We have many times made reference to, and reported on, ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r), methanol-to-gasoline, technology, wherein the Methanol is posited to be made from Coal.
The latest, what we take to be key, piece of that Coal conversion technology was, we think, encapsulated in a United States Patent we earlier made report of, as in:
Mobil Oil Coal to Methanol to Gasoline | Research & Development; which concerned:
"United States Patent 4,447,310 - Production of Distillates through Methanol to Gasoline; 1984; Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation; Abstract: A process for producing a wide slate of fuel products from coal is provided by integrating a methanol-to-gasoline conversion process with coal liquefaction and coal gasification."
The process disclosed in USP 4,447,310 was, of course, built upon Coal conversion concepts that Mobil, and Exxon, had been developing for decades, as we've documented, as in, for just one example:
More Mobil Coal to High Octane Gasoline | Research & Development; wherein is dislcosed:
"United States Patent 4,049,734 - Conversion of Coal to High Octane Gasoline; 1977; Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation;Abstract: An integrated process for converting coal to high octane gasoline."
A bonus inherent in the above process of USP 4,049,734 is, that, in addition to "converting coal to high octane gasoline", it also generates, as a commercially-valuable by-product, synthetic "natural" gas.
That patent, however, is not, we think, directly related to the MTG(r) technology of USP 4,447,310.
And, it thus indicates how seriously truly significant corporate components of petroleum industry were taking the potentials for converting Coal into petroleum substitutes, by demonstrating that a multiplicity of Coal liquefaction development efforts, with their attendant costs, were being undertaken by major oil companies.
Herein, we submit even more evidence attesting to such multiple, concerted efforts.
Via the initial link in this dispatch, we see that, at the same time Mobil was developing their 1977 process of USP 4,049,734, they were, concurrently, at work on the Coal conversion technology that led, later, we think, to that "MTG"(r) technology, of USP 4,447,310, in 1984.
We must, though, preface our excerpts from that initial link, since, as in many US oil industry Coal conversion patents we have brought to your attention, Mobil does avoid use of the dirty, four-letter word, "Coal", inasmuch as possible.
The disclosed technology is actually focused on the conversion of Alcohols into Gasoline, and, only once, in their "Brief Summary", is the source of the needed Alcohols mentioned, as in:
"The alcohols may be manufactured from synthesis gas, i.e. a mixture of CO and H2 made from coal."
That will be repeated in our fuller, though brief, excerpts, with comment appended, from a disclosure of technology that would enable us to, efficiently, convert "alcohols ... made from coal" into Gasoline:
"United States Patent 4,025,575 - Process for Manufacturing Olefins
Date: May, 1977
Inventors: Clarence Chang and William Lang, NJ
Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation, NY
Abstract: A lower alcohol and/or ether feed is selectively converted to a mixture of light olefins, including ethylene and propylene, by catalytic contact of the feed, for example methanol or dimethyl ether, ... with certain crystalline aluminosilicate zeolite catalysts exemplified by HZSM-5.
Claims: (A) method for converting a feed to light olefins, said feed comprising one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of the lower monohydric alcohols with up to four carbon atoms and their simple and mixed ether derivatives.
(And) wherein said feed comprises methanol or dimethyl ether.
(And) wherein said feed comprises ethanol.
The improved method ... including passing over said catalyst and with said methanol, as diluent, water, steam, ... carbon dioxide or a paraffin hydrocarbon having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms ... (such as) methane.
(Note that Carbon Dioxide, as above, can be utilized, and presumably consumed, as a co-reactant in this process. The same is true of Methane, apparently, and, aside from the direct CO2-recycling aspects of using, as above, "carbon dioxide" as a component of the feed, we remind you, that, since, as seen for just once instance in: Penn State Solar CO2 + H2O = Methane | Research & Development | News; concerning: "High-Rate Solar Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Vapor to Hydrocarbon Fuels; 2009; The Pennsylvania State University; 'Efficient solar conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane.'"; the process of Mobil's US Patent 4,025,575, as disclosed herein, where Methane, too, can be utilized, could as well be seen as an avenue for the indirect recycling of additional Carbon Dioxide, recovered from whatever source, all made possible through an overall Coal-to-Methanol-to-Gasoline process.)
