Abstract: A method of preparing a stabilized or partially stabilized suspension of particles of carbon or of carbonaceous fuel materials in water characterized by comminuting coal (or other carbonaceous material) to form predetermined sized particles and coating the particles with at least a partial external coating of attached alcohol molecules of alcohols having from one to four (1 to 4) carbon atoms and thereafter admixing the alcohol coated particles with water to form the substantially uniform suspensoid of high solids content for use as a fuel for direct combustion, or as a feedstock for atmospheric pressure gasifiers or for pressurized gasifiers, or as a transport fluid to facilitate transportation of carbonaceous fuels by pipeline or by other fluid handling means. The suspensoid can contain up to 75 percent by weight coal, but contains less than 8 percent by weight alcohol.

Abstract: A package for shipping, storing and controlled dispensing of a unit or single use quantity of liquid comprises a pair of flexible, liquid-impermeable sheets superposed one over the other. Each of the sheets comprises a first substantially rectangular section and a second substantially rectangular section, having different widths, and a transition section interconnecting the other two sections. One of the sheets has a recess formed therein which defines a pocket receivable of a unit or single use quantity of liquid. The other sheet defines a cover extending across and covering the recess. The recess also includes a portion defining an elongated and narrow spout extending outwardly of the pocket. The sheets are hermetically sealed to one another about their periphery completely about the recess. The "seal" may be manually peeled back in the region of the spout to open the package.

Abstract: The method of forming applicator packages comprises the steps of feeding a continuous web of material, such as one comprising an aluminum foil having an inner coating of a thermoplastic material; forming successively a plurality of recesses along the web of material; depositing a fabric applicator pad into each said recess; securing said fabric applicator to the inside portion of said recess by means such as heat sealing said pad to the thermoplastic lining of said aluminum foil; dispensing a predetermined quantity of product to be applied by said fabric applicator, to said applicator; feeding another continuous web of material from a supply roll so as to be continuously aligned in a coextensive manner with said first web of material, said other web of material comprising, for example, an aluminum foil having an inner coating of a thermoplastic material; sealing the peripheral marginal edges of each applicator package so as to form a thermoplastic hermetic closure about all sides of said recess leaving at lea

Abstract: Fine particulate solid fuel particles are delivered from a venturi ejector to a rotating double-armed distributor which distributes fuel and air sequentially to conduits leading to the burner ejector of a kiln. The distributor is sealed and pressurized with air so as to provide the conduits with additional pulses of air following the times at which they receive fuel and air from the distributing operation.

Abstract: A method of producing dry, pulverulent, low-density, high-porosity, high-permeability, highly-reactive carbonaceous fuel from slurries of coal and alcohol or stabilized suspensoids of coal and alcohol by single stage flashing. The slurries or suspensoids are heated under pressure to a temperature sufficient to effect single stage flashing of substantially all of the alcohol. The product resulting from flashing then is separated into vapors and solid particulate carbonaceous material. The vapors are condensed into alcohol for reuse and the particulate carbonaceous material is processed further or used as desired.

Abstract: A method of removing gangue materials from coal characterized by the steps of comminuting and sizing all of the material to have most particles of a size smaller than one hundred microns; slurrying in an alcohol containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms; thereafter separating by settling velocity separation into an overflow stream containing most of the valuable coal products for storage as a fuel or the like and an underflow containing the gangue materials with some larger sized coal particles; thereafter diluting the underflow with alcohol and separating by settling velocity separation or the like into an overflow stream containing the coal for storage and an underflow containing mostly gangue material with some coal particles; separating the alcohol from the gangue materials and returning the alcohol to the process. The gangue materials can be employed as a fuel if they contain enough of the entrained coal particles.

