Earlier, we sent you a progress report on development work sponsored by our own, US, Department of Energy, and being performed at Southern Illinois University, which demonstrated that a component of woody biomass, lignin, when combined with coal, aside from providing an integral route of carbon recycling, actually enhanced and improved the conversion of coal into liquid fuel raw materials.
Herein is the Final Report on that project. Comment follows the excerpt:
"Title: Lignin-assisted coal depolymerization. [Final] technical report, September 1, 1991--August 31, 1992
Authors: Lalvani, S.B.; Muchmore, C.B.; Koropchak, J.A.; Kim, Jong Won; South. Illinois. Univ.; USA
Date: December 31, 1992
Report Number: DOE/PC/91334--T117 DOE Contract Number: FG22-91PC91334
Abstract:
Liquefaction of an Illinois bituminous and a caustic lignin was studied in an initial hydrogen pressure of 140 psig. Experiments were conducted in the temperature range of 325-375{degree}C in tetralin. The addition of lignin to coal was found to be synergistic in that it significantly improves the quality and yield of the liquid products obtained. Kinetic data for coal conversion enhancement due to lignin addition were obtained. A mathematical model describing the reaction chemistry, using lignin, has been proposed and developed. The analysis of the results indicates that the intermediates produced from lignin were responsible for enhancement in coal depolymerization rate, however, the intermediates are short-lived as compared to the time needed for a significant coal conversion yield. Coal depolymerization rate was found to be a function of time; compared to processing coal alone, it doubled upon reacting coal with lignin at 375{degree}C and after 67 minutes from the beginning of the experiment. Overall mass recoveries of 95--98% of the total mass charged to the reactor were obtained. A careful statistical analysis of the data shows that coal depolymerization yield is enhanced by 11.9% due to the lignin addition. The liquids obtained were examined for their elemental composition, and molecular weight determination by size exclusion chromatography. The stability of liquid products was characterized by determining their solubility in pentane and benzene, and by evaluating the molecular weight."
As with other research clearly demonstrating that coal can be efficiently converted into the liquid fuel materials we seem, in the US, to rather desperately need, this effort was sponsored and supervised by our own US Government's Department of Energy. This work clearly demonstrates that coal can be converted into liquid fuel raw materials, and done so efficiently when combined with a biological resource that provides an inherent route of Carbon Dioxide recycling.
Since this successful work with coal was overseen and supervised by our own, US, government, why have we US citizens, especially those of us in Coal Country, not yet heard of it?
Clearly, we have in hand the solutions to two problems, the defenses against two threats:
Liquid fuel shortages and the concomitant flow of our US wealth to overseas, unfriendly oil powers can be stopped by converting our domestic coal into liquid fuels.
The potential danger of global warming, possibly caused by carbon emissions, can be, at least in part, averted by utilizing botanical resources to supplement, enhance and improve our use of coal.
Again, this is US Guv-sponsored research. We paid for it. Why hasn't the product been publicly delivered to us?