We've previously cited the former Gulf Oil Corporation's Coal scientist, Bruce Schmid, who worked for Gulf's Pittsburg (KS) and Midway Mining subsidiary, at least half a dozen times, in the course of documenting the extensive Coal conversion and liquefaction technology that had been developed and become owned, but left unused, by a one-time major player on Big Oil's roster.
We insert, and append, reference links to some of those past reports along with the two additional Gulf Oil Coal conversion technologies we submit herein, especially since some of the disclosed processes are closely-related to, even integral with, our present subjects.
We regret that we couldn't earlier have provided a more logical and coherent summation of Schmid's Coal conversion work for Gulf Oil. But, that defect in our reportage is reflective, we think, not just of our own significant impairments and inadequacies, but, as well, of the seemingly-deliberate way in which the bits of information, which would have long ago led our nation into an era of liquid fuel self-sufficiency based on Coal, have been left scattered and dispersed in the field, neither harvested nor utilized.
Again, with comment and additional links inserted and appended:
"United States Patent 4,149,237 - Coal Liquefaction Process Employing Fuel from a Combined Gasifier
Date: June, 1979
Inventor: Bruce Schmid, Denver, CO
Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA
Abstract: Conversion of raw coal to distillate liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products by solvent liquefaction in the presence of molecular hydrogen employing recycle of mineral residue is commonly performed at a higher thermal efficiency than conversion of coal to pipeline gas in a gasification process employing partial oxidation and methanation reactions. The prior art has disclosed a combination coal liquefaction-gasification process employing recycle of mineral residue to the liquefaction zone wherein all the normally solid dissolved coal produced in the liquefaction zone is passed to a gasification zone for conversion to hydrogen, where the amount of normally solid dissolved coal passed to the gasification zone is just sufficient to enable the gasification zone to produce the process hydrogen requirement. An unexpected improvement in the thermal efficiency of the combination process is achieved by increasing the amount of normally solid dissolved coal prepared in the liquefaction zone and passed to the gasification zone to enable the gasification zone to generate not only all of the hydrogen required by the liquefaction zone but also to produce excess synthesis gas for use as process fuel. The gasification zone operates with steam and oxygen injection rates resulting in elevated temperatures in the range 2,200. to 2,600F. which enhance thermal efficiency by accomplishing nearly complete oxidation of carbonaceous feed. These high temperatures produce a synthesis gas relatively richer in CO than H2. Because the synthesis gas is utilized as fuel, hydrogen can be recovered from the synthesis gas without degrading the value of the remaining CO-concentrated stream, since the combustion heating value of a concentrated CO stream is about the same as that of an H2 -rich synthesis gas."
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We'll leave our excerpts at that, so we can call attention to the fact that this is yet another process for the liquefaction of Coal wherein no external source of power is required. Any needed energy can be had by separating and combusting some of the produced Carbon Monoxide; which, thus leaves a Hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas and reduces the need, and cost, of either importing Hydrogen from an independent and separate source into the system, or, of providing for the, perhaps, more expensive Steam-gasification of Coal to ensure that adequate quantities of Hydrogen are available.
And, it is not just closely-similar and related to another Gulf CoalTL technology we earlier reported, but was, clearly, developed and almost coincident with:
Pittsburgh's Gulf Oil Liquefies & Gasifies Coal | Research & Development; which discloses: "United States Patent 4,159,236 - Combining Coal Liquefaction and Gasification; June, 1979; Inventor: Bruce Schmid, Denver; Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh; Abstract: The prior art has disclosed a combination coal liquefaction-gasification process wherein ... the gasification zone (produces) the exact hydrogen requirement of the (total) process."
Again, note: Not only do these combined Coal conversion technologies provide for all of their own internal energy requirements, but, there is no need to import expensive Hydrogen. Aside from inputs of Coal and Water, they are virtually self-sufficient.
