It is well known that cellulose can be hydrogenated at elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a metal catalyst in an oil solvent to form a mixture of gaseous, liquid and solid products. It is also known that certain hydrogen donor substances such as tetralin can be used to extract soluble components from coal and to facilitate hydrogenation of the soluble components."
(Never mind that "It is well known that cellulose can be hydrogenated" into liquid hydrocarbons. DO note that, in 1985, it was "known that certain hydrogen donor substances such as tetralin can be used to extract soluble components from coal and to facilitate hydrogenation of the soluble components." Not so well known in the United States, apparently. - JtM)
"It has now been discovered that cellulose can be hydrogenated in the presence of a hydrogen donor substance such as tetralin even though cellulose is not soluble in tetralin, to yield a product having a low oxygen content and high calorific value."
(So, the coal liquefaction and hydrogenation solvent, tetralin, specified by WVU in their coal liquefaction technology, can hydrogenate cellulose and thus help to convert it into more valuable hydrocarbons with "high calorific value". - JtM)
"According to the invention there is provided a process for the production of hydrocarbons from cellulosic material comprising the steps of forming a suspension of cellulosic material in a liquid polycyclic hydrogen donor substance, said liquid polycyclic hydrogen donor substance being a non-solvent for the cellulosic material, subjecting the suspension to increased pressure and elevated temperature to bring about hydrogenation of the cellulosic material and produce a mixture of gaseous, liquid and solid hydrocarbons having an oxygen content below 10% by weight, separating the mixture of hydrocarbon and recovering the liquid polycyclic hydrogen donor substance from the liquid phase."
(We have in other reports, via other citations, suggested that tetralin might have some potential to be recyclable, as in: "recovering the liquid polycyclic hydrogen donor substance from the liquid phase".- JtM)
"The preferred polycyclic hydrogen donor substance is tetralin. Other useful hydrogen donor substances include partially reduced polycyclic aromatic compounds such as dihydroanthracene and dihydrophenanthrene; and crude polycyclic aromatic fractions. Crude polycyclic aromatic fractions may, if desired, be treated before use to partially hydrogenate them but it is economically advantageous to omit such partial hydrogenation."
We won't herein quote references or include reference links, but: "partially reduced polycyclic aromatic compounds such as dihydroanthracene and dihydrophenanthrene; and crude polycyclic aromatic fractions" are all components of coal and coal tar, or can be readily produced from them. Those compounds, extracted from coal, accordingly, can be added to the liquefied and hydrogenated cellulose to increase productivity of the overall liquid fuel production system.
We have previously documented, from other sources, the fact that cellulose and coal can be converted synergistically together into liquid fuel raw materials, in a coordinated and partially-shared process stream that enhances and improves the efficiency of production. The importance of this additional documentation is that it further confirms the fact that coal liquefaction industry could not only supply our national liquid fuel needs through full utilization of our most abundant natural resource, but: Coal liquefaction could also lead us into a "cleaner" environment, and a more "renewable" liquid fuel supply, through the inclusion both of solid wastes, such as sewer sludge, that otherwise pose problems of disposal, and of botanically-derived cellulose, in it's various forms, that provides an inherent, integral route for the recycling of environmental Carbon Dioxide.
Coal can do all of that.