Abstract: Wood chips, bark, sawdust and other cellulosic products containing unacceptably high quantities of water are dried and enriched in BTU content. The green or freshly cut wood product is immersed in hot oil to dry the wood. After water exits the wood pores as steam, some oil enters these interstices, impregnating the dried wood, thereby increasing its BTU content and improves its storing and burning characteristics. Chips and bark dried in and impregnated with used or waste oil, provide an environmentally acceptable means of disposing of and utilizing used or waste oils. Wood chips dried and impregnated with vegetable oil, provide a clean burning, non-toxic fuel for lighting or starting charcoal and wood.

Abstract: A method for producing dried particulate coal fuel and electricity from a low rank particulate coal in a combined process.

Abstract: A method for the beneficiation of coal by selective agglomeration and the beneficiated coal product thereof is disclosed wherein coal, comprising impurities, is comminuted to a particle size sufficient to allow impurities contained therein to disperse in water, an aqueous slurry is formed with the comminuted coal particles, treated with a compound, such as a polysaccharide and/or disaccharide, to increase the relative hydrophilicity of hydrophilic components, and thereafter the slurry is treated with sufficient liquid agglomerant to form a coagulum comprising reduced impurity coal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing light hydrocarbons, such as heptane, from coal agglomerates includes an enclosed chamber having a substantially horizontal perforate surface therein. The coal agglomerates are introduced into a water bath within the chamber. The agglomerates are advanced over the surface while steam is substantially continuously introduced through the surface into the water bath. Steam heats the water and causes volatilization of the light hydrocarbons, which may be collected from the overhead of the chamber. The resulting agglomerates may be collected at the opposite end from the surface and subjected to final draining processes prior to transportation or use.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for drying and passivating wet coals, for example bituminous, subbituminous or lignite. The wet coal is introduced into a heating zone at a controlled rate, then is contacted with a heavy hydrocarbonaceous treatment material having a softening point of at least 60.degree. C. The particles and treatment material are simultaneously intimately mixed and are heated to a temperature of at least 200.degree. C. but below the coal decomposition temperature while being moved along the heating zone in a plug flow manner. The particles are then cooled in a cooling zone.

Abstract: The deactivation of a denitrating catalyst that is caused by exhaust gas dust in a boiler, a furnace or the like which employs a fossil fuel, particularly pulverized coal, can be controlled with excellent results by adding to a fuel at a mill installed in a coal fuel line or at a point upstream of the mill at least one iron compound in a small amount in the form of an aqueous solution, or a powder or water slurry containing coal particles, or in case of employing pulverized coal or heavy oil as a fuel by adding a mixture of an iron compound, a vanadium compound and a tungsten compound, said mixture being in the form of powder, a water slurry or an oil slurry of powder, or an aqueous solution.

Abstract: Contaminants, such as sulphur, sulphur compounds and other pollutants are removed from fossil fuels. The fossil fuel in a liquid medium, such as crude oil or a coal slurry, is exposed to metallic copper to react the sulphur with copper ions and settle out the resulting copper sulphide. Additional additives are also disclosed.