, of the present invention have unique properties.
For example, the present coal-oil mixtures are thixotropic, have increased energy content r can utilize coal having low ash, low suliur and low moisture content and a wide 10 variety of coals and can provide the potential for a widely expanded market for coal as a fluid fuel thereby ass:isting in the conserva-tion o~ petroleum.
With specific reference to the drawings herein, and particularly to Fig. 1, the process of this invention 15 is illustratively carried out, for example, by initially pulverizing raw mined coal in pulverization zone 10 in the presence of water, and if desired, water conditioning additives, to form an aqueous coal slurry. This aqueous coal slurxy is mixed in line 6 with surface treating reagents and/or 20 additives, fed to line 6 from tanks 1, 2, 3, and 4 via line 5, and the thusly treated coal-slurry is introduced to beneficiation zone 12, as shown. Tanks 1, 2, 3 and 4 con-tain, for example, polymeriæable monomer, free radical cat-alyst, free radical initiator and liquid organic carrier, 25 respectively. Raw mined coal is fed to zone 10 -through line 23; water is fed through line 21 and water conditioning additives may be introduced via line 25. Unwanted materials, such as rock, are removed via line 27.
Water is generally the principal ingredient 3 in beneficiation zone 12. Thus, the treated coal-slurry 3~

lbeing fed to zone 12 via line 6 is now hydrophobic ancl oleophilic and after admixture wi-th the wash water in zone 12, for example, by high speed mixer or spray atomizer, readily floats on the surface of the water, thereby 5forming a coal froth phase and an aqueous phase in zone 12.
The coal froth phase in zone 12 is readil~ removed from zone 12 (for example, by s~imming) through line 47 to provide a beneficiated, i.e. clean, coal product according to the present invention having a reduced ash, sulfur and water lOcontent~ If desired, the clean coal from line 47 may be further dried to remove additional water. The aqueous phase, remaining in zone 12, contains ash, sulfur and other hydrophilic impurities and can be removed therefrom through line 11.
Alternatively, in carrying out the process of the present invention, in accordance with Fig. 1, the surface treating reagents and/or additives may be admixed with the aqueous coal slurry directly in beneficiation zone 12. Thus, these reagents and/or additives can be introduced to zone 12 20via line 31 (monomer), 33 (free radical catalyst), 35 (free radical initiator) 37 (water), 39 (liquid organic carrier).
The coal slurry is fed to zone 12 through line 6 and thusly admi~.:ed with the reagents in zone 12. In another manner, as described hereinbefore, the surface treating additives can 25be added to the coal spray coming from line 6.
With specific ref-erence to ~ig. 2, the process of this invention is illustratively continuously carried out beginning with raw mined coal and ending with a coal-oil mixture, although as indicated above other feeds-tocks and 30Droducts, such as beneficiated particulate coal and coal-water mi~tures are also contemplated herein. Thus, referring to Fig. 2, raw coal is initially pulverized in pulverization zone lOA in the presence of water and, if dcsired, water conditioning additives, to form an aqueous coal slurry. This 1 aqueous coal slurry is fed to mix zone 11, through line 9, and admixed in zone 11 with surface treating reagents/
additives transported from reagent and/or additive tanks lA, 2A and 3A and ~A, via line 8. Tanks lA, 2A, 3A and

