(19)
(11) EP 0 032 811 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
14.10.1981 Bulletin 1981/41

(43) Date of publication A2:
29.07.1981 Bulletin 1981/30

(21) Application number: 81300152

(22) Date of filing: 14.01.1981
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE DE FR GB IT NL SE

(30) Priority: 22.01.1980 US 114414
22.01.1980 US 114357

(71) Applicant: GULF & WESTERN CORPORATION
 ()

(72) Inventors:
  • Burgess, Lester E.
     ()
  • Fox, Karl M.
     ()
  • McGarry, Phillip E.
     ()
  • Herman, David E.
     ()

   


(54) A process for the beneficiation of coal and beneficiated coal product


(57) An improved beneficiated coal products is disclosed comprising coal particles which have been rendered hydrophobic and oleophilic by forming a polymer coating thereon. According to the process an aqueous slurry containing the coal particles is admixed with a fuel oil and a polymerisation mixture preferably containing one or more long chain carboxylic acids which are polymerised in situ on the coal particles. The hydrophobic coal particles are then separated from the aqueous medium by froth flotation preferably in several steps by atomising the flocculated coal particles onto the surface of a mass of wash water. Hydrophilic ash particles separate into the wash water whilst the flocculated hydrophobic, oleophilic coal particles are recovered. Following recovery the flocculated particles are de-watered mechanically. Additional but optional treatments include neutralisation and admixing with oil to form coal-in-oil mixtures, and subjecting the particles to a second graft polymerisation procedure.






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