Abstract: A method of converting a combustor from hydrocarbonaceous fuel to carbonaceous fuel characterized by the following multi step process. Oxygen-enriched gas is provided and the carbonaceous fuel is burned in a primary combustor in the presence of the oxygen-enriched gas to produce a high temperature, combustible product gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen and produce a molten slag in the bottom that contains materials that would normally polute the atmosphere in a low temperature combustion process. The slag is withdrawn from the primary combustion chamber. Inert gas is employed to isolate and cool the explosive product gas and transfer the heat to a second combustion-supporting gas, such as air being supplied to the combustor. The less hot product gas is passed to the combustor and burned in the heated air. The waste gases that are produced by burning the product gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen have much lower concentrations of pollutants therein.

Abstract: A method of preparing a stabilized suspension of carbon in hydrocarbon fuel characterized by comminuting coal to form predetermined sized particles and coating the particles with at least a coating of an alcohol having 1-4 carbon atoms and thereafter admixing the alcohol coated particles with a liquid hydrocarbon to form the substantially uniform admixture for serving as a fuel. In a preferred embodiment, coal particles are first compacted and comminuted to the predetermined size range to form an abundance of platey, lenticular, irregular and angular particles for forming a stabilized suspensoid that exhibits the property of shear thinning so as to be pumpable with a lower apparent viscosity than the at rest viscosity of the slurry of carbon in hydrocarbon. Also disclosed are specific details of the method and preferred embodiments, including the fuel composition, per se.

Abstract: An economical fuel composition that can be readily transported and stored and that has good nonpollution properties characterized by a combustible, pseudo-thixotropic liquid-solid suspensoid including a critical proportion of coal particles having a critical settling velocity substantially uniformly dispersed in a solution of methyl fuel including methanol, water and other alcohol-soluble constituents of the coal. The critically sized and shaped coal particles are worked in the presence of the methyl fuel to become wet along all surfaces, such that the coal particles are maintained in suspension by even low intensity stirring in storage and do not separate out upon flow through a pipe line. The suspensoid has shear thinning rheological properties so as to be pumpable with a lower apparent viscosity than its at rest viscosity.

Abstract: A method of preparing low-sulfur, low-ash fuel from coal while simultaneously recovering valuable chemical products and taking advantage of a surprising co-action between comminution and dissolution and characterized as the steps of comminuting the coal in the presence of an alcohol containing 1-4 carbons atoms, inclusive; forming an admixture of the comminuted coal and alcohol to have a desired minimum of solids; separating the admixture into a first underflow of high density solids, a first middling stream of coal in alcohol and a first overflow stream of the alcohol and its dissolved and suspended constituents; separating the first underflow into a second underflow having therein the sulfur and solids that would form ash if burned and a second overflow comprising a dilute slurry of the coal in the alcohol and dissolved and suspended constituents; separating the first middling stream into a third underflow of high density solids, a second middling stream of coal with only a minor amount of sulfur and high d

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlled fracturing of a portion of the earth's formations intermediate predetermined depths characterized by positioning adjacent the portion to be fractured explosive charges having exteriorly disposed grooves deep enough to effect a concentration of explosive forces along a predetermined fracture plane, the plane extending radially outwardly from the central longitudinal axis of the groove; and detonating the explosive charge to achieve the desired fracture. Preferred embodiments employ both horizontally-fracturing explosive charges containing peripherally disposed grooves having their central longitudinal axis in a plane perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the explosive charge and vertically-fracturing charges having longitudinally extending grooves so as to fracture outwardly in planes that are substantially vertically oriented and passed through the center line of the charge.

Abstract: A method of making available economical fuels from arctic environments without melting the permafrost along a transportation right of way characterized by preparing a liquid fuel having a viscosity below 2 centipoises at 32.degree.F; cooling and transporting the cold liquid fuel, with or without the admixing of a solid fuel therewith to form a cold slurry, through a pipeline at a temperature below 32.degree.F through the frozen permafrost to a destination. The liquid fuel may be methanol synthesized from coal when the solid fuel is coal; or it may be a petroleum fraction where solid fuel deposits are adjacent an oil field or the like. Also disclosed are specific processes and systems for carrying out the invention.