Patent ID: 6156083
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: C10L

Abstract:
A method for recovering coal from a mixture containing fine particles of coal, the mixture including fine coal particles, water, and impurities, the method comprisingfeeding the mixture to a first liquid/solid separator that removes from the mixture pieces of material exceeding a specified lower size limit from the mixture and produces a first stream containing water, impurities, and recoverable fine coal particles, andpumping the first stream from the first liquid/solid separator to at least one second liquid/solid separator, the at least one second liquid solid separator separating recoverable fine coal particles from the first stream producing a product flow containing fine coal particles and a discharge stream containing water and impurities, the fine coal particles in the product flow having a largest dimension of less than 100 microns and a largest dimension of at least 38 microns.