Production of Super Clean Coal (SCC) from coal fines with organic reagents

Abstract

In this study, vegetable oils (sunflower and eucalyptus oil) and organic acids (citric and formic acid) were used for the super clean coal production. Sunflower oil as collector and eucalyptus oil as frother were used in flotation tests, and the coal fines ash was reduced from 29.67% to 6.10%. The clean coal was then leached with citric acid and formic acid at 65?C for 3 h and 2.92?2.98% ash super clean coal was produced. It was shown in this study that super clean coal can be produced with a completely organic process without grinding the coal fines. With this process, more than 90% of the mineral content of coal fines was removed. However, the use of high amounts of organic reagents in the SCC process is seen as a major handicap.