5 4A contain, for example, polymerizable monomer, free radical catalyst, free radical initiator and liquid organic carrier, respectively. Raw mined coal is fed to zone lOA through line 23A; water is fed through line 21A and water condi-tioning additives may be introduced to zone lOA via line 10 25A. The resultant admixture in mix zone 11 which contains the initial chemically treated hydrophobic and oleophilic coal, is then introduced to a first beneficiation zone 12A through line ~9.
Alternatively, surface treating additives (or addi-15 tional surface treating additives) i.e., polymerizable monomer, polymerization catalyst, liquid organic carrier, hereinbefore described, may be added directly to zone 12A (or zones 14 and 16), for example, through line 31A (monomer~, 33A (free radical catalyst), 35A (free radical initiator), 37A(water), 20 39A (liquid organic carrier), or they can be admixed before-hand along with the pulverized coal slurry in lines leading to the beneficiation zones or vessels in the zones. In the case where the surface treating reagents/additives axe added directly to zone 12A, the coal slurry from zone lOA may be 25 added directly to zone 12A via lines 9A and 29. In addition, as described before,the coal slurry in the benefication vessel can be recycled within each ~articular vessel to achieve ~reater mixing and separation.
The coal in zone 12A is extremely hydrophobic and 3 oleophilic and after good agitation with, for example, a high 1 speed mixer or spray atomizer, a coal froth phase ensues which is recovered. A screen may be advantageously used for the separation and recovery of the flocculated coal.
If desired, the recovered coal can be introduced, via lines 5 47 and 49 to a fur-ther sequence of wash steps, (e.g. zones 1~ and 16) wherein with further agi-tation of the recovered hydrophobic coal froth from zone 12A, provided by high speed mixers, or other means, such as a spray atomizer, additional ash is released to the water phase.
The water-wetted ash suspension phase, which is also formed in zone 12A, can be recovered and can be sent to waste and water xecovery, after which the water can be recycled for reuse in the process as shown in Fig. 2.
Alternatively, as indicated above, additional ash 15 and sulfur is removed from the beneficated coal froth phase by a series of counter-current water-wash steps, i.e the water phase in the wash zones 14 and 16 can be recycled to a previous wash zone, as also ilustrated in Fig. 2.
As indicated hereinbefore, in addition -to water, zones 12A, 20 14 and 16 may also contain any or all of the foregoing chemical surface treatment additives. The finally washed and surface treated coal exiting zone 16 via line 57 can be dried to a very low water level by, for example, centri-fugation. The water which is taken off in the centrifuge 25 may also be recycled in the process as shown. The recovered dry beneficiated coal product can be used directly as such 3S a solid fuel or can be blended with a carrier to :Eorm a highly desirable beneficiated coal slurry,such as a coal-oil-li~uid fuel mixture.
In the preparation of the coal-oil mixture, Fig.

1 illustrates that the clry beneficiated surface trea-ted coal is fed to a coal-oil dispersion mixer, wherein, preferably hereinbefore identified O acid, such as tall oil R"C-OH
5 or naphthenic acid, may be added along with alkali metal hydroxide, such as sodium or calci.urn hydroxide, to form a stable dispersion. If desired, f~rther surface treatment of the coal may be carried out in the coal-oil dispersion mixer by adding a polymeri7able monomer and polymerization cata-10 lyst to the admixture, as described above~ wi~h or without subsequent addition of alkali or alkaline earth hydroxlde.
Illustratively, coal-fuel dispersion can be carried out, eithe~ continuously or batchwise, in, for example, con-ventional paint grinding equipment, wherein heavy, small 15 grinding media are used to shear the dispersion into a non-settling flowable coal-fuel product of thixotropic nature.
It is to be understood herein that while the coal-oil admixture process illustrated herein utilizes coals beneficiated as described herein, any coal, e.g. raw coal, 20 coal beneficiated b~ processes not herein described and the like, can also be employed to form stable coal-oil mixtures in accordance with the process of the present invention.
Fig. 3 illustrates a further preferred mode by which the present invention may be performed. .With specific 25 reference thereto, raw mined coal is introduced to pulverization zone 70, through line 103 and pulverized therein in the presence of water which is added via line 101. The water preferably contains'a conditioning or treating addi.tive such as an inorganic or organic surfactant, wetting agent, dis-3o persant or the like which enhances the effectiveness of thewater. Typical organic surfactants (s~lch as Triton X-100) * Trade mark .E~

