Desulfurization of coal using methanol

The removal of sulfur from coal by methanol has been investigated in a 300 ml batch reactor. The Illinois IBC-108 coal used is highly beneficiated and contains mainly organic sulfur; the results are, therefore, also applicable to organic sulfur removal. Temperature, reaction time and the amount of methanol increased sulfur removal, while the amount of coal used decreased it. Coal pyrolysis was also explored. The best results, a total sulfur removal of 85% (90% for organic) were obtained at 500 C, 60--90 ;min. reaction time and very small amounts of coal, with a weight loss of about 30%.