Coal particle compositions and associated methods

Abstract

Coal particle compositions are provided. The coal particle compositions, in some cases, are characterized by having an extremely small average particle size (e.g., 1.0 micron or less) and a high average surface area (e.g., greater than 3 m 2 /g). The small particle size and high surface area can lead to significant property advantages including more efficient combustion, more effective fractional distillation, and enhanced pollution separation, amongst others. The coal particle compositions may be produced in a milling process that uses preferred grinding media (e.g., high density grinding media) to reduce feed coal particles to a desired final particle size. The coal particle compositions may be used in a variety of different applications including fuel and non-fuel uses.

1 . A coal composition comprising: 
 coal particles having an average particle size of less than 1.0 micron.    
   
   
       2 . A coal composition comprising: 
 coal particles having an average surface area of greater than 5 m 2 /g.    
   
   
       3 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average particle size is less than 100 nm.  
   
   
       4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average particle size is less than 10 nm.  
   
   
       5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average particle size is greater than 1 nm.  
   
   
       6 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a D 90  value for the composition is less than 250 nm.  
   
   
       7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein a D 90  value for the composition is less than 50 nm.  
   
   
       8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average surface area is greater than 15 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       9 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average surface area is greater than 50 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the average surface area is less than 3,000 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       11 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coal particles are milled.  
   
   
       12 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coal particles include more than one faceted surface.  
   
   
       13 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are substantially spherical.  
   
   
       14 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid in which the coal particles are mixed.  
   
   
       15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is water.  
   
   
       16 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is oil.  
   
   
       17 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is a gas.  
   
   
       18 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is a fuel.  
   
   
       19 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition includes less than 0.1% by weight of physical impurities.  
   
   
       20 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition includes less than 0.1% by weight of chemical impurities.  
   
   
       21 . A method of producing a coal composition comprising: 
 milling coal feed particles to form a milled coal particle composition having an average particle size of less than 1.0 micron.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling coal feed particles to form a milled coal particle composition having an average particle size of less than 100 nm.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the average particle size is less than 10 nm.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the average particle size is greater than 1 nm.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling coal feed particles to form a milled coal particle composition having an average surface area of greater than 15 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling coal feed particles to form a milled coal particle composition having an average surface area of greater than 50 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the average surface area is less than 3,000 m 2 /g.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media having a density of greater than 8 grams/cm 3 .  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media having a density of greater than 10 grams/cm 3 .  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media having a density of greater than 15 grams/cm 3 .  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media comprising a metal carbide.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media comprising a multi-carbide material.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media comprising a ferro-tungsten material.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media comprising a carburized ferro-tungsten material.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles using grinding media having an average size of less than about 150 microns.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising removing impurities from the milled coal particle composition by physical separation.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles in a milling fluid capable of reacting with the coal feed particles.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the milling fluid reacts with the coal feed particles to form fuel.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the milling fluid reacts with the coal feed particles at a temperature greater than 100° C.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the milling fluid reacts with the coal feed particles at a temperature greater than 300° C.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles in a milling fluid comprising a light cycle oil (LCO).  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles in a milling fluid comprising a hydrocarbon fuel.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles in a milling fluid comprising petroleum.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising milling the coal feed particles in a milling fluid comprising a hydrogen donor.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising processing the milled coal particle composition in a fractional process.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising mixing the milled coal particle composition in a liquid.  
   
   
       47 . A method of producing a coal composition comprising: 
 milling a coal feed particle composition to form a milled coal particle composition from the coal feed particles; and    separating coal molecules from the milled coal particle composition at a temperature of less than 100° C., the separated coal molecules having a total weight of greater than 25% the weight of the coal feed particle composition.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the separated coal molecules have a total weight of greater than 90% the weight of the coal feed particle composition.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 47 , further comprising collecting the molecular separated coal molecules.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 47 , comprising separating coal molecules from the milled coal particle composition at a temperature of less than 50° C.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 47 , separating coal molecules from the milled coal particle composition at about room temperature.