Patent attributes
Thus, a novel process for producing a passivated coal material has been disclosed, comprising the steps of (a) drying a coal material by heating said coal material in the presence of a first gas comprised of less than about five volume percent of oxygen until said coal material has a moisture content of from above about 1 to about 20 weight percent, thereby producing a partially dried coal material, wherein said coal material is selected from the group consisting of lignitic coal, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, coal char, and mixtures thereof; (b) heating said partially dried coal material to a temperature of from about 100 to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit, thereby producing a heated partially dried coal material; (c) charging said heated partially dried coal material to a fluidized bed reactor; (d) feeding a second gas with an oxygen content of from about 6 to about 15 volume percent into said fluidized bed reactor; (e) contacting said heated partially dried coal material with said second gas while maintaining said heated partially dried coal material at a temperature of from about 450 to about 650 degrees Fahrenheit; and, thereafter, (f) removing water from said heated partially dried coal material until no more than about 1 weight percent of water remains in said heated partially dried coal material.
