Carbonaceous material suspension

Abstract

The present invention concerns a suspension comprising carbonaceous material particles, an alkoxylated phenol surfactant, and an aqueous liquid phase providing a high stability to the suspensions over time. The invention also concerns a process for the production of said suspensions and methods for generating power comprising combustion of said suspensions, notably with appropriate devices.

1 . A suspension comprising:
 (a) carbonaceous material particles having an average diameter D50 between 0.1 and 100 μm;   (b) an alkoxylated phenol surfactant; and   (c) an aqueous liquid phase.   
     
     
         2 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein carbonaceous material particles are chosen in the group consisting of: coal, coke, graphite, char, and biocoal. 
     
     
         3 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein carbonaceous material particles comprise torrefied biomass. 
     
     
         4 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein carbonaceous material particles comprise torrefied wood. 
     
     
         5 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein carbonaceous material particles provide the size distribution as follows:
 D 10  between 1 and 30 μm, 
 D 50  between 0.1 and 100 μm, and 
 D 90  between 50 and 200 μm. 
 
     
     
         6 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein the alkoxylated phenol surfactant comprises between 2 and 100 oxyalkylene units. 
     
     
         7 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein the alkoxylated phenol surfactant comprises one, two or three linear or branched hydrocarbon group(s). 
     
     
         8 . A suspension according to  claim 7 , wherein the each of the one, two, or three hydrocarbon groups is selected from the group consisting of: alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkylaryl groups, and aryalkyl groups, that may optionally comprise a heteroatom such as N, O or S. 
     
     
         9 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein the alkoxylated phenol surfactant comprises a functional group that is connected to the alkoxylated chain and selected from the group consisting of: PO 4   − M + , SO 4   − M + , SO 3   − M +  or COO − M + ; wherein M +  is a cation. 
     
     
         10 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein the alkoxylated phenol surfactant is a compound according to formula (I):
   (R 1 )(R 2 )(R 3 )Phe-(OX) n —R   (I)
   
       wherein “Phe” is phenyl and:
 R 1  R 2  and R 3  are each independently a hydrogen or a linear or branched hydrocarbon group; 
 X is a divalent linear or branched alkylene radical comprising from 2 to 8 carbon atoms; 
 n is an integer comprised between 2 and 100; 
 R is H, —OH, alkoxy group, PO 4   − M + , SO 4   − M + , SO 3   − M +  or COO − M + ; and 
 M + , if present, is a cation. 
 
     
     
         11 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein the alkoxylated phenol surfactant in selected from the group consisting of: alkoxylated alkylphenol, alkoxylated alkylarylphenol, alkoxylated sulfated and/or phosphate alkylphenol and alkoxylated sulfated and phosphate alkylarylphenol. 
     
     
         12 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein said suspension comprises from 0.01 to 5% by weight of the alkoxylated phenol surfactant, by weight of dry carbonaceous material particles. 
     
     
         13 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid phase of said suspension comprises water, water/water-miscible organic liquid mixture, and/or a blend of water and an organic liquid or mixture thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A suspension according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid phase comprises an organic liquid which is an energy carrier liquid derived from petroleum products or an energy carrier liquid derived from biomass and/or fossil reagents. 
     
     
         15 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid phase of the suspension is water or a water/water-miscible organic liquid mixture, and said suspension exhibits a viscosity between 1 and 5000 mPa.s, at a temperature of 20° C. 
     
     
         16 . A suspension according to  claim 1  wherein said suspension further comprises a pseudoplastic water-soluble polymer. 
     
     
         17 . A suspension according to  claim 16  wherein the pseudoplastic water-soluble polymer is a polysaccharide or polysaccharide derivative. 
     
     
         18 . A suspension according to  claim 16 , wherein pseudoplastic water-soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of: polyacrylic acids, xanthan gums, cellulose, and cellulose ethers. 
     
     
         19 . A Process for the preparation of a suspension according to  claim 1  by mixing at least components (a), (b) and (c). 
     
     
         20 . A process for the preparation of a suspension according to  claim 19 , wherein the mixing comprises milling under wet conditions. 
     
     
         21 . A method for improving the stability over time of a suspension, comprising adding an alkoxylated phenol surfactant to a suspension comprising a carbonaceous material particles having an average diameter D50 comprised between 0.1 and 100 μm and an aqueous liquid phase. 
     
     
         22 . A method for generating power comprising combusting the suspension according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . The suspension  18 , wherein pseudoplastic water-soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, and sodium carboxy methyl cellulose.