United States Patent: 3920418
If you recall our earlier reports of FMC Corporation's development, under contract with the US Government, of the "COED" Coal conversion process, at a pilot plant in New Jersey, they first gasified Coal in that facility, to obtain raw materials for conversion into hydrocarbons, then shipped the still-carbonaceous gasification residues to Spain for further conversion by a direct liquefaction, or solvent extraction, process; wherein an hydrogenated Coal oil, and/or an Hydrogen donor solvent - which we surmised from the reports to be similar to, or the same as, that specified by WVU in their West Virginia Process for direct Coal liquefaction - was used to dissolve the carbon remaining in the residues and generate more hydrocarbon liquids.
Further, we remind you of our dispatch of yesterday, another in our long series concerning Consolidation Coal Company, wherein they were seen to have developed a "first stage" solvent extraction process for the direct liquefaction of raw Coal, similar, according to our perceptions, to the above-mentioned Spanish process for treatment of Coal gasification residues.
In this enclosed United States Patent, Consol is seen to have turned that FMC-Spain operation around somewhat, and developed a "second stage" Coal conversion, wherein, after first subjecting raw Coal to a liquid solvent extraction, as per their US Patent we reported yesterday, they gasified any remaining carbonaceous residues with Steam to obtain an hydrogenated synthesis gas.
Comment follows excerpts from:
"United States Patent 3,920,418 - Making Liquid and Gaseous Fuels from Caking Coals
Date: November, 1975
Inventor: Charles Rice, Pittsburgh
Assignee: Consolidation Coal Company, Pittsburgh
Abstract: An improvement in the process for converting coal to liquid and gaseous fuels wherein solvent extraction is used for the recovery of a liquid-rich fraction and a solids-rich fraction. The latter is converted by carbonization to an extremely finely divided char which is formed into agglomerates that are then further carbonized and finally gasified.
In a coal conversion process which includes extraction by means of a solvent of a finely divided caking coal, whereby a mixture of extract, solvent and undissolved carbonaceous residue (are produced, and) subjecting (said residue) first to carbonization and then to gasification in a downwardly moving bed gasifier, whereby a gaseous fuel is produced."
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Without reproducing the details, Consol specifies, in the full disclosure, that, as we have many times documented to be practicable, that carbonaceous direct liquefaction residue is to be reacted with Steam during the gasification process to effect hydrogenation. Among the products which can be produced by such a steam gasification process, Consol identifies both Methane and molecular Hydrogen; both of which, as we have documented, would have immense utility in the "hydro-reforming", or refining, of Coal liquids, and/or in the bi-reforming, or, as described by Penn State University, the tri-reforming of Carbon Dioxide to synthesize additional hydrocarbons.
In fact, another Pittsburgh company, perhaps aware of these Consol developments, as we will document in a dispatch to follow tomorrow, saw the same potential in such gasification of Coal direct liquefaction residues, and filed for and received their own US Patent for similar CoalTL residue utilization.
