http://www.anl.gov/PCS/acsfuel/preprint%20archive/Files/25_3_SAN%20FRANCISCO_08-80_0198.pdf
As in a few of our previous dispatches, we herein document the reality of Coal-to-Liquid Fuel technology, not by reporting how Coal liquids are made, but by demonstrating that some considerable effort has been put into the development of technology to further refine Coal liquids, once they are synthesized.
Toward that end, we present abbreviated excerpts from:
"Reducing Viscosity of Coal Liquefaction Products With Additives
T. S. Chao, H. W. Kutta and A. C. Smith, Jr.
ARC0 Petroleum Products Company; Harvey Technical Center; Harvey, IL
Viscosity is one of the critical properties hindering the development of coal liquefaction processes. A product of high viscosity is difficult to pump, filter and atomize, affecting the flow of process streams, removal of catalysts, transport from one location to another and proper atomization in combustion equipment. The use of higher temperatures to reduce viscosity is costly and is often accompanied by problems of oxidative and thermal degradation and safety.
Viscosity can be reduced by more extensive hydrogenation. This practice, however, increases the cost of product and may not be necessary. If the cause of high viscosity of coal liquefaction products is thoroughly understood, an economically attractive alternative to extensive hydrogenation can probably be found. A research program to investigate the cause of high viscosity of coal liquefaction products and to improve this critical property was carried out at Harvey Technical Center under the joint sponsorship by Electric Power Research Institute and Atlantic Richfield Company. Results of this program have been issued as an EPRI report. Prior to this joint program an in-house project was also initiated by Atlantic Richfield to determine causes and remedies for high viscosity of coal liquefaction products. One result of these programs is the discovery that certain chemical compounds ... are effective in reducing the melt viscosity and softening temperature of these coal liquefaction products.
Source of Coal Liquefaction Products
1. H-Coal
H-Coal was .provided by Hydrocarbon Research, Inc., Trenton, NJ, and was identified as PDU Run 130-73. This pilot plant- run was operated at a fuel oil mode meaning that less extensive hydrogenation was carried out. This yielded three fractions: atmospheric overhead, atmospheric bottoms and vacuum bottoms. The last-named fraction contained catalysts and other ash-forming materials. It was de-ashed in our laboratory (and) then combined with the other two fractions according to the proportions provided by Hydrocarbon Research.
2. SRC-Coal
Solvent Refined Coal was provided by Catalytic, Inc., Wilsonville, AL. It was produced from Illinois No. 6 Coal of Burning Star Mines and was used as received in our studies.
The additives found to be effective at 1-10% level can be divided into two groups: those which are reactive with certain components of coal liquefaction products and those which are unreactive. These materials are defined as additives on the basis that they perform an essential function at a relatively low concentration.
The presence of acidic and basic components in coal liquefaction products is well known.
Based on this knowledge we postulated that any chemical compound which can react with either the acidic or basic groups will reduce the viscosity of coal liquefaction products by converting the acid or basic components into neutral ones and, in so doing, eliminate the strong intermolecular forces causing high viscosity. The postulation was proved to be correct."
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First, the "H-Coal" and "SRC-Coal" conversion and liquefaction technologies should not be unfamiliar to our readers. Reports containing some significant detail about them are present and available in the West Virginia Coal Association's web-based Research & Development archives.
But, herein, yet again, we have very strong evidence that the Oil industry knows one heck of lot about the products of a technology, Coal Liquefaction, that most residents of US Coal Country don't seem to know is real, don't believe to be real.
The technology exists to utilize our abundant Coal to supply our domestic liquid fuel requirements. All we have to do to stop the hemorrhage of our national wealth into overseas oil power treasuries is start using that technology.