Method and process for providing a controlled batch of micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material

Abstract

A micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material is produced using a method of providing a controlled batch of micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material. This method includes: (a) specifying at least one desired physical and/or chemical parameter of the controlled batch of coal material; (b) specifying the desired range of the physical and/or chemical parameter in the controlled batch of coal material; (c) obtaining a feedstock batch of coal material; and (d) processing a feedstock batch of coal material to obtain the controlled batch of coal material having the at least one specified physical and/or chemical parameter in the specified range thereof.

The invention claimed is 
     
         1 . A method of providing a controlled batch of micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material, comprising the steps of:
 (a) specifying at least one desired physical and/or chemical parameter of the controlled batch of coal material;   (b) specifying the desired range of the physical and/or chemical parameter in the controlled batch of coal material;   (c) obtaining a feedstock batch of coal material; and   (d) processing the feedstock batch of coal material to obtain the controlled batch of coal material having the at least one specified physical and/or chemical parameter in the specified range thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the desired physical parameter is particle size distribution. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the desired physical parameter is particle mean size, particle median size, particle mode size, particle mean:median ratio, particle top size, particle bottom size or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified physical parameter is particle shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified physical parameter is particle surface area. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the specified range is greater than about 2000 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified chemical property is bulk purity. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified chemical parameter is chemical composition. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the chemical composition includes an ash content, a sulfur content, a rock concentration, an impurity content or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing step includes: (i) pulverization; (ii) micronization; (iii) nanozation; (iv) classification; (v) characterization; (vi) purification; (vii) analysis; (viii) measurement; (ix) particle size reduction; (x) concentration; (xi) constituent removal or reduction; (xii) selection, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock batch of coal material is micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material, and the processing step includes determining the at least one physical or chemical parameter of at least a portion of the micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal, material, and further comprising the step of concentrating the micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material to obtain the desired physical or chemical parameter within the desired range. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the concentration step includes: (i) gravity separation; (ii) froth flocculation; (iii) column flotation; (iv) selective agglomeration; (v) selective flocculation, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing step includes purification. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the purification includes: (i) a chemical digestion method; (ii) a reduction of at least one selected constituent; (iii) a removal of at least one process contaminant; (iv) acid treatment, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock batch of coal material is waste coal, and the processing step includes micronizing or nano-izing the feedstock batch of coal material to obtain the specified physical or chemical parameter within the specified range. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of activating the controlled batch of coal material. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processing step includes the steps of:
 analyzing the feedstock batch of coal material; and   classifying the batch of coal material according to the specified physical or chemical parameter, the specified range of the physical or chemical parameter or any combination thereof, thereby obtaining the controlled batch of coal material.   
     
     
         18 . A method of providing a controlled batch of micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material, comprising the steps of:
 (a) specifying at least one desired physical and/or chemical parameter of the controlled batch of coal material;   (b) specifying the desired range of the physical and/or chemical parameter in the controlled batch of coal material;   (c) obtaining a feedstock batch of micrometer-sized or nanometer-sized coal material;   (d) analyzing the feedstock batch of coal material for the at least one desired physical and/or chemical parameter; and   (e) classifying the feedstock batch of coal material according to the specified physical and/or chemical parameter and the specified range of the physical or chemical parameter to thereby obtain the controlled batch of coal material having the at least one desired physical and/or chemical parameter in the specified range thereof.