Catalytic Coal Liquefaction Using Synthesis Gas - Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development (ACS Publ.
Enclosed are three links and three excerpts which, we think, considered together, illustrate how what should be, what should long ago have been, the shining truth of coal-to-liquid, CTL, fuel potential has been obscured, misdirected and pirated away from those who would most benefit from realization and implementation of CTL's such genuine potential: The citizens of the United States of America.
First up, via the initial link above, we submit a report of research, conducted by what became a part of the USDOE, and which was financed by our US tax dollars, about which we have earlier reported.
Additional links and excerpts, with our comments interspersed, follow:
"Catalytic Liquefaction of Coal
Yuan C. Fu and Rand F. Batchelder
1976
Pittsburgh,PA, Energy Research Center; U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration
Most catalytic liquefaction processes for producing low-sulfur liquid fuel from coal use large amounts of hydrogen which will have to be produced at high cost. In our previous work, we reported our attempt to use low-cost syngas to hydrotreat coal in the presence of added water, vehicle, and cobalt molybdate-sodium carbonate catalyst. Catalytic coal liquefaction using syngas reduces the capital and operating costs by eliminating shift converters and purifying systems needed for the liquefaction process using hydrogen. New catalysts have been prepared and tested with syngas to promote liquefaction and desulfurization as well as water-gas shift conversion. Cobalt molybdate catalyst impregnated with alkali metal compounds, such as potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and potassium acetate, exhibited good activities for these reactions.
The liquefaction of coal by syngas, like that by hydrogen, appears to proceed via production of asphaltene and conversion of the asphaltene to oil. Because of the important effect of asphaltenes on the viscosity of the product oil, the progress of asphaltene formation and asphaltene conversion during the coal liquefaction has been investigated, and some observations on the chemistry of asphaltenes are presented here.
The liquefaction of coal was studied ... (coal used was) Kentucky Bituminous and West Virginia Bituminous.
New catalysts were prepared and tested with syngas for coal liquefaction. Catalysts were cobalt molybdate impregnated with alkali metal compounds such as potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and potassium acetate.
The coal liquefaction by syngas, like that by H2, proceeds via production of asphaltene. The decrease in the asphaltene formation with the increase in the syngas consumption ... (indicates that) ... the asphaltene formed is converted to oil under further hydrotreating.
Liquefaction of high sulfur bituminous coal ... gives high coal conversions and oil yields ... . The asphaltene, the sulfur content, and the viscosity of the oil products decrease with increasing consumption of syngas ... .
A catalytic coal liquefaction process using syngas gives high thermal efficiency and reduces the capital and operating costs by eliminating shift converters and purifying systems."
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The above confirms earlier of our reports, wherein research established that the addition of steam to synthesis gas provided needed hydrogen; and, that such "hydrotreated" synthesis gas could then be recycled into more, raw, coal, and into raw syngas generated from coal, so that such "coal liquefaction by syngas" would lead to "asphaltene" being "converted to oil" with "high coal conversions and oil yields", "high thermal efficiency" and reduced "capital and operating costs".
So effective is the technology, that, a year after the US Energy Research and Development Administration reported it's development, they, and/or their lead scientist, were awarded a US Patent for it, as follows:
Liquefaction and desulfurization of coal using synthesis gas - US Patent 4011153 Description
"US Patent 4011153 - Liquefaction and desulfurization of coal using synthesis gas
Date: March 8, 1977
Inventor: Yuan C. Fu
Assignee: (None yet identified. We presume for now that it's the Government of the United States. - JtM)
Abstract: This invention relates to the desulfurization and liquefaction of coal. More specifically, this invention relates to a catalytic process for the desulfurization and liquefaction of coal which uses inexpensive synthesis gas.
Summary: A process has been invented for the desulfurization and liquefaction of coal which permits the use of inexpensive synthesis gas rather than requiring the use of the more expensive hydrogen and which produces a liquid oil product suitable for use as a fuel oil."
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All well and good. But, our US Guv scientists probably should have done their homework, including a literature search, before spending our tax money on such interesting laboratory R&D. And, a thorough literature search always includes a review of applicable patents. If they had performed one, they would have found this dandy item:
Patent Images
"US Patent 003694342 - Catalytic Liquefaction of Coal Using Synthesis Gas
September 26, 1972
Inventors: Frank Snow and John Keller, Baytown, TX
Assignee: Esso Research and Development Company
Abstract: The liquefaction of coal in a hydrogen donor solvent is carried out in the presence of a ... carbon monoxide-containing treatment gas ... . Steam is introduced into the liquefaction zone ... whereby said coal is liquefied.
Background: The present invention is directed to the use of carbon monoxide-containing synthesis gas in a process for liquefying solid coal ... . ... the solvent employed need not be a hydrogen donor, thus allowing the use of non-hydrogenated recycle stock as the solvent.
Summary: The present invention is ... a catalytic process for liquefying coal using a carbon monoxide-containing synthesis gas as a source of hydrogen for the conversion of coal into a liquefied product."
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The upshot of it all, by our analysis, is this: We can enrich synthesis gas generated from Coal with Steam, to provide Hydrogen, and such enriched syngas can then be used to hydrogenate additional syngas and thus more efficiently, and more cheaply because elemental Hydrogen isn't needed, effect "the conversion of coal into a liquefied product".
