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U.S. Department of Energy
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Method for desulfurization of coal

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6310484

A method is described for treating coal which consists of organic carbonaceous material and inorganic minerals to substantially remove sulfur comprising the steps of: (a) pulverizing the coal to liberate some of the inorganic minerals from the coal; (b) heating the pulverized coal to convert some of the sulfur in the inorganic minerals from the pyrite form of iron sulfide to the more catalytic form of troilite or pyrrhotite; (c) reacting the heated coal with a chemical agent containing elements which, in the presence of the catalytic forms of iron sulfide, combine with the sulfur to remove some of the sulfur from the organic material as gaseous compounds of sulfur; and (d) separating the remaining inorganic iron sulfides, now predominantly in the relatively higher magnetic form of pyrrhotite or troilite, by a magnetic separation process.

Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
Patent Number(s):
US 4678478
OSTI ID:
6310484
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English