~2~ 3~

l include anionic, cationic and nonionic materials. Sodium pyrophosphate is a preferred additive for the purposes of this invention. Conditioning ingredients can be fed to zone 70 through line 1~5, for example. The aqueous coal slurry 5 in zone 70 is sent to mix zone 82 via line 81 and admixed therein with reagents/additives from tanks.lB, 2B, 3B and 4B containing polymerizable monomer, free radical catalyst, free radical initiator and liquid organic carrier, respecti~ely, for example.
The aqueous chemically treated hydrophobic and oleophilic coal slurry admixture formed in zone 82 is fed to a first water wash zone 72 through line 107 and through high shear nozzle D, whereby the velocity of the stream and the shearing forces are believed to break up the coal 15 phase stream into fine droplets which in turn can pass through an air interface within wash zone 72 and impinge downwardly upon and forcefully jet into the mass of the continuous water in, e.g. a tank or tanks, contained therein.
If desired, further surface treating reagents, and/or addi-20 tives, hereinbefore identified, may be added to zone 72,(and/or zones 74 and 76), for example, through lines 109 (polymerizable monomer), 111 (free radlcal catalyst), 113 (free radical initiator), 115 (water), 117 (liquid organic carrier). The hydrophobic and oleophilic coal phase, which 25 ensues in zone 72, is then preferably, as shown, fed to a Eurther sequence of wash zones, via line 47.
Without intending to be limited to any theory or reaction mechanism, it is believed to be helpful to discuss the phenomena thought to provide some of the advantageous 30 results achieved by the process herein. Thus, the high shear-ing forces created inmi~ing,.such as in nozzle~, are believed -25- ~ 3~

l to assist in breaking up the coal~oil water flocs as tne dis-persed particles forcefully enter the surface of the water in the tank, thereby water-wetting and releasing ash and other impurities from the interstices between the coal flocs. , 5 The coal flocs are thereby broken up so that the trappe~
ash and other impurities are freed and introduced to ~e a~eous phase and thus separated from the coal particles. The ~i~ely divided coal particles, whose surfaces are now believed surrounded by polymer and liquid organic carrier, such as lO fuel oil, also now contain (occluded) air sorbed in the atomized particles as a result of the shearing effects of the nozzle. The combination of surface treatment and sorbed air causes the flocculated coal to decrease in apparent density and to float on the surface of the water, 15 as a dis~inct coal froth phase. Thus, ~he coal particles assume a density less than water, repel water by virtue of their increased hydrophobicity and quickly float to the surface of the water.
By the foregoing technique, not only is ash 20 substantially removed from the treated coal product, but the entrapped air and the more hydrophobic and oleophilic coal surfaces provide for a marked increase in the yield of total. beneficiated treated coal, which is ultimately recovered.
The still hydrophilic ash remains in the bulk 25 aqueous phase and tends to settle downward in the tank by ~ravity and is withdrawn from zone 72 in an ash-water stream ll9 from the base of the vessel. Some small amount of fine coal which may not be separated completely.can be transferred with the aqueous phase (withdrawn ash-water stream) to a fine 3o coal recovery zone 121, as shown in Fig. 3. Recovered c~al 3~)~

lfines can be recycled via line 123 to the aqueous coal slurry in zone 70.
The wash process carried out in zone 72 can be repeated, employing a counter-current wash system, where~y the 5coal progresses to a cleaner state thro~gh se~uential i tr~-duction to beneficiation zones 74 and 76, ~i~ lines 47 and 49, as illustrated in Fig. 3. Conc~ n~l~r ~le~ sh water becomes progressively loaded with w~ter solu~le ~
water wetted solid impurities extracted by ~he ~ash ~ater.
As described before, the intima~ely ad~ixed ash-water suspension coming from zone 72, contai~ing so}Qe small amounts of particulate coal, is forwarded to ine coal recovery zone 121 where high ash-low water solids are recovered and expelled for removal from the process ~nd 15 the fine coal is recycled, as shown. The wash wate~ can be further treated,at 125,to control the condition ~f the recovered water prior to recycle. The cleaned ~ater is recycled to the original aqueous coal slurry or s~h other make-up as the overall process may require to bala~ce material 20 flow.
As shown in Fig. 3, the coal froth phases resulting in zones 72 and 74 can be introduced for further ~ashings v~a nozzles E and F, respectively. In this manner, the coal particles are again atomized. The velocity and hi~h shear 25 created by nozzles E and F once again permit ~ash wa-ter contact with any ash still retained in the intersrices of t~e coal flocs, thereby assisting, in each wash step~ to release ash to the aqueous phase. The aqueous phases i~ zc~es 72 r 74 and 76 float the flocculated coal-oil-air ~ass to the 3o top of the respective tanks.
The final coal froth phase in zon~ 76 is ed to a centrifuge, via line 57, for drying~ T~e be~e~icia~ed, c`ea:

