Abstract: Coal-water slurries containing a rheological additive are provided. Rheological additives employed for preparation of the coal-water slurries are amide products obtained by reaction of a polycarboxylic acid with a polyether diamine and, optionally, other amines or hydroxylic compounds. Salts of the amides may also be advantageously employed as dispersants. The additives are employed in an amount from about 0.1 to about 4 percent by weight to provide stable aqueous slurries containing from 60 to 80 percent by weight coal solids.

Abstract: Storage-stable, pumpable, concentrated dispersions of coal in water contain a non-ionic additive constituted by a polymer containing polyethoxy chains grafted onto suitably functionalized polystyrenes having a molecular weight comprised within the range of from 500 to 15000.

Abstract: A method is provided for converting coal to low molecular weight organic compounds comprising combining an aqueous solution of an aqueous-soluble polymeric coal substrate with a lignin peroxidase, oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. The invention is exemplified using the lignin peroxidase from Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Also provided are aqueous-soluble polymeric coal substrates suitable for lignin peroxidase-catalyzed depolymerization and methods of preparing such substrates. Finally, a method is provided for isolating the lignin peroxidase from mycelia-free, unconcentrated media of cultures of P. chrysosporium producing the enzyme.

Abstract: Dispersants for aqueous coal suspensions containing(a) lignin sulfonic acid and/or alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and/or ammonium salts thereof,(b) one or more alkyl ether phosphates corresponding to general formulae (I) and/or (II) below ##STR1## in which R is straight-chain or branched C.sub.8 -C.sub.22 alkyl or alkenyl radical,M is hydrogen, an alkali metal, ammonium, or an alkaline earth metal, andm and n are numbers of from 1 to 15, and(c) optionally, other auxiliaries of the type typically present in such dispersants.

Abstract: A method is described for preparing a high-concentration solids suspension, in particular coal or petroleum coke, which can be transported by pipe and be burnt with low emission of harmful substances, comprising crushing the solid to be suspended to a maximum particle size of 6 mm and then grinding it in the presence of additives in aqueous solution to a maximum solid particle size of 300 .mu.m, the method being characterized by adding, either before the crushing or immediately before the grinding, a desulphurizer chosen from CaCo.sub.3, MgCO.sub.3 and dolomite, either alone or in mixture, in a molar ratio to the sulphur contained in the solid of between 1.5 and 3, and adding immediately before or during grinding a desulphurizer also possessing stabilizing and anticorrosive properties and chosen from MgO, Mg(OH).sub.2, CaO and Ca(OH).sub.2, either alone or in mixture, in a quantity of between 0.04 and 0.4% by weight of the final suspension.

Abstract: Municipal sanitary sewage sludge is disposed of by an improved partial oxidation process without polluting the environment. Aqueous slurries of sewage sludge are upgraded by hydrothermal treatment, preferably while being sheared, concentrated, and then mixed with a supplemental fuel, preferably coal. A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge-coal and/or petroleum coke is thereby produced having a greater total solids and heat content (HHV) as well as containing an increased amount of sewage sludge for reacting with free-oxygen containing gas in a free-flow partial oxidation gas generator. Hot quench water or steam produced by cooling the hot raw effluent stream of synthesis gas, reducing gas or fuel gas from the gasifier may provide heat for the hydrothermal step.

Abstract: A fluidizing and dispersing additive for coal-water mixtures, constituted by an ethoxylated adduct of either natural humic acids, or of humic acids deriving from partial coal oxidation.