Patent ID: 8286901

Claim:
A process for preparing a particulate composition, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a petroleum coke particulate; (b) providing a first coal feedstock, a second coal feedstock and, optionally, a third coal feedstock, each in particulate form; (c) contacting one of the petroleum coke particulate, the first coal feedstock, the second coal feedstock or the third coal feedstock, with a first aqueous solution comprising a transition metal gasification catalyst to form a first slurry; (d) contacting one of petroleum coke particulate, the first coal feedstock, the second coal feedstock or the third coal feedstock, other than the one used for step (c), with a second aqueous solution comprising an alkaline earth metal source to form a second slurry; (e) contacting one of the petroleum coke feedstock, the first coal feedstock, the second coal feedstock or the third coal feedstock, other than ones used for steps (c) and (d), with a third aqueous solution comprising an alkali metal gasification catalyst to form a third slurry; and (f) dewatering the first slurry, the second slurry, and the third slurry to form a first wet cake, a second wet cake, and a third wet cake, respectively; wherein the process comprises the further steps of (1) or (2): (1) (g1) thermally treating the first wet cake, the second wet cake, and the third wet cake with a dry inert gas to provide a first particulate, a second particulate, and a third particulate; and (h1) mixing at least a portion of each of the first particulate, the second particulate, and the third particulate to form a particulate composition, wherein, in (1), if the petroleum coke particulate is not used in step (c), (d) or (e), the third coal feedstock is provided and is used in one of steps (c), (d) or (e), and the petroleum coke particulate is mixed with at least a portion of each of the first particulate, second particulate and third particulate to form a particulate composition; or (2) (g2) combining at least a portion of each of the first wet cake, the second wet cake, and the third wet cake to form a final wet cake; and (h2) optionally thermally treating the final wet cake with a dry inert gas as needed to form a particulate composition, wherein, in (2), if the petroleum coke particulate is not used in step (c), (d) or (e), the third coal feedstock is provided and is used in one of steps (c), (d) or (e); and (i) the petroleum coke particulate is mixed with at least a portion of each of the first wet cake, the second wet cake and the third wet cake to form the final wet cake, which is optionally thermally treated with a dry inert gas as needed to form a particulate composition; (ii) the petroleum coke particulate is mixed with at least a portion of the final wet cake, which is optionally thermally treated with a dry inert gas as needed to form a particulate composition; or (iii) the petroleum coke particulate is mixed with at least a portion of the particulate composition from step (h2).