-27~ b~

l coal phase is thereby remarkably dried without the necessity for thermal energy, which is believed due to the reduced attraction for water between the large coal-oil surfaces and the water physically occluded therebetween in the flocculated 5 dry coal recovered from the mechanical drying step.
The dry hydrophobic cleaned coal can be used advantageousl~ at this point as a higher energy content, ash and sulf~r reduced solid fuel, which is referred to herein as Product I. "nis solid fuel can be utilized in direct firing lO or to forln benefieiated coal slurries as described above.
As indicated above in another embodiment of this invention, a liquid fuel mixture, which is easily pu~ped as a Iiquid, but which is of such rheological quality as to form a thixotropic liquid, can also be provided. A
15 thixotropic liquid is one that has "structure" or tends to become viscous and gel-like upon s-tanding quiescently, but which loses viseosity and the "structure" or gel deereases markedly and rapidly upon subjectlng the thixotropic liquid to shearing stresses, as by agitation through mixing and 20 pumping proeesses or by heating.
In the praetice of this invention, as illustrated by Fig. 3, the dry, beneficiated coal Product I is mixed with a quantity of fuel oil (illustratively l:l by weight and preferably heated to reduce viscosity espeeially in 25 instanees wherein the fuel oil is of a heavy viseosity grade) in a mix tank to provide a pumpable fluid mixture.
Alternatively, the fuel-oil coal mixture in the mix zone may be subjected to an additional surface treatment step, in line with the general reaction procedure 3o employed in the initial surface treatment beneficiation, hereinbefore described. For this purpose,any of the herein-1 before identified polymerizable monomers, such as tall oil, corn oil, and the like may be used and added to the mix zone along with any of the hereinbefore identified polymer-ization catalysts and/or initiators. Moreover, the saturated 5 carboxylic acids hereinbefore described may be used alone or in combination with the unsaturated acids, if desired.
~n the case wherein saturated acids are used alone, initiators and catalysts need not be employed. Naphthenic acids are illustrative of saturated acids which may be used.
The admixture of surface treated coal, fuel oil and carboxylic acid can then be substantially neutralized, with a water soluble alkali metal, such as from a hydroxide, like sodium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide or mixtures thereof as indicated above to form a stable coal-oil mixture. A
15 liquid cleam coal-oil fuel mixture (Product II), having no tendency to settle out, is storably recovered to provide a flowable high energy source for a wide variety of end uses.
~ lternatively, the beneficiated coal product I can be slurried with water to provide coal-aqueous slurries or 20 mixtures.
Fi~. 4 illustrates a unit 55 which is suitable as a ~roth flotation vessel useful in any of the wash and/or beneficiation zones employed in the present process. In this unit, the aqueous coal slurry i.e. admixture of coal, 25 water and preferably surface treating reagents/additives, is sprayed into the vessel through lines 29 and through spray nozzles 61. Additional surface -treating reagents/
additives or any other desired ingredients may also be added via lines 31, 33, 35, 37 and 39. In this vessel the 30 coal froth is skimmed off from the main portion of the lvessel into a collector compartment and can be introduced to the next zone via line 147, for example. The aqueous-ash phase in the main portion of the vessel is removed through line 41, for example.
It is to be understood herein that any of the zones illustrated in Figllres 1-3 may comprise a single vessel or æone or any number of vessels or zones arran~ed in a manner suitable and in accordance with carrying out the invention as described herein.
In order that those skilled in the art may better understand how the present invention may be practiced, the rollowing examples are given by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

