As now available on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site as:
Exxon Coal + CO2 + H2O Combo Gasification & Conversion | Research & Development | News;
wherein is detailed: "United States Patent 4,318,712 - Catalytic Coal Gasification Process; March, 1982; Inventors: Robert Lang and Joanne Pabst; Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering, NJ";
we have previously documented that, essentially three decades ago, a team of Exxon scientists had, in confirmation of many similar reports concerning such potentials we have now brought to your attention, devised a technology and process of Coal hydro-, or Steam-, gasification which is so productive of Hydrogen that it enables the addition of Carbon Dioxide, recovered from other sources, into the mix of Coal and Steam, that, when all are appropriately reacted together, can be converted into a synthesis gas suitable for catalytic transmutation, as via, for one instance, the Fischer-Tropsch process, into a variety of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons.
In yet another US Patent issued to the same team of Exxon scientists, within months of that accomplishment, we see that they went on to achieve additional cost reductions, through the use of inexpensive catalysts, in such Coal conversion processes.
And, although CO2 isn't specified for use in the later process disclosed herein, some Carbon-recycling wastes, and other, very intriguing, materials are.
As indicated by one advance excerpt:
"(This) is a process for the gasification of bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, coal liquefaction bottoms, ... organic waste materials or similar carbonaceous solids in the presence of added potassium sulfate and calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate."
Brief comment follows more complete excerpts from Exxon's disclosure of a way in which Steam can be used, at less cost than in other, similar, processes, to convert, not just Coal, but, carbonaceous "coal liquefaction bottoms", and, other materials, such as Carbon-recycling and renewable "organic waste", along with Coal, into a hydrocarbon synthesis gas suitable, as is that generated in the process of US Patent 4,318,712, for catalytic condensation into liquid hydrocarbon fuels:
"United States Patent 4,336,034 - Process for the Catalytic Gasification of Coal
Date: June, 1982
Inventors: Robert Lang and Joanne Pabst, Texas
Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company, NJ
Abstract: Carbonaceous solids are contacted in the presence of water with potassium sulfate and a calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate thereby producing treated carbonaceous solids which are then gasified. The calcium compound apparently activates the relatively noncatalytic potassium sulfate thereby producing a substantial catalytic effect on the gasification reactions.
Claims: A process for the catalytic steam gasification of coal ... (which comprises) contacting said coal in the presence of water with potassium sulfate and a calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide ... .
(And) passing said treated coal from said contacting zone into a gasification zone.
Background: It has long been recognized that certain alkali metal compounds can be employed to catalyze the gasification of ... coal and other carbonaceous solids. Studies have shown that potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, cesium carbonate and lithium carbonate will substantially accelerate the rate at which steam, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen and the like react with bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, (and) organic waste materials ... to form methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and other gaseous products ... .
Summary: The present invention provides an improved process for the catalytic gasification of carbonaceous solids. In accordance with the invention, it has now been found that catalyst costs incurred during the gasification of bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, organic waste materials, coal liquefaction bottoms, and other carbonaceous solids can be significantly reduced while at the same time obtaining unexpectedly high gasification rates by employing a mixture of potassium sulfate and an inexpensive calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and calcium carbonate.
(And) the observed gasification rates are high enough to enable mixtures of potassium sulfate and calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide or calcium carbonate to be used as gasification catalysts in lieu of the substantially more expensive potassium carbonate.
(We can, in other words, use plain old limestone, or easily-made and still-inexpensive derivatives of limestone, to make it all happen.)
In accordance with the invention, the use of catalysts comprised of a mixture of potassium sulfate and inexpensive calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate reduces the initial catalyst cost and the cost of the makeup catalyst and at the same time permits the attainment of high gasification rates. The use of such mixtures also obviates the need for expensive secondary catalyst recovery procedures. As a result, the invention makes possible substantial savings in gasification operations and permits the generation of product gases at significantly lower costs than would normally otherwise be the case."
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Such "product gases" include, again, "methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, (and) carbon dioxide".
The "carbon monoxide" and "hydrogen", as all should by now know, constitute a hydrocarbon synthesis gas which can be catalytically condensed - as via, for instance, the venerable Fischer-Tropsch process - into liquid hydrocarbons.
The "methane" and the "carbon dioxide" can, themselves, be reacted with each other, in a "bi-reforming" process, as described in: WVU CO2 + CH4 = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development | News;
"New Catalysts for Syngas Production from Carbon Dioxide and Methane; Mahesh V. Iyer;Thesis submitted to the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Chemical Engineering";
and, made thereby to form an additional synthesis gas suitable for the manufacture of hydrocarbons.
But, importantly, again note that, in addition to Coal, other intriguing materials, including "coal liquefaction bottoms" and Carbon-recycling, biologically-derived "organic waste materials" can be processed with the Coal, in catalyzed reactions with Steam, to form "at high ... rates" such useful products as "methane, carbon monoxide," and, "hydrogen".
And, it is all accomplished with "substantial savings", at apparently much "lower costs".