US1500256A - Method of treating coal - Google Patents

Description

- combustion of the coal itself remains eifec- Patented July 8, 1924.

UNITED STATES:

THEODORE NAGEL, 0F BROOKLYLI, 'NEW YORK,

un'rnon or TREATING GOAL.

N 0 Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Trnaononn NAGEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Treating Goal, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed to a method for economically converting into a product that can be commercialized and for which a large market can be developed the enormous quantities of fine anthracite produced and in stock piles at mines for which in its present state there exists practically no market.

An object of my invention is the provision of a method whereby culm or other fine coal may be economically agglomerated to make the same available for producing power with the generating equipment now burning No. 3 buckwheat size of anthracite.

In extremely cold weather railroads place an embargo on the shipment of such fine coal because it freezes solidly in coal cars which makes it ditficult and expensive to unload. A further object of my invention, therefore, is the provision of a method for lowering the freezing point of moist fine coal to prevent the same from freezing while in transit.

My invention is primarily directedto the agglomeration of coal particles such as culm or other fine coal, by bringing the coal particles into intimate contact with a gelatinous substance to cause the coal particles to adhere to each other, forming lumps and thereby enabling the coal to be burned on grates now burning No. 3 buckwheat size of anthracite, for example. The ingredients ofthe gelatinous substance employed mayvary but preferably I employ a substance which when oxidized is capable of producing heat in excess of that required to vaporize the solvent water and water of combination thereby effecting a saving in power, inasmuch as the total heat developed by the tive forgenerating power as no part of this heat produced by the coal is required" to drive off the moisture. I may here mention also that the gelatinous substance preferably employed in the working of my improved method is of such a nature that after the volatiles thereof have been driven off a residue is left which efiectively causes the coal particles to adhere to each other and Application filed August 26, 1922. Serial No. 584,396.

to remain in lumps until practically reduced to ashes.

It will be seen therefore that it is possible to so treat. culm or other fine coal by employing my improved method that the fine coal particles are transformed into porous lumps of fine coal thereby enabling the coal to be burned on grates now employed for No. 3 buckwheat size of anthracite, for example, these lumps forming a porous fuel bed through which draft can readily pass ,to maintain combustion. I

The nature of the gelatinous substance employed is such as to effectively hold the fine coal particles together so as to prevent excessive sifting of fine coal with ashes" through grates and stokers designed for small coal such as No. 3 buckwheat, and also prevents the fine coal particles being carried off the fuelbed by the draft.

From a commercial standpoint one of the advantages of my invention resides in the fact that water is a necessity in the working ,of my improved method and that therefore it is feasible in the practice of my invention to employ the water which ordinarily 'is' contained by the fine coal to be treated but which water under present prepared fuelmethods is necessarily first of all driven off.-

Another advantage of my improved meth- 0d is the fact that pressure is not required in the practice of my invention as I have found the coal particles adhere to each other forming lumps by thoroughly mixing or commingling the gelatinous substance with the coal particles in a concrete mixer for example, or other mixing machine, as-distinguished. from the methods employed 1n manufacturing other prepared fuel withpres'sure. I

While as above pointed out, various substances may be employed for maintaining the fine coal in agglomerated form I prefer to employ chemicals such as' commercial silicate of soda and syrup or molassesthe liquidv residue after extracting the sugar crystalswith water. I have found that these ingredients when mixed together form a gelatinous substance which has characteristics making this mixture particularly adapted for us in the practice of my 1nvention as the syrup produces heat in excess of that required to drive off the solvent water, water of combination and the moisture of the fuel, thereby reserving the heat generated by the coal for the production of power. This gelatinous substance has another important characteristic in that when the volatiles thereof have been driven off a residue is left which effectively holds the coal particles in lumps until the coal particles are practically reduced to ashes.

Of course the relative proportions of the ingredients of the mixture used to form the gelatinous substance mayvary somewhat but I prefer approximately one part by weight of the silicate of soda, approximately three parts by Weight of the syrup and approximately six parts by weight of water. The mixture of these three ingredients in the proportions mentioned produces a gelatinous substance of what I consider just about the right consistency for efficient agglomeration. As is Well known, the moist culm or fine coal which I propose to treat contains usually about 12% of water which is approximately the proper quantity to be employed. However, water somewhat in excess of 12% is not detrimental to the formation of the gelatinous substance and does not necessitate the use of an increased amount of the other ingredients. It is to be understood that should the fine coal be too dry the water necessary to the formation of the gelatinous substance must be added. On the other hand fine coal from breakers or recovered from river beds should preferably be drained to'remove excess water.

A mixture consisting of 100 parts by weight of coal, 12 parts by weight of water, 6 parts by weight of syrup ormolasses, and 2 parts by Weight 'of silicate of soda, I find produces very economical'and efiicient results. weight of dry coal there has been added to form the gelatinous substance 20 parts by weight of the other ingredients. It is to be understood, of course, that a greater or less quantity will produce more orless good results, and consequently the proportions given above are illustrative rather than definitive.

In the working of my improved method water if required is first of all mixed with the fine coal to be treated, followed by the addition of the silicate of soda which should be thoroughly mixed with the moist coal. To this batch the syrup is added and thoroughly mixed, which mixing is essential. Themixing in of the water, silicate of soda and syrup may be performed in anyof the well known mixing machines and this mixing of the water, silicate of soda and the It will .be seen that to 100 parts by syrup converts the silicate of soda into a hydrated gelatinous silica which forms a. coating on the surface of the coal particles, causing the coal particles to adhere to each other to form lumps or agglomerations of fine wcoal particles which may be charged into hoppers of stokers 01 chain grates designed for burning No. 3 buckwheat, the coal remaining in lumps until practically consumed As a matter of fact I have found that fuel prepared as above outlined can be burnedon stationary grates for fine coal provided some care is exercised in charging it into the fire boxes.

As I have above pointed out the gelatinous substance used produced heat in excess of that required to drive off the volatiles of the substance and it will be apparent therefore that coal agglomerated by my improved process will generate when burned, a greater quantity of effective heat than that capable of being produced by untreated moist coal.-

As I have above pointed out also, in extreme cold weatherrailroad companies place an embargo on the shipment of wet fine coal because is freezes solidly in the coal cars; The mixing of the syrup or the silicate of soda or both with the moist coal lowers the freezing point of the moist coal preventing the fine moist coal from freezing into a mass thereby enabling the fuel to be shipped in coal cars in freezing weather and overcoming the cause for placing an embarge on the shipment of such coal.

1 claim:

The method of agglomerating small coal particles which method consists in bringing into intimate contact with the coal particles a substance formed by converting silicate of soda'with water into a hydrate silica to unitethe coal particles into lumps.

2. The method of agglomerating coal particles which methpd consists in-coarting the surfaces of the coal particles with a substance produced from silicate of soda, a syrup and water to unite the coal particles into lumps.

3. The method of agglomerating coal particles, which method consists in commin ling the coal particles with a gelatinous su stance produced from substantially one part by weight of silicate of soda, substantially three parts by weight of syrup and substantially six parts by weight of Water.

This specification signed this 24th day of August, 1922.

' THEODORE NAGEL.