http://www.anl.gov/PCS/acsfuel/preprint%20archive/Files/22_1_NEW%20ORLEANS_03-77_0197.pdf
We've previously documented development of the "Synthane" technology at the USDOE's Pittsburgh, PA, research and development lab, wherein Coal is converted into "synthetic" natural gas.
Herein, via the enclosed link and attached document, is more evidence that development of the Synthane process, which could produce a substitute natural gas from coal, suitable both for conventional pipeline gas uses or for further conversion, via catalysis, into liquid fuels, was organized, systematic and thorough.
It was so thorough that these scientists in the heart of US Coal Country imported low-quality Coal from America's agricultural Mid-west to make certain the technology could be applied there, as well.
Following, with comment appended, are excerpts from:
"Gasification of Iowa Coal in the SYNTHANE PDU Gasifier
R. M. Kornosky, S. J. Gasior, J. P. Strakey and W. P. Haynes
Pittsburgh Energy Research Center; Energy Research and Development Administration;Pittsburgh, PA
Introduction
Vast deposits of high sulfur caking coals found in the eastern and midwestern United States can be converted to clean gaseous energy by gasification. In the 1980's many coal gasification plants are expected to be constructed in the United States to produce a high-Btu gas as a supplement to the dwindling supply of natural gas. One important consideration in the development of a coal gasification process is the acceptability of various coal feedstocks. The SYNTHANE process is one such process for the manufacture of high-Btu gas from coal. This report demonstrates the capability of using the SYNTHANE process for the gasification of the mildly caking high sulfur coal from Iowa. This coal is not only present in substantial
reserves ... but is also convenient to the large energy markets of the Midwest. The Iowa coal for this study is from the Iowa Coal Project Demonstration Mine 111 of Iowa State University.
The results ... showed that carbon conversions ranged from 77.0 to 80.2 percent ... .yields.
The high steam to coal ratio ... resulted in a high hydrogen to carbon 'monoxide ratio
The high hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio would eliminate the need for a shift reactor and can be controlled to give the desired ratio for methanation ... by adjusting the steam to coal ratio.
A coal tar byproduct is also produced from the gasification of Iowa coal. This tar leaves the gasifier as a vapor with the unreacted steam and is easily separated from the effluent water condensate by decanting. The tar is heavier than water and negligible amounts of a lighter-than-water phase are produced. ... the desulfurized tar could be used as a nonpolluting boiler fuel or an oil refinery feedstock."
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We conclude the excerpts here because we want to make certain we have this straight: In 1977, when these results were reported, our US Government knew that we could convert relatively low-quality coal into:
First, a natural gas substitute - which could, as we have documented now from many sources, instead of being used as pipeline gas, be directly condensed into liquid fuels; or, used to enhance processes of indirect coal liquefaction; or, tri-reformed with Carbon Dioxide to make liquid fuels - can be produced from Coal using the Synthane steam gasification process.
Second, the Synthane process also yields a by-product tar, from Coal, which "could be used as an oil refinery feedstock".
And, by the way: As in "77.0 to 80.2 percent" carbon conversion, above, we have documented, and will in future dispatches further document, that the, roughly, 20 percent "resids" from such indirect Coal conversion processes can themselves be further converted, via different processes, into useful hydrocarbons.
Our US Government used our tax money to develop this synthetic gas and synthetic liquid fuel technology, in the very heart of US Coal Country, more than thirty years ago.