Background and Field: This invention is concerned with the manufacture of light olefin hydrocarbons from lower alcohols or their ethers. It is particularly concerned with the catalytic conversion of such alcohols and ethers selectively to mixtures of olefins having up to five carbon atoms. In another aspect, this invention is concerned with a novel catalytic process especially effective for the substantially complete conversion of methanol and/or dimethyl ether to a hydrocarbon mixture characterized by a predominance of olefins.
A remarkable growth in the production of synthetic fibers, plastics and rubber has taken place in recent decades. This growth, to a very large extent, has been supported and encouraged by an expanding supply of inexpensive petrochemical raw materials such as ethylene, propylene, and other, four and five carbon olefins. Side by side with this remarkable development, there has been an increasing demand for alkylate, made by reacting olefins with isobutane, for use as a high octane gasoline component.
(Note: As per the mention, above, of "isobutane", please see our thus-related dispatch, now posted and available via: Shell Oil Coal to Gasoline with By-Product Isobutane | Research & Development; wherein is reported: "USP 4,218,388 - Preparing Hydrocarbons from Gasification of Coal; 1980; Assignee: Shell Oil Company, Houston; Abstract: Synthesis gas is converted into gasoline (and) by-product isobutane."
We can, subsequently, use a by-product, Isobutane, of one technology for making "gasoline" via the "Gasification of Coal", to convert "olefins" derived from mixed Alcohols, themselves made from Coal via other Oil Industry technologies, and/or from Carbon Dioxide, via US Department of Energy processes, some of which we will remind you of further on, into even more "high octane gasoline".)
Burgeoning demand for olefins, particularly ethylene, propylene and butenes, has of course led to periods of shortage, either due to short supply of suitable feedstocks or to limited processing capacity. In any case, it would appear desirable to provide efficient means for converting raw materials other than petroleum to olefins.
Brief Summary: In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a feed comprising one or more compounds, selected from the lower monohydric alcohols with up to four carbon atoms and their simple or mixed ether derivatives, is substantially completely converted, to a mixture comprising a major fraction of light olefins, by contact ... with a particular type of crystalline aluminosilicate catalyst hereinafter described. Generally, the mixture of olefins produced by this invention, even with a single alcohol feed, contains mostly ethylene, propylene, and the butylenes with a small pentenes component.
The alcohols may be manufactured from synthesis gas, i.e. a mixture of CO and H2 made from coal."
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Mobil does specify, throughout the full document, a number of Alcohols to be suitable for transformation into Gasoline via their disclosed technology. However, Methanol is the one they mention most often, and, thus, we confirm yet again, via reference to:
Coal to Methane, Methanol & Power | Research & Development; which details: "USP 4,199,327 - Process ... to Maximize Coal Utilization and Minimize ... Waste; 1980; Assignee: Kaiser Engineers, Inc.; California;
Abstract: Coarse, graded coal is (utilized in the concurrent) generation of electric power, manufacture of synthetic natural gas and manufacture of methanol (and wherein the) synthetic natural gas (consists) of more than 98% methane ..."; that:
We can make the Methanol we need for Mobil's Gasoline synthesis process out of our abundant Coal, while, at the same time, manufacturing Methane, which can, as well, as stated herein by Mobil, be used, along with such Coal-based Methanol, to synthesize "olefins ... for use (in) high octane gasoline".
Perhaps Kaiser's co-produced "electric power" could be utilized, as well, to, in some way, help Mobil's process of USP 4,025,575, for making Gasoline out of Methanol, along.
Further, as seen in:
USDOE 1976 Atmospheric CO2 to Methanol | Research & Development; which concerns: "USP 3,959,094 - Electrolytic Synthesis of Methanol from CO2; 1976; Assignee: The USA as represented by the USDOE; Abstract: A method and system for synthesizing methanol from the CO2 in air using electric power"; we remind you, that:
We can, as well, synthesize the Methanol required herein by Mobil Oil, to make "high octane gasoline", out of that unsung, but some-say-too-abundant,