METHOD FOR REMOVING PYRITIC, ORGANIC, AND ELEMENTAL SULFUR FROM COAL

摘要

A process for removing sulfur and ash from coal and other carbonaceous materials involving treating an aqueous slurry of coal or other carbonaceous materials at an elevated temperature below the oxidation temperature of the coal or other carbonaceous materials in the presence of an oxidizing agent capable of reducing pyritic sulfides to a soluble state with: (A) an alkaline earth metal and/or alkali metal chloride, a catalyst comprising one or more deliquescent halogen compounds, barium chloride, potassium chloride or mixtures thereof, and one or more reducing oxides, chromate salts or mixtures thereof, and an inorganic acid, or (B) a formulation comprising one or more hypochlorites and the above-described catalyst or catalyst and acid. Sulfur is extracted as sulfate or other soluble sulfurs. In a second embodiment, elemental sulfur may be extracted intermediate to producing sulfate and other soluble sulfur by treating an aqueous slurry of the coal or other carbonaceous materials at an elevated temperature below the oxidation temperature of the coal or other carbonaceous materials with an alkaline earth metal and/or alkali metal chloride and nitric acid. In the second embodiment, sulfur can be extracted as sulfate or other soluble sulfurs by using the process of the first embodiment or by treating the extracted solids with an alkaline earth metal and/or alkali metal chloride and an inorganic acid at an elevated temperature below the oxidation temperature of the coal or other cabonaceous materials in the presence of an oxidizing agent capable of reducing pyritic sulfides to a soluble state.