Extraction of rare earth elements and carbon rich solids from coal feedstock using ionic liquids

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019316225-A1
Application number	US-201815954773-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 17, 2018
Priority date	Apr 17, 2018
Publication date	Oct 17, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

Rare earth elements and carbon rich solids are extracted from coal feedstock by combining a coal feedstock with an ionic liquid, forming a mixture. The mixture is heated and a co-solvent is added. Carbon rich solids and rare earth elements are removed from the solution. The ionic liquid and co-solvent may be reused.

First claim

1 ) A method to extract at least one rare earth element and carbon rich solids from coal feedstock, the method comprising:
providing a coal feedstock, the coal feedstock comprising at least one rare earth element; providing an ionic liquid; combining the coal feedstock and the ionic liquid, forming a mixture; heating the mixture to a predetermined temperature; adding a co-solvent to the heated mixture, producing a first solution; removing carbon rich solids and dissolved minerals from the first solution thereby forming a second solution; and separating the co-solvent, ionic liquid, rare earth elements from the second solution thereby forming a third solution.

2 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the coal feedstock comprises at most approximately 1% by weight one or more rare earth elements.

3 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture comprises at most approximately 50% by weight solid loading.

4 ) The method of claim 1 , further including the step of incubating the mixture at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time.

5 ) The method of claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time is up to 24 hours.

6 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of heating further includes extracting unwanted chemicals from the mixture.

7 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the coal feedstock is raw coal, a coal byproduct, coal ash, fly ash or a combination thereof.

8 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rare earth element is in a metallic state.

9 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined temperature ranges between approximately 25° C. and 200° C.

10 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein the co-solvent is water, ethanol, acetone, or liquid CO 2 .

11 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of removing dissolved minerals further includes extracting dissolved minerals with electrochemical plating.

12 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of removing carbon rich solids further includes filtering the carbon rich solids.

13 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein carbon rich solids comprise a high value chemical.

14 ) The method of claim 1 , wherein carbon rich solids comprise asphaltenes.

15 ) A method to extract at least one rare earth element and carbon rich solids from coal feedstock, the method comprising:
providing a coal feedstock, the coal feedstock comprising at least one rare earth element; providing an ionic liquid; combining the coal feedstock and the ionic liquid, forming a mixture; heating the mixture to a predetermined temperature; adding a co-solvent to the heated mixture, producing a first solution; removing carbon rich solids and dissolved minerals from the first solution thereby forming a second solution; separating the co-solvent, ionic liquid, rare earth elements from the second solution thereby forming a third solution; and reusing the ionic liquid.

16 ) A method to extract at least one rare earth element and carbon rich solids from coal feedstock, the method comprising:
providing a coal feedstock, the coal feedstock comprising at least one rare earth element; providing an ionic liquid; combining the coal feedstock and the ionic liquid, forming a mixture; heating the mixture to a predetermined temperature; adding a co-solvent to the heated mixture, producing a first solution; removing carbon rich solids and dissolved minerals from the first solution thereby forming a second solution; separating the co-solvent, ionic liquid, rare earth elements from the second solution thereby forming a third solution; and reusing the co-solvent.

Assignees

• Us Energy

Inventors

• Li Chenlin
• He Ting
• Williams C Luke

Classifications

• C10L2290/06

  Heat exchange, direct or indirect · CPC title

• C10L2290/544

  Extraction for separating fractions, components or impurities during preparation or upgrading of a fuel · CPC title

• C10L5/04

  Raw material {of mineral origin} to be used; Pretreatment thereof {(pretreatment of fuels of non-mineral origin C10L5/40)} · CPC title

• C10L9/00

  Treating solid fuels to improve their combustion · CPC title

• C22B59/00 Primary

  Obtaining rare earth metals · CPC title