Clean Coal Technologies said the processor would add a number of capabilities to the plant, which is expected to be commissioned by September this year.

CCT also said the equipment would assist in the development of a process to be called Pristine-SA, for which the company filed a provisional patent application for on Monday.

"Pristine-SA represents a significant addition to the company's technology portfolio that further enhances the overall value and competitive edge," CCT president and chief executive Robin Eves said.

CCT said the process was designed to produce a coal product devoid of all volatiles and aimed to ensure efficient and clean combustion on a par with natural gas.

The basic Pristine-SA concept has been filed and will be followed by research and development to address its application in various fuel and non-fuel product areas.

CCT’s main patented process ‘Pristine-M’ is designed to remove moisture from coal and produce a stable end-product that can be transported safely over long distances without re-absorbing moisture.

The process does not involve pulverization and subsequent briquetting of the coal. Instead, the process increases the calorific content of the raw coal beyond what would be achieved naturally by the removal of moisture alone.

A seconded patented process simply called ‘Pristine’ extracts the chemicals from coal that would result in air pollution when burnt.

Eves said Carrier Vibrating Equipment’s batch processor would increase the accuracy and precision of the company’s existing technology.

“The new equipment imparts a level of sophistication to our Pristine-M process, in particular, it allows us to understand very precisely the chemical composition of the feed coal and, thereby, will provide the data that translates into process parameters at industrial scale,” he said.

“It allows us to take into account the tremendous differences in chemical and physical properties of feed coal even within a single mine.

"The ability to account for such differences is critically important and may explain part of the reason for some of the failures to develop a viable coal dehydration process.”

CCT said the equipment was envisioned to become standard test equipment in the field.

“The new equipment will have the ability process 20 to 25 pounds of raw coal in batches, removing moisture and volatile matter into various chemical fractions that will allow for individual and complete laboratory analysis,” it said.

“Additionally, electrical resistance heaters, making it possible to establish and repeat test conditions very accurately, will supply process heat for the unit,” CCTC said.

The plant has been designed and will be built by Science Applications International Corporation at the site of a major US coal-fired power company in Oklahoma.