Coal suspension pumping using polyelectrolytes

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF IMPROVING THE PUMPABILITY OF COAL SUSPENSIONS IN WATER WHICH COMPRISES ADDING TO A FINELYDIVIDED COAL-WATER SYSTEM, USED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF COAL FROM 0.005 TO 5 POUNDS PER TON OF SUSPENDED SOLIDS OF A WATER SOLUBLE POLYELECTROLYTE WHICH IS A LINEAR CARBON CHAIN POLYMER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF RECURRING CARBAMYLETHYLENE LINKAGES, CARBOXYETHYLENE LINKAGES AND NOT MORE THAN A MINOR AMOUNT OF NITRILOETHYLENE LINKAGES, AND SALTS THEREOF, HAVING A WEIGHT AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT IN EXCESS OF 100,000, AND PUMPING THE SUSPENSION THROUGH A PIPE LINE, SAID POLYMER INCREASING THE VISCOSITY OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE, INSURING LAMINAR FLOW AT HIGHER VELOCITIES, THEREBY REDUCING PUMPING POWER REQUIREMENTS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY STABILIZING THE SUSPENSION, SO THAT DURING INTERRUPTIONS IN PUMPING, THE COAL REMAINS FLUIDIZED , AND IN PUMPABLE CONDITION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF IMPROVING THE PUMPABILITY OF COAL SUSPENSIONS IN WATER WHICH COMPRISES ADDING TO A FINELYDIVIDED COAL-WATER SYSTEM, USED FOR THE TRANSPORTATION OF COAL FROM 0.005 TO 5 POUNDS PER TON OF SUSPENDED SOLIDS OF A WATER SOLUBLE POLYELECTROLYTE WHICH IS A LINEAR CARBON CHAIN POLYMER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF RECURRING CARBAMYLETHYLENE LINKAGES, CARBOXYETHYLENE LINKAGES AND NOT MORE THAN A MINOR AMOUNT OF NITRILOETHYLENE LINKAGES, AND SALTS THEREOF, HAVING A WEIGHT AVERAGE MOLECULAR WEIGHT IN EXCESS OF 100,000, AND PUMPING THE SUSPENSION THROUGH A PIPE LINE, SAID POLYMER INCREASING THE VISCOSITY OF THE AQUEOUS PHASE, INSURING LAMINAR FLOW AT HIGHER VELOCITIES, THEREBY REDUCING PUMPING POWER REQUIREMENTS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY STABILIZING THE SUSPENSION, SO THAT DURING INTERRUPTIONS IN PUMPING, THE COAL REMAINS FLUIDIZED , AND IN PUMPABLE CONDITION.