United States Patent: 4973776
We submit the enclosed United States Patent, held by an arm of the Canadian government, to illustrate yet another route for the conversion of Coal, by perhaps indirectly utilizing Carbon Dioxide, as well, into liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
Our explanation follows brief excerpts from:
"United States Patent 4,973,776 - Conversion of Methane to Gasoline-Range Hydrocarbons
Date: November 27, 1990
Inventor: Vincenza Allenger, et. al.
Assignee: Energy, Mines & Resources - Canada (Ottowa)
Abstract: A process is described for the gas-phase condensation of natural gas or methane into gasoline-range hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) reacting a mixture of methane and acetylene in the presence of a solid superacid catalyst to form isobutene, and (b) converting the isobutene product into gasoline-range hydrocarbons in the presence of a crystalline silicate zeolite catalyst.
Background: Two of the typical methods normally used to synthesize gasoline from natural gas require the initial step of steam reforming to produce synthesis gas, i.e. a mixture of CO and H.sub.2. In the Fischer-Tropsch route, the synthesis gas is reacted over an iron catalyst to give a wide spectrum of products from light gases to waxes, with gasoline comprising only a small fraction of the products. In the methanol to gasoline route, the synthesis gas is first converted to methanol, which is further converted over an acidic zeolite catalyst to produce hydrocarbons in the gasoline range.
Summary: According to the present invention it has been found that a greatly improved process for synthesizing gasoline from natural gas comprises a 2-stage procedure in which isobutene is formed as an intermediate. Thus, the invention in its broadest aspect relates to a process for the gas-phase condensation of natural gas or methane into gasoline-range hydrocarbons by the steps of: (a) reacting a mixture of methane and acetylene in the presence of a solid superacid catalyst to form isobutene, and (b) converting the thus obtained isobutene product in the presence of a crystalline zeolite catalyst into gasoline-range hydrocarbons."
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First of all, it's interesting, isn't it, that these Canadian scientists seem to know quite a bit about two "typical methods", two "routes", i.e. Fischer-Tropsch and methanol-to-gasoline, along which Coal can be driven to the destination of liquid hydrocarbon fuel?
Is there anything "typical" about Coal conversion in US Coal Country?
Regardless, as herein, Methane, which can be produced, as amply recorded in the WV Coal Association R&D Blog archives, via the hydro-gasification of Coal or the Sabatier recycling of Carbon Dioxide, can be reacted with Acetylene to, ultimately, "produce hydrocarbons in the gasoline range", and:
Acetylene can itself be directly produced, as opposed to indirectly via the Calcium Carbide process, from Coal, as also recorded in the WV Coal Association R&D Blog, as:
West Virginia Coal Association - More Coal Conversion Processes
Plasma process for coal-based acetylene production replaces calcium carbide process.(Brief Article) - China Chemical Reporter.
"Plasma process for coal-based acetylene production replaces calcium carbide process.
China Chemical Reporter | June 26, 2005 | COPYRIGHT 2005 China National Chemical Information Center. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group
A series of breakthroughs have been achieved in the plasma process for the acetylene production through coal conversion. Taiyuan University of Technology has established the first lab for the acetylene production through the plasma pyrolysis of coal in China. A lab for the acetylene production through the plasma pyrolysis of coal with the largest power in the world has also been established in the Institute of Plasma and Physics of CAS (IPP). The acetylene production will hopefully no longer use the calcium carbide process in future."
