Patent ID: 8366882

Claim:
A process for treating agglomerating coal, the process comprising: providing dried, pulverized, agglomerating coal; treating the coal in a vessel with a gas stream having an oxygen content sufficient to form at least some oxides on a surface of the coal particles, wherein the oxides are sufficient to convert the coal into substantially non-agglomerating coal; transferring the treated coal into a pyrolyzing chamber and passing an oxygen deficient sweep gas into contact with the coal, the sweep gas being at a higher temperature than the temperature of the coal so that heat is supplied to the coal; providing additional heat to the coal indirectly by heating the chamber, wherein the heating of the coal by the sweep gas and by the indirect heating from the chamber causes condensable volatile components to be released into the sweep gas; removing the sweep gas from the chamber; and treating the sweep gas to remove condensable components of the coal.