LAUSR

We have recently presented an extraction method, which we call degradative solvent extraction, for producing high quality extracts having similar physical and chemical properties from several types of low rank coals and biomasses. The degradative solvent extraction is an effective method to remove oxygen from low grade carbonaceous resources by dehydration and decarboxylation reactions, which minimize the loss of heating value of starting material. Three solid fractions, Residue, Deposit, and Soluble, were obtained from the extraction method when the product was fractionated. Soluble and Deposit are expected to be precursors for producing value-added products. Residue is expected to be utilized as a high quality solid fuel because of its high heating value comparable to subbituminous coal. When the extraction product was not fractionated, the product is the mixture of the three fractions just upgraded. We called the upgraded product “solvent-treated coal” (STC) when it was prepared from coal. STC is also ...