System and method for refining carbonaceous material

Abstract

A system for refining carbonaceous material including a carbonaceous material feedstock unit including a first vibratory screen unit for sizing the carbonaceous material; a digestion unit including a digestion unit in communication with the carbonaceous material feedstock unit; and an acid feedstock unit in communication with the digestion unit for providing an acid mixture solution to the digestion unit including a source of H 2 O; a source of HF; a source of H 2 SiF 6 , wherein the these compounds may be mixed together in ratios prior to being provided to the digestion unit; a separation unit in communication with the digestion unit for separating the digested carbonaceous material from the acid mixture solution; and a dryer unit in communication with the separation unit for drying the digested carbonaceous material and separating the carbonaceous material based on density.

1 . A system for refining carbonaceous material comprising:
 a carbonaceous material feedstock unit comprising:
 a first vibratory screen unit for sizing said carbonaceous material to a desired size; a density differential separation apparatus in communication with said first vibratory screen unit for producing a carbonaceous material of less than 5% mineral content; 
   a digestion unit in communication with said carbonaceous material feedstock unit;   an acid feedstock unit in communication with said digestion unit for providing an acid mixture solution to said first digestion unit comprising:
 a source of H 2 O; 
 a source of HF; 
 a source of H 2 SiF 6 , wherein said HF, H 2 SiF 6 , and H 2 O may be mixed together in predetermined ratios to form said acid mixture solution prior to being provided to said first digestion unit; 
   a separation unit in communication with said digestion unit for separating the digested carbonaceous material from the acid mixture solution; and   a dryer unit in communication with said separation unit for drying the digested carbonaceous material and separating said carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       2 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein said carbonaceous material feedstock unit comprises:
 a feedstock supply from a settling pond stream from one of a carbonaceous material preparation plant and a carbonaceous material settling pond connected to said first vibratory screener.   
   
   
       3 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein the carbonaceous material feedstock production unit is a portable unit. 
   
   
       4 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein said digestion unit further includes:
 a peristaltic pump located between said digestion unit and said separation unit for pump said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution from said digestion unit to said separation unit with minimal particle degradation.   
   
   
       5 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein said separation unit is a centrifuge. 
   
   
       6 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein said separation unit further includes:
 an H 2 O rinse for rinsing any residual acid mixture solution from said digested carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       7 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein said separation unit further includes:
 a steam rinse for rinsing any residual acid mixture solution from said digested carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       8 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a fluidized bed density dependent unit in communication with said separation unit for drying said digested carbonaceous material, wherein said drying process separates the digested carbonaceous material based on density of said digested carbonaceous material, and wherein said drying process and separating are controllable by the velocity of air flow through said fluidized bed density dependent unit.   
   
   
       9 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 8  further comprising:
 a vacuum conveyor in communication in communication with said fluidized bed density dependent unit for transporting said dried digested carbonaceous material from said fluidized bed density dependent unit to a carbonaceous material finished product container.   
   
   
       10 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 1  wherein at least one of said carbonaceous material feedstock unit and said digestion unit further comprises:
 an ultrasonic wave generator for producing ultrasonic waves of a size sufficient to cause cavitation bubbles having a diameter less than the average diameter of an opening of a macropore of said carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       11 . A method for refining carbonaceous material comprising:
 providing a digestion unit;   feeding an acid mixture solution consisting of a mixture of H 2 O, HF, and H 2 SiF 6  into said digestion unit, wherein said HF, H 2 SiF 6 , and H 2 O may be mixed together in predetermined ratios to form said acid mixture solution prior to being fed into said digestion unit;   feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material into said digestion unit to form a carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution;   digesting said carbonaceous material to remove contaminants, wherein said contaminants are soluble in said acid mixture solution;   pumping said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution from said digestion unit to a separation unit;   separating said digested carbonaceous material from said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution; and   subjecting said digested carbonaceous material to a desired velocity of a heated air flow, wherein said desired velocity of heated air flow separates said digested carbonaceous material based on density of said carbonaceous material, and wherein said desired velocity of heated air flow further dries said digested carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       12 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 11  wherein said feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material comprises:
 receiving a feedstock supply of carbonaceous material from one of a carbonaceous material preparation plant and a carbonaceous material settling pond stream.   
   
   
       13 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 11  wherein said feeding said acid mixture solution further comprises:
 heating said solution to a temperature of from about 55° C. to about 85° C.   
   
   
       14 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 11  wherein said providing a first digestion unit further comprises:
 providing a second digestion unit in communication with said first digestion unit for transferring said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution for additional digestion.   
   
   
       15 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 11  wherein said separating said digested carbonaceous material from said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution further comprises:
 removing said acid mixture solution from said carbonaceous material by subjecting said acid mixture solution to centrifugal forces.   
   
   
       16 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 15  wherein said removing said acid mixture solution further includes:
 rinsing said carbonaceous material with a rinse water during said centrifugal forces.   
   
   
       17 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 15  wherein said removing said acid mixture solution further includes:
 rinsing said carbonaceous material with steam during said centrifugal forces.   
   
   
       18 . The method for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 11  wherein at least one of said feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material and digesting said carbonaceous material further comprises:
 subjecting said carbonaceous material to an ultrasonic wave of a size sufficient to cause cavitation bubbles having a diameter less than the average diameter of an opening of a macropore of said carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       19 . A system for refining carbonaceous material comprising:
 means for providing a digestion unit;   means for feeding an acid mixture solution consisting of a mixture of H 2 O, HF, and H 2 SiF 6  into said digestion unit, wherein said HF, H 2 SiF 6 , and H 2 O may be mixed together in predetermined ratios to form said acid mixture solution prior to being fed into said first digestion unit;   means for feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material into said first digestion unit to form a carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution;   means for digesting said carbonaceous material to remove contaminants, wherein said contaminants are soluble in said acid mixture solution;   means for pumping said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution from said digestion unit to a separation unit;   means for separating said digested carbonaceous material from said acid mixture solution; and   means for subjecting said digested carbonaceous material to a desired velocity of heated air flow, wherein said desired velocity of heated air flow separates said digested carbonaceous material based on density of said carbonaceous material and wherein said desired velocity of heated air flow further dries said digested carbonaceous material.   
   
   
       20 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 19  wherein said means for feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material comprises:
 means for receiving a feedstock supply of carbonaceous material from a settling pond stream from a carbonaceous material preparation plant.   
   
   
       21 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 19  wherein said means for feeding said acid mixture solution further comprises:
 means for heating said solution to a temperature of from about to about 55° C. to about 85° C.   
   
   
       22 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 19  wherein said means for providing a digestion unit further comprises:
 means for providing a second digestion unit in communication with said digestion unit for transferring said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution for additional digestion.   
   
   
       23 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 19  wherein said means for separating said digested carbonaceous material from said carbonaceous material/acid mixture solution further comprises:
 means for removing said acid mixture solution from said carbonaceous material by subjecting said acid mixture solution to centrifugal forces.   
   
   
       24 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 23  wherein said means for removing said acid mixture solution further includes:
 means for rinsing said carbonaceous material with steam during said centrifugal forces.   
   
   
       25 . The system for refining carbonaceous material of  claim 19  wherein at least one of said means for feeding a supply of pre-wetted carbonaceous material and means for digesting said carbonaceous further comprises:
 means for subjecting said carbonaceous material to an ultrasonic wave of a size sufficient to cause cavitation bubbles having a diameter less than the average diameter of an opening of a macropore of said carbonaceous material.