We submit herein yet another example of petroleum industry engineering focused on the conversion of Coal into more versatile hydrocarbons, but which is worded deliberately we are compelled to contend, so obtusely that its meaning and intent, without a close study, would be utterly missed.
It is so intentionally muddled that we hesitated at first to report it, but elected to do so since, for us, it represents more evidence of the fact that the Truth - - that Coal can be efficiently converted, on a practical basis, through known technologies, into more versatile hydrocarbons - - is out there; but, "They" don't really want us to know it.
One advance excerpt, a nugget mined from the crude ore, should help to clarify it's purpose, as in:
"The process ... is an endothermic process for the production of a product gas stream of relatively high methane content by the treatment of bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, solid petroleum residua or similar carbonaceous solids with steam at high temperatures."
That is the essence of the thing.
So, keep in mind, as you read our more extended excerpts that phrases like "solid particles" mean Coal; and, other phrases like "gaseous fluid" mean Steam.
That will make the intent of Exxon's ridiculously, blatantly, obtuse exposition much clearer for you.
But, since we are sending along today, via separate dispatch, another US-Patented Exxon technology which concerns Carbon Dioxide, and which should be of rather special interest, keep in mind that the key, primary product of the Coal conversion process disclosed herein is, in fact, Methane.
Summary comment, and emphasis of a few very key points, follows painful excerpts from the United States Government-approved and anonymously-titled:
"United States Patent 3,874,739 - Method and Apparatus for the Transfer of Entrained Solids
Date: April, 1975
Inventor: Willard Mitchell, Texas
Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering, NJ
Abstract: Solid particles are transferred from a standpipe or similar vessel in which a stream of particles moves downwardly in dense phase flow to a transfer line burner or other vessel in which the particles are carried upwardly in dilute phase flow by withdrawing the downwardly moving dense flow stream of particles from the first vessel, reducing the cross-sectional area of the stream of particles by a factor of from about 1.2 to about 10 while introducing sufficient gaseous fluid to maintain the particles in dense phase flow, directing the stream of particles of reduced cross-sectional area upwardly into the second vessel while injecting sufficient additional gaseous fluid upwardly into the stream of particles to aerate the particles without producing dilute phase flow, and thereafter introducing additional gaseous fluid upwardly into the second vessel in a quantity sufficient to produce a rapid transition from dense phase flow to dilute phase flow.
Claims: A method for the transfer of solid particles from a first vessel in which a stream of said particles moves downwardly in dense phase flow to a second vessel in which said particles are carried upwardly in dilute phase flow ... . (And) wherein said particles comprise carbonaceous solids. (And) wherein said additional gaseous fluid comprises steam. (And) wherein said second vessel is a gasifier...
(Depicted) schematically (is) a coal gasification process carried out in accordance with the invention ... ; the drawing is an endothermic process for the production of a product gas stream of relatively high methane content by the treatment of bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, solid petroleum residua or similar carbonaceous solids with steam at high temperatures. The solid feed material employed in the process (is) preferably a bituminous or lower rank coal.
Many of the processes proposed for the gasification of coal and similar carbonaceous materials rely upon fluidized solid techniques for transporting solid particles from one vessel to another. Typical of such processes are those in which finely divided coal is reacted with synthesis gas in a hydrogasification zone, the char produced is contacted with steam in a steam gasification zone to produce the synthesis gas."
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And, that, immediately above, is what the entire, detailed technology is all about: Producing an enriched hydrocarbon synthesis gas by re-circulating a first synthesis gas, made by reacting "Char" with Steam, through fresh hot Coal, a process which leads also to the production of the Char.
As revealed in the full Disclosure, the process can be designed so that Methane is the first and primary component of the synthesis gas.
But, above and beyond that, through Exxon's procedure, nearly the entire Carbon content of the Coal is, in fact, transformed into Methane, and/or a "synthesis gas" consisting almost entirely of Methane, along with some reactive Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen.
Importantly, very, very little Carbon Dioxide is co-produced along with the Methane.
Remember that when you read our separate dispatch, today, concerning: "United States Patent 6,486,219; November, 2002; ExxonMobil; Methanol, Olefin and Hydrocarbon Synthesis; An improved method for the production of methanol and hydrocarbons from a methane-containing gas (which uses) additional carbon dioxide to form an optimal syngas composition".