3o 3~

200 grams of Pittsburgh seam coal having an initial ash content of 6.2% and initial sulfur content of 1.5%
is pulveri~ed in the presence of 400 grams of water to a 520Q mesh size using a ball mill grinding unit. The coal is transferred to a mixing vessel. Into this vessel containing the coal is also introduced 0.05 grams of corn oil, 2.0 grams of #2 fuel oil, l.Occ. of a 5.0% solution of hydrogen peroxide in water and 2.0cc. of a cupric nitrate solu-lO tion in water. The mixture is stirred and heated to ahout30~C for about 2 minutes. The resultant mixture is sprayed into a vessel containing clean water and a frothing ensues.
The coal, in the coal froth phase, is skimmed from the water surface. The water phase containing large amounts of hydro-15 philic ash and sulfur is discarded.
The cleaning procedure is repeated two furthertimes using clean water and skimming the frothed coal from the water surface. The particulate coal is then dried to a water content of15%, based on the weight of dry coal, 20 using a laboratory Buchner funnel. The ash content of the flnal particulate product is reduced -to 1.5% and the sulfur content is reduced to 0.8%.

3o 3~3~

The procedure of Example 1 is repeated using equivalent amounts of (a) coker gasoline; (b) oleic acid;
- and (c) tall oil, each substituted for the corn oil. A
5 cleaned coal particu].ate product is produced having an ash ~ content of about 3% and a moisture content. of about 15~, based on the weight of the dry coal.

3o 32~

EXAMPL~ 3 The process of Example 1 is repeated using (a) Kittanning seam coal; (b) Illinois #6 seam coal; and (c) lower Freeport seam coal in lieu of the Pittsburg seam 5 coal. A cleaned coal product having an ash content of about 3.0~ and a moisture concentration of 15~l based on thè weight of the dry coal,is provided.

3o 3~
1 ~XAMPLE

200 grams, Illinois #6 coal reduced to about 1/~'l size lumps and having an ash content of 19.~%, is crushed 5 to a particle size of about 28 mesh and then pulverized to 200 mesh in a laboratory ball mill in the presence of water to form-a coal-aqueous liquid slurry. The liquid phase of the slurry contains about 65~o water based on the total weight of the slurry.
50 mg. tall oil, 10 gms. of fuel oil, 250 milligrams sodium pryrophosphate, 100 milligrams of cupric nit:rate and 1.0 gms. H2O2 (5% solution in watexj are added to the above coal-aqueous slurry at about 30-40C. The hydrophobic, sur-face treated coal phase which ensues is recovered by removing 15 it from the surface of the aqueous phase on which it floats.
The aqueous phase contains the hydrophilic ash and is dis-carded.
Subsequent to several re-dispersions in clean soft water, containing sodium pyrophosphate, at about 30C, the 20 surface treated coal is recovered. After filtering -through a Buchner funnel, the water content of the coal is about 15%. (Conventionally processed coal, i.e., without chemical surface treatment, customarily retains from about ~0-50%
water when ground to the same mesh size).
The recovered~ mechanically dried, treated, beneficiated coal is admixed with 160 grams of fuel oil and an additional 5.0 gms. of tall oil is addecl thereto. ~fter thorough admixing at 85C, caustic soda, e~uivalent to the acid value of the admixture, 30 is added thereto and further admixed therewith.
After standing for several months, no sett:Ling of the coal-liquid fuel mixture is observed.

-3~-The process of Example 4 is repeated, except that gram equivalent amounts of the following polymerizable mono-5 mers are substituted for the tall oil used in Example ~:
(a) coker gasoline and (b) oleic acid.
The surface of the pulverized coal is similarly altered to result in strongly hydrophobic coal particles which are processed similar to Example ~. In each case, 10 the same amount of tall oil is admixed with the recovered beneficiated coal, after drying. Acidity is neutralized with caustic and similar coal-oil liquid suspensions are prepared, which all exhibit thixotropic quality depending upon the metal ion selected to displace the sodium ion of the sodium hydroxide 15 originally added. No settling is observed over several weeks observation, independent of the monomer used in the surface treatment reaction.

