United States Patent: 4180452
First, we have so far been unable to learn more about either the inventor named herein, or about the assignee of the rights to this, yet another three-decades old US Patent for the liquefaction of Coal.
We present it both because our US Government Patent Examiners confirm the technical validity of it's claims, and because it echoes similar findings we have, from other sources, documented.
Moreover, it arises from the same time period when numerous other Coal liquefaction technologies were developed and published, many of them arising from research sponsored by the US Government.
We refer to it as "Advanced" Coal Conversion technology in our headline for reasons that should be apparent in a reading of the Abstract, especially if you keep in mind the date of issuance.
We note that the end product of this Coal liquefaction process is Benzene, a known carcinogen that was once widely used as a gasoline additive, but which is now being, or has been, phased out of such use.
However, not only does Benzene remain a very valuable raw material for some plastics, such as, according to web-based references, the well known Styrofoam(r), it can also be converted into gasoline, as explained, for instance, in United States Patent 5, 865, 987, "Benzene Conversion in an Improved Gasoline Upgrading Process".
Comment follows excerpts from:
"United States Patent 4,180, 452 - Method for Hydrogenation of Coal
December 25, 1979
Inventor: Jerry Sinor; Colorado
Assignee: Cameron Engineers, Inc.; Colorado
Abstract: A method for hydrogenating coal to produce benzene and other gas and liquid products. In the process, the coal is pulverized and dried, and then saturated with methanol. The methanol saturated coal is slurryed in benzene and the slurry is exposed to microwave energy of a frequency and for a period of time sufficient to effect hydrogenation of the coal. The benzene liquid effects an immediate quench and the hydrogenation products are collected and separated. The principal product of the hydrogenation is benzene. Unreacted coal and char may be recycled or subjected to gasification with steam and oxygen to produce synthesis gas which can be converted to methanol."
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We have previously documented, from various and credible sources, that microwave radiation, as above, can be profitably employed in both Coal conversion and Carbon Dioxide recycling processes. But, it seems strange that such "high tech" facts were known more than thirty years ago.
Moreover, we have previously and amply documented that, not only is Methanol, as used as a co-reactant, above, being now produced on an industrial basis from Coal, at a few sites around the world, as the Abstract affirms in "coal ... can be converted to methanol", it can, once produced, be further directly converted into Gasoline, as in ExxonMobil's MTG(r), methanol-to-gasoline, Process, without first being co-reacted, with Coal, to synthesize Benzene.
Either way, via Methanol or Benzene, it's pretty clear: We can make liquid fuels from Coal.
This United States Patent for the conversion of Coal into Benzene, using Methanol, was issued on December 25, 1979.
