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Title: Desulfurization of coal. Final report. [Flotation followed by olefin and vinyl monomer treatment]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6852870

Ohio coal, like many other types of coal, has a high sulfur as well as ash content. We at PRCA, through a series of steps involving the treatment of coal with an olefin-catalyst and/or catalyzed oxidizing system, have established the following: (1) Crushing and pulverizing of coal to a size of 150 to 200 mesh is an important factor in the process of desulfurization, as this allows improvement of the efficiency of flotation and chemical desulfurization. (2) Flotation results in a significant reduction of sulfur and ash content of the coal and reduces the amount of water absorbed on the pulverized coal when petroleum fractions are introduced into the flotation process. Coal containing 4.3% and 2.7% sulfur have been desulfurized to 2.8% to 3.0% and 1.5% to 1.9%, respectively. The ash content has been reduced after flotation from 10.7% to 6.5% of the Pittsburgh No. 8 coal and from 16.5% to 10.5% of a coal provided by Consolidation Coal Co. (3) Chemical treatment with olefins and monomers allows complete removal of the rest of the pyritic sulfur and part of the organic sulfur. The higher molecular weight olefins give better results and an introduction of some maleic anhydride monomer helps to get a higher reduction of the sulfur in the coal. The presence of an alkaline medium (NaOH or Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/) enhances the sulfur removal efficiency. (4) Elevated temperatures and pressures allows reduction of the time of reaction to obtain lower sulfur content coal. However, the pressure in the range of 100 to 200 psi allows achievement of an optimum desulfurization of treated coal. Even 25 to 30 psi has shown satisfactory results in the same time. (5) The results of desulfurization by a monomer (olefin) treatment are given. Further work on the desulfurization of the Ohio coals is recommended in a small scale pilot plant on a continuous basis. This pilot plant will represent an approximation of a real plant which will allow the necessary insight needed for scale up.

Research Organization:
Polymer Research Corp. of America, Brooklyn, NY
OSTI ID:
6852870
Report Number(s):
NP-4901787; ON: TI84901787
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English