Abstract: A process for treating coal in which coal, in the form of particles in an aqueous slurry, is heated under pressure to at least partially release bound water from the coal particles, the bound water being released as liquid water. In one aspect, the coal particles of the slurry are hydraulically milled by means of the slurry water as the slurry pressure is reduced through the milling. In a second aspect, mineral and/or inorganic content is separated from the slurry by a flotation procedure that utilizes bubbling of released gases following reduction of the slurry pressure. Also disclosed is corresponding apparatus.

Abstract: A method of recovering carbon dioxide from a stream of flue gases, includes: contacting the stream at a gas pressure above atmospheric pressure with an aqueous solvent system, containing ammonium, carbonate and bicarbonate ions, at a temperature above 10° C. to effect absorption of CO2 from the stream, and separating the solvent containing the absorbed CO2 (as carbonate, bicarbonate and CO2(aq)) from the stream of CO2-leaner flue gases to form a CO2 and/or bicarbonate-rich solvent stream. In a second aspect, the CO2-leaner flue gases are cooled by contact with water that dissolves ammonia therefrom, and recycling said dissolved ammonia back to said solvent system. Apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: At an absorber station, CO2 is absorbed from a gas stream into a suitable solvent whereby to convert the solvent into a CO2-enriched medium, which is conveyed to a desorber station, typically nearer to a solar energy field than to the absorber station. Working fluid, heated in the solar energy field by insolation, is employed to effect desorption of CO2 from the CO2-enriched medium, whereby to produce separate CO2 and regenerated solvent streams. The regenerated solvent stream is recycled to the absorber station. The CO2-enriched medium and/or the regenerated solvent stream may be selectively accumulated so as to respectively optimise the timing and rate of absorption and desorption of CO2 and/or to provide a storage of solar energy.