Robert P Warzinski

46751017, Jun 23, 1987

May 15, 1986

6/863494

Robert P. Warzinski - Venetia PA

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

C10G 104

208311

A method of fractionating a mixture containing high boiling carbonaceous material and normally solid mineral matter includes processing with a plurality of different supercritical solvents. The mixture is treated with a first solvent of high critical temperature and solvent capacity to extract a large fraction as solute. The solute is released as liquid from solvent and successively treated with other supercritical solvents of different critical values to extract fractions of differing properties. Fractionation can be supplemented by solute reflux over a temperature gradient, pressure let down in steps and extractions at varying temperature and pressure values.

46953728, Sep 22, 1987

May 15, 1986

6/863650

Robert P. Warzinski - Venetia PA
John A. Ruether - McMurray PA

The United States of America as represented by the United States
Department of Energy - Washington DC

C10G 1704

208311

A carbonaceous material such as coal is conditioned by contact with a supercritical fluid prior to physical beneficiation. The solid feed material is contacted with an organic supercritical fluid such as cyclohexane or methanol at temperatures slightly above the critical temperature and pressures of 1 to 4 times the critical pressure. A minor solute fraction is extracted into critical phase and separated from the solid residuum. The residuum is then processed by physical separation such as by froth flotation or specific gravity separation to recover a substantial fraction thereof with reduced ash content. The solute in supercritical phase can be released by pressure reduction and recombined with the low-ash, carbonaceous material.