Dry-cleaning coal in a fluidized bed medium

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6244386

Weintraub, M; Deurbrouck, A W; Thomas, R H

The suitability of using an air fluidized bed of magnetite as a heavy medium capable of separating coal from its associated impurities has been demonstrated in a 4-inch-diameter test unit. Many variables were found to affect the efficiency of separation, including feed rate, residence time, feed particle size, and the magnetite particle size distribution and state of magnetization. All produce significant effects and interact with each other, resulting in a complex design problem. The complexity of the relationships of the various process variables is explained by the different nature of the motion of the coal and refuse particles. The coal particles tend to diffuse uniformly through the bed while the refuse particles settle to the bottom. Sized fractions of low specific gravity coal and high ash impurities ranging from 3/8 inch top size down to 30 mesh bottom size can be separated in times ranging from about 60 seconds for the coarse material up to 5 minutes for the finest particles.

• Research Organization: Department of Energy, Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center
• OSTI ID: 6244386
• Report Number(s): RI-PMTC-4(79)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
013000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CLEANING
COAL
COAL PREPARATION
COMMINUTION
DENSITY
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDIZED BED
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRON ORES
IRON OXIDES
MAGNETITE
MINERALS
ORES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIZE
TIME DEPENDENCE
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS