| abstract |
Waste water formed in the gasification of coal and containing ammonia, H 2 S, and phenolic compounds is treated to remove H 2 S and a substantial proportion of its ammonia, while leaving sufficient ammonia in the water to maintain a pH of at least 8 (such as up to about 10.5, preferably about 8.5 to 9), the ammoniacal water is then flashed into a stream of superheated steam being fed to gasification zone. At the high temperatures in the gasification zone the organic impurities are decomposed. |