BENEFICIATION OF COAL-HEAVY OIL COPROCESSING RESIDUE BY OIL-PHASE AGGLOMERATION

Surface characterization techniques (scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) were used to examine toluene-insolub le solids from coprocessing of coal and heavy oil in order to evaluate their physical separation potential. Washability studies, using float -sink tests, were also carried out to provide an empirical estimate of the ash separation attainable. On the basis of the results, agglomera tion tests were performed in an attempt to optimize the beneficiation of the organic matter in the residue pitch. Ash rejection in these tes ts ranged from 30 to 40%. Analysis of the ash from the agglomerated an d reject fractions suggested that most of the iron was retained in the agglomerates.