Post-agglomeration dewatering unit for fine coal and minerals
This technology addresses a persistent problem in processing fine coal and mineral particles: when these hydrophobic (water-repelling) particles are clumped together using oil to separate them from impurities, they trap too much water, making the recovered material wet and heavy. The invention uses a specially designed apparatus that disperses these particle clumps into a recyclable hydrophobic liquid through controlled turbulence, effectively squeezing out the trapped water and reducing moisture content. The hydrophobic liquid can be recovered and reused, making the process economically practical. The result is drier, cleaner fine particles that are cheaper to transport and process further.
What you could build
A modular dewatering unit sold to coal preparation plants or mineral processing operations that integrates into existing beneficiation circuits, reducing product moisture and ash content without large capital footprint; buyers would be coal producers, phosphate miners, and industrial mineral processors.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia's active coal mining and preparation industry in the southwestern coalfields, along with mid-Atlantic mineral processing firms, would be direct candidates to pilot or license this equipment.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- —
- Granted
- February 18, 2020
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 102801
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.