Coal hydrogenation process
We've previously reported on the Coal hydrogenation and conversion plant operated by the old Union Carbide Corporation, prior to their assimilation by Dow Chemical, in South Charleston, West Virginia.
As we've documented, several developments in Coal conversion technology arose from that enterprise, and we herein submit another of them.
We think, based on our continuing research, that there might now be better and less-expensive ways to go about adding Hydrogen to Coal extracts, relative to the process explained herein by Union Carbide; as we will, in future reports concerning Consolidation Coal Company, document.
However, we find several things about this enclosed US Coal conversion patent significant, as we explain following minimal excerpts from:
"United States Patent 2,832,724 - Coal Hydrogenation Process
Date: April, 1958
Inventor: Edward Doughty, et. al., Charleston, WV
Assignee: Union Carbide Corporation, NY
Abstract: This invention relates a fundamental improvement in the process of coal hydrogenation wherein the costs of the equipment required are greatly reduced and the efficiency of the process is increased."
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First of all, this West Virginia Coal conversion technology was actually developed, and the patent applied for, in 1951. A significant year for some of us geezers.
But, Union Carbide, who developed this technology in order to more efficiently produce needed raw materials for chemical manufacturing processes, not liquid fuel, was acquired by Dow Chemical, again as we have previously reported, in 2001.
Dow, as we intend to document in future reports, is now licensing their Coal-to-Olefins technology to China, for the manufacture of plastics. Three plants are scheduled to be up and running by the end of this year; one already is.
Those plants, efficiently making plastics, from Coal, in China, will all have their roots in West Virginia.
