Patent ID: 6506224
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: C10L

Abstract:
A method of upgrading a solid carbonaceous material which comprises heating the solid carbonaceous material to an elevated temperature to remove water and thereafter cooling the upgraded solid material, which method comprises the steps of:(i) providing a plurality of vessels containing packed beds of the solid carbonaceous material and at least one heat exchange circuit for heating and cooling the solid material in the packed beds in the vessels by heat exchange with a heat transfer fluid; and (ii) controlling the method so that the solid material in a first group of the vessels is at one or more stages of a heating cycle and the solid material in a second group of vessels is at one or more stages of a cooling cycle, and the controlling step comprises selectively connecting the at least one heat exchange circuit to the vessels so that the heat transfer fluid recovers heat from the solid material undergoing the cooling cycle in at least one of the vessels in the first group and transfers the recovered heat to the solid material undergoing the heating cycle in at least one of the vessels in the second group.