Pretreatment of coal

Abstract

The present invention is directed toward a method of solubilizing coal. The method includes providing coal and providing an oxoacid ester of phosphorus or a mixture of an oxoacid of phosphorus and an alcohol. A blend of the coal, the oxoacid ester of phosphorus or the mixture of the oxoacid of phosphorus and alcohol is formed. The blend is then treated under conditions effective to solubilize the coal.

1 . A method of solubilizing coal comprising:
 treating coal with at least one of an oxoacid ester of phosphorus, a mixture of an oxoacid of phosphorus and an alcohol, or a thioacid ester of phosphorous, or a mixture of a thioacid of phosphorus and an alcohol under conditions effective to solubilize at least a portion of the coal.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the coal is treated with an oxoacid ester of phosphorus. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the oxoacid ester of phosphorous is formed by mixing an oxoacid of phosphorus and an alcohol. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coal is fully solubilized as a result of said treating. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coal is partially solubilized as a result of said treating. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the coal is selected from the group consisting of lignite, brown coal, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, anthracite, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said treating is carried out at a temperature of 0 to 200° C. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said treating is carried out at a temperature of 80 to 100° C. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said treating is carried out at a pH range of 6 to 9. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the oxoacid ester of phosphorus is selected from the group consisting of esters of phosphorous acid, phosphoric acid, hypophosphorous acid, polyphosphoric acid, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the oxoacid of phosphorus is selected from the group consisting of phosphorous acid, phosphoric acid, hypophosphorous acid, polyphosphoric acid, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, pentaerythritol, trimethylol ethane, trimethylol propane, trimethylol alkane, alkanol, polyol, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the mixing has a ratio of the oxoacid of phosphorus to the alcohol of from 10:1 to 1:10. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 regulating the water content of the blend before or during said treating.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said regulating the water content comprises removing water. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said removing water comprises molecular sieving. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said removing water comprises distillation. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said removing water comprises adding a dehydrating agent to the blend. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 sonicating the blend during or after said treating.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 treating the coal with a bioconversion agent.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the bioconversion agent is a methanogen. 
   
   
       22 . The treated product produced by of the method of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       23 . The bioconverted, treated product of the method of  claim 20 . 
   
   
       24 . A composition comprising solubilized organophosphorus ester derivatives of coal. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the coal is present in a subterranean coal deposit. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein treated coal in said coal deposit is bioconverted with a bioconverting agent. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the bioconversion agent is a consortium of bacteria. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the consortium includes methanogens. 
   
   
       29 . The method of claim wherein  28  a bacteria consortium is added to the coal deposit as a bioconversion agent. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the coal deposit includes a consortium of bacteria. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the coal is treated with at least one oxoacid ester of phosphorous. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein an aqueous solution containing at least one oxoacid ester of phosphorous is introduced into the coal bed. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said oxoacid ester of phosphorus is produced in said solution from the corresponding oxoacid of phosphorus and the corresponding alcohol. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the solution contains a phosphite ester. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the phosphite ester is a diester. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the phosphite ester is a monoester. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the solution contains a phosphite monoester and a phosphite diester.