The goal of this project is to develop an inexpensive method to remove organic d f b r fiom pyrite-fiee and mineral-fiee coal using base, air, and readily available farm products. This is accomplished by treating coals with alkali, impregnating coals with polyunsaturated oils, converting the oils to their hydroperoxides, and heating. Since these oils are relatively inexpensive and easily applied, this project could lead to a cost effective method for removing organic d f b r fiom coals. Moreover, the oils are environmentally d e ; they produce no noxious products and improve burning qualities of the solid products. IBC-108 coal, (contains only 0.4% pyrite and 2.7% organic sulfur) was first treated with NaOH at two deerent concentrations and four different times, and with =OH at two different concentrations and two different temperatures. Pretreating IBC-108 coal with bases removes 13% to 23% of the sulfur, and NaOH is a better treatment than NE&OH in most of the experiments. Higher temperatures, higher base concentrations, and longer treatment times remove more sulfur. Na2CO3 is more effective than NaOH for oil extraction after the oil treitment. To test for effectiveness of sulfur removal, eight coal samples were treated with NaOH (two concentrations at four different times) were fiuther treated with linseed oil at three temperatures, four different times, and two oil to coal ratios. The combination of NaOH pretreatment, then oil treatment, followed by Na~C03 extraction, removes 23% to 50% of the sulfur. The best result is achieved by pretreating with 5% NaOH for 20 hr (23% sulfur removal) followed by oil treatment at 100°C for 5 hr with a 1:l oil to coal ratio (50% sulfur removal in total). More d f b r is removed with a 1: 1 oil to coal ratio than a 1:lO ratio under most conditions. However,. the effects of time of oil treatment are complex. Sulliu removal is favored by longer oil treatment in some cases, but disfavored in other cases. This demonstrates that other experimental parameters are important, such as temperature, concentration of base, time of base pretreatment, and oil to coal ratio. "U.S. DOE Patent Clearance is NOT required prior to the publication of this document." i l EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This project proposes to remove organic sulfur from coal, maiptain its BTU, and increase its volatiles, by a new process of pretreating with alkali and impregnating with polyunsaturated vegetable oils. Catalyzed by coal, air converts these oils into their hydroperoxides which are powerfid oxidizing agents. A similar agent, peroxyacetic acid, has shown in a previously funded ICCI project to desulfUrize coal. But polyunsaturated vegetable oils have advantages which make them attractive for treating coal. First, these compounds are inexpensive, renewable natural products available ftom Illinois f m s ; second, they possess chemical properties which can be directed toward oxidizing organic. sulfur; third, they firnish carbonaceous residues which will increase BTU's and volatiles; and fourth, they are environmentally...