US838281A

US838281A - Process of treating lignite.

Info

Publication number: US838281A
Application number: US32294306A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis Sterne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1906-06-22
Filing date: 1906-06-22
Publication date: 1906-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1923-12-11

Description

TED STATES LOUIS STERNE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

PATENT orFro.

PROQESS OF TREATING LIGNITE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1906. Serial No- 322,943.

- Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I,LOUIS'STERNE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Donnington House, Norfolk street, Strand, London, England, ha'veinvented a new and useful Process of Treating Lignite; and I do hereby declare that the. following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y

The form of coal designated lignite. or lignite coal to which this invention relates contains moisture, and when exposed to the air this moisture evaporates and the lignite disintegrates or crumbles very soon ter it is removed from the mine, such evaporatlon and consequent disintegratlon being termed weathering. The moisture present in the freshly-mined lignite, so called,

serves the purpose of a binder, and the reinoval of this moisture by evaporation or otherwise causes it to crumble or disintegrate rapidly. This disintegration of li nite makes it very difficult to transport and use as a fuel, and attempts have been made to overcome this difficulty by combining various binding materials with the lignite and compressing it into briquets, which, how

-- I have discovered that ever, is always expensive and not always convenient or practicable.

by subjecting the lignite, so called, when freshly mined, to a coating of oil before it is materially weathered the moisture will be retained in the coal as a binder, and the weathering with its consequent disintegration is practically preventedfor a long time. Experiments conducted under my direction have demonstrated thus far that lignite treated according to my process and which has been exposed for four-months remains intact with little or no weathering or disintegration.

In carrying out my process I take lignite as it comes from'the mine and after screening it coat it with crude petroleum, which is cheap and easily obtainable, either by sprin klin the oil over the lignite or immersing the lignite in.a bath of petroleum and removing it, permitting the surplus oil to drain back into the bath.

In order to obtain the best results, I refer to expose the lignite to the action of t e air for a brief period, in order to allow the ex ternal portions to dry slightly, and thus be.- come more porous, so that the surface of the coalparticles will absorb the oil more readily and more perfectly seal and protect the inner portions from evaporation and disintegration.

On a large scale my process can be carried out by conveying the lignite in a suitable conveyer provided with apertures for draining the surplus oil under a. sprinkling apparatus, which sprays the oil over the lignite, and collect the surplus oil for reuse, or the,

conveyor may be arranged to carry the lignite into and through a bath of petroleum and then out of'the bath, suitable arrangements being made to permit the surplus oil to drain off from the lignite and return to the bath or tank. I The effect of thus coating the lignite with oil is remarkable, in that it closes the pores of the coal, prevents the evaporation of the contained moisture, and therefore revents any material disintegration. The

ignite coalafter being so' coated may be' What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1 The herein-described process of treating lignite, which consists in coating it when freshly mined with a material which w ll prevent the evaporation ofcontained molsture, and preserve it from disintegration.

2. The herein-described process of treating lignite which :consists in coating it when freshly mined with oil, to prevent evaporation of contained moisture, and disintegration of the particles.

3. The herein-descr bed process of treating lignite, which consists in coating the lumps or particles thereof when freshly mined with I with a coating of crude petroleum to prevent crude petroleum to prevent the evaporation the evaporation of contained moisture and no of contained moisture, and'disintegration. l consequent disintegration of "the particles.

4. The herein-described process which con- LOUI'S STERNE sists in taking lignite as it comes from the mine, exposing it to the air sufficiently only Witnessesg to dry the surfaces of the particles and ren- JOHN E. BoUsFIE D, der them porous, then treating the lignite G. G. REDFERN.