(a) an amorphous precipitate of aluminum phosphate;
(b) an amorphous coprecipitate containing aluminum and phosphate moieties in an atomic ratio of greater than 1:1 and
(c) mixtures of (a) and (b).
8. A process for the conversion of solid carbonaceous materials containing less than about 50 weight percent of solid inorganic compounds which tend to produce coke during conversion ... .
9. A process according to claim 8 wherein the solid carbonaceous material is a bituminous, subbituminous or lignite coal; ... .
1. In a process for the liquefaction of coal ... .
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The conversion of coal to liquid and gaseous fuel products is becoming of ever increasing importance in view of the vast reserves of coal in the world ... .
Anthracitic, bituminous and subbituminous coal, lignitic materials, and other types of coal products referred to in ASTM D-388 are exemplary of the solid carbonaceous materials which can be treated in accordance with the process of the present invention to produce upgraded products therefrom ... .
Any liquid compound, or mixtures of such compounds, having hydrogen transfer properties can be used as solvent herein. However, liquid aromatic hydrocarbons are preferred. By "hydrogen transfer properties" we mean that such compound can, under the conditions of reaction herein, absorb or otherwise take on hydrogen and also release the same. A solvent found particularly useful as a startup solvent is anthracene oil defined in Chamber's Technical Dictionary, MacMillan, Great Britan 1943, page 40, as follows: "A coal-tar fraction boiling above 518° F. [270° C.], consisting of anthracene, phenanthrene, chrysene, carbazole and other hydrocarbon oils." Other solvents which can be satisfactorily employed are those which are commonly used in the Pott-Broche process. Examples of these are polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and chrysene and their hydrogenated products such as tetralin (tetrahydronaphthalene), decalin, etc., or one or more of the foregoing in admixture with a phenolic compound ... ."
So, as we have previously documented, "coal-tar" fractions, such as "anthracene ... and other hydrocarbon oils" can serve as hydrogen donors in a coal conversion and liquefaction process, as well as "tetralin (tetrahydronaphthalene)", as above, the hydrogen-donor solvent specified by WVU in their "West Virginia Process" for direct coal liquefaction.
Now, subsequent to these developments, Gulf Oil was merged with Standard Oil of California, aka: Chevron, who, five years after the above-cited patent award to Gulf, presented, in 1982, the following technical report at a coal-to-liquid conversion conference on the far side of the world, or, given the attention our press has paid these developments, in practical terms, the dark side of the moon:
Joel W. Rosenthal, Arther J. Dahlberg, Christopher W. Kuehler, Dennis R. Cash and Walter Freedman
Chevron Research Company, PO Box 1627, Richmond, California, CA 94802, USA
Abstract
For a number of years, work has been carried out at Chevron Research Company directed at development of a new approach to coal liquefaction. The processing sequence uses two separate, but close-coupled, reaction zones. The first is used to contain and control dissolution reactions; the second contains and controls hydrofining reactions. Each is designed to maximize efficiency for achieving its particular function, as well as to allow control of product distribution and quality. The basic process, which can be considered ‘second generation’ relative to other coal liquefaction processes under development today, is called the Chevron Coal Liquefaction Process (CCLP) ... . A 6 t day pilot plant is under construction in Chevron USA's Richmond, California, refinery to demonstrate larger-scale process and mechanical performances."
They must have accumulated some useful and encouraging data from their pilot plant operations, as they have since, and very recently, formed an "Alliance" with Penn State, to refine "Coal Conversion Technologies", as follows:
SAN RAMON, Calif., October 3, 2007 - Chevron Energy Technology Company, a Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) subsidiary, today announced that it has formed a research alliance with the Penn State Institutes of Energy and the Environment to research coal conversion technologies.
The joint research initiative will focus on coal chemistry and conversion technology, advanced fuels, combustion, analysis methods, reactor science, separations, process technology, and CO2/greenhouse gas management and conversion. The alliance also will integrate research with educational and career opportunities for students and graduates specializing in coal conversion and energy technologies. Under the alliance, Chevron will provide up to $17.5 million over the next five years to the university.
"Chevron values technological excellence and R&D capability and is impressed with the quality of coal research done at Penn State over the last century," said Don Paul, vice president and chief technology officer, Chevron Corporation. "Chevron also has a rich history in coal through our Chevron Mining Company and its predecessor, P&M Coal. We will draw on the deep expertise of both institutions to push the front edge of technology and innovation into the 21st century. We look forward to a highly productive research relationship that will contribute to the technical innovations of clean coal and coal-to-liquid technology.""
Okay, knowing the quality of Penn State, as an institution of higher learning, we'll assume that the "research relationship" has been "highly productive", and that it has contributed "innovations" to "coal-to-liquid technology", especially in terms of "coal ... conversion" ... and, very intriguingly, "CO2 ... conversion".