3~

The process of Example 4 is repeated except that 2 grams of benzoyl peroxide are used in place of the hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, 2 grams of Triton-X--130 surfac-tant 5 and 25 grams of sodium pyrophosphate are presen-t in the original slurry water~ The ash in the resulting aqueous phase is filtered out after treating wit~ lime. The ash con-tent of the treated coal is reduced from about 19.9% to about 4.7~ after five separate washings, wherein the water also 10 contains Triton-X-100 and sodium pyrophosphate. The tall oil used in the surface treatment reaction and the tall oil employed in the formation of the stable coal-oil mixture, is neutralized first with caustic soda and sub-sequently treated with an equivalent amount of calcium 15 hydroxide. The viscosity of the coal-oil mixture is of a thixotropic gel-like nature, indicating no settling is to be expected upon extended standing.

3o 3~

235 grams of beneficiated coal having a 15%
moisture content prepared in accordance with ~xample 5 l is placed in a vessel in which a stabilized coal-fuel oil mixture is formed by the addition to said coal of 200 gms of #2 fuel oil, 6.0 gms. tall oil, l.0 gms. of a 0.1% solution of H2O2 ( or benzoyl peroxide) in water (toluene), and 2.0 gms. of a 0 0 1% aqueous solution of lQ cupric nitrate. The mixture is stirred for about l.0 minute at about 85~C. 1.5 gms. of sodium hydroxide is added tnereto and stirred for 5.0 minutes at about 65C.
The resultant coal-oil mixture is a stabilized gel and remains so indefinitely.

3o ~37-1 Obviously, other modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that changes may be made in the particular embodiments of this invention s~hich arewithin the full intended scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

3o

Claims (16)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A process for beneficiating coal comprising admixing coal in an aqueous medium with a surface treating mixture comprising a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization catalyst and a liquid organic carrier, thereby rendering said coal hydrophobic and oleophilic.

2. The process according to claim 1 further comprising subjecting the surface treated hydrophobic and oleophilic coal to at least one water washing to remove quantities of selected impurities and recovering the resul-tant beneficiated coal product.

3. The process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said liquid organic carrier is a non-fuel oil liquid organic carrier.

4. The process according to claim 1 wherein said liquid organic carrier is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylene, naptha and medium boiling petroleum fractions, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, dimethylsul-foxide, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, methylethyl ketone, ethyl acetate and mixtures thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 wherein said surface treated hydrophobic and oleophilic coal is subjected to said at least one water washing by subjecting said chemically treated coal to high shear inter-mixing with at least one aqueous wash medium.

6. The process according to claim 5 wherein said high shear intermixing of said chemically treated coal with said aqueous wash medium is carried out by jetting said coal into said aqueous wash medium under atomizing pressure through a spray nozzle.

7. The process according to claim 1 wherein the polymerizable monomer is selected from tall oil, corn oil or mixtures thereof and said polymerization catalyst is comprised of a free radical catalyst and a free radical initiator selected from inorganic water soluble metal salts, organic metal salts or mixtures thereof, wherein the metal is selected from iron, zinc, antimony, arsenic, copper, tin, cadmium, silver, gold, platinum, chromium, mercury, aluminum, cobalt, nickel or lead.

8. The process according to claim 1 wherein the polymerizable monomer is corn oil, the catalyst is hydrogen peroxide and the free radical initiator is cupric nitrate.

9. The process according to claim 2,5 or 6, wherein at least one of the water washings is carried out in the presence of a member selected from a polymerizable monomer, a polymerization catalyst, a liquid organic carrier or mixtures thereof.

10. The process according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said polymerization catalyst is selected from the group consisting of an anionic catalyst and a cationic catalyst.

11. A beneficiated coal product comprising sur-face treated, hydrophobic and oleophilic coal having a reduced ash content within the range of from about 0.5 to about 10% by weight based on the weight of dry coal.

12. A coal oil mixture comprised of an intimate blend of the beneficiated coal product of claim 11, and fuel oil.

13. A coal slurry comprising a mixture of the beneficiated coal product of claim 11, and a carrier.

14. The coal slurry according to claim 13 wherein the carrier is water.

15. A stabilized aqueous coal mixture comprised of an intimate admixture of the beneficiated coal product of claim 11, water and a sufficient amount of an alkali or alkaline earth metal hydroxide or oxide to provide said aqueous coal mixture with a pH of above 7.

16. The stabilized aqueous coal mixture of claim 15 wherein said alkali hydroxide is sodium hydroxide.