In any case, several years following issuance of those nearly-coincident US Patents, yet another was awarded to Schmid, with assignment of rights to Gulf Oil, for what might have been seen as even further improvements on the art disclosed by them, as in:
"United States Patent: 4322389 - Integrated Coal Liquefaction-Gasification Plant
Date: March, 1982
Inventor: Bruce Schmid, Denver
Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh
Abstract: Conversion of raw coal to distillate liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products by solvent liquefaction in the presence of molecular hydrogen employing recycle of mineral residue is commonly performed at a higher thermal efficiency than conversion of coal to pipeline gas in a gasification process employing partial oxidation and methanation reactions. The prior art has disclosed a combination coal liquefaction-gasification plant employing recycle of mineral residue to the liquefaction zone wherein all the normally solid dissolved coal not converted to liquid or gaseous products in the liquefaction zone is passed to a gasification zone for conversion to hydrogen. In the prior art plant the amount of normally solid dissolved coal passed to the gasification zone is just sufficient to enable the gasification zone to produce the entire process hydrogen requirement. An unexpected improvement in thermal efficiency has now been achieved by increasing the amount of normally solid dissolved coal from the liquefaction zone and passed to the gasification zone to an amount sufficient to enable the gasification zone to generate not only all of the hydrogen required by the liquefaction zone but also to produce synthesis gas, and adapting the plant to utilize all or a significant amount of this synthesis gas as fuel in the plant.
This invention relates to a plant wherein coal liquefaction and oxidiation gasification operations are combined synergistically to provide an elevated thermal efficiency. The coal feed to the plant can comprise bituminous or subbituminous coals or lignites.
The liquefaction zone of the plant of the present invention provides for the performance of an endothermic preheating step and an exothermic dissolving step. The temperature in the dissolver is higher than the maximum preheater temperature because of the hydrogenation and hydrocracking reactions occurring in the dissolver. Residue slurry from the dissolver or from any other place in the process containing liquid and normally solid dissolved coal and suspended mineral residue is recirculated through the preheater and dissolver steps. Gaseous hydrocarbons and liquid hydrocarbonaceous distillate are recovered from the liquefaction zone product separation system."
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Again, and in sum: The gist of these Gulf Oil processes seems to be that both hydrocarbon gases and hydrocarbon "distillate"-type liquids can be made from Coal in a combined process wherein "the gasification zone" can be made so productive that it can "generate not only all of the hydrogen required by the liquefaction zone but", the "synthesis gas", some of which is burned for fuel, but some of which is directed to "the liquefaction zone" for conversion into "distillate liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products".
We included, above, reference to only one of our prior reports concerning the Coal conversion science developed by Bruce Schmid, and his immediate colleagues, for Gulf Oil; but, following, with even more comment appended, but with no attempt at order, is a catalogue of at least some of the others:
Pittsburgh's Gulf Oil Patents CoalTL | Research & Development: "United States Patent 4,222, 845 - Integrated Coal Liquefaction-Gasification-Naptha Reforming Process; 1980; Inventor: Bruce Schmid;
Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA".
Pittsburgh's Gulf Oil Improves CoalTL Efficiency | Research & Development; "US Patent 4,222,846 - Coal Liquefaction-Gasification ... Including Reforming of Naptha; 1980; Inventor: Bruce Schmid; Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh".
Gulf Oil Improves Coal Liquefaction | Research & Development: "United States Patent 4,230,556 - Integrated Coal Liquefaction-Gasification Process; 1980; Inventors: Norman Carr and Bruce Schmid; Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh".
Gulf Oil H2 for Coal Hydrogenation & Liquefaction | Research & Development: "United States Patent 4,159,237 - Coal Liquefaction Process Employing ... A Combined Gasifier; 1979; Inventor: Bruce Schmid;
Assignee: Gulf Oil Corporation, Pittsburgh".
More US Gov & Gulf Oil 1974 CoalTL | Research & Development: "United States Patent 3808119 - Process for Refining Carbonaceous Fuels; 1974; Inventors: Willard Bull and Bruce Schmid; Assignee: Pittsburg and Midway Mining Company (Subsidiary of Gulf Oil) and, the United States of America".
Those, please note, are in addition to other Gulf Oil Coal conversion technologies we have documented as having been developed by other of their scientists; and, there are more Gulf Oil Coal conversion patents attributed to Bruce Schmid, and to some of his colleagues, and to some of his predecessors, which we haven't yet addressed.
The point is, that, in a way similar to the nearly-vast body of Coal conversion technology which was, as we've extensively documented, developed for our local Consolidation Coal Company, Consol, by their very accomplished, award-winning scientist, Everett Gorin, we have, or at one time had, concentrated in one of the very hearts of US Coal Country, a complete and comprehensive body of practical science which would long ago have enabled us to, cleanly and efficiently, start converting our abundant domestic Coal into the liquid hydrocarbon fuels we have, in the decades since, allowed our domestic economy, and our own citizens, to be extorted for the supply of from, largely unfriendly, foreign OPEC powers.
Isn't anyone of stature, anywhere, going to finally stand up and say: "Enough is enough!"?