Process for the hydrogenation of coal
We've made numerous reports on the Coal gasification and liquefaction technologies developed by the former Texaco - - since, in 2001, absorbed by Chevron - - during the middle part of the prior century.
And, as in:
Texaco Converts Coal & Recycles CO2 - 50 Years Ago | Research & Development, concerning: "United States Patent 2,753,296 - Process for the Hydrogenation of Coal; 1956; Inventor: Frederick Sellers;
Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation; Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of a solid carbonaceous material. The process of the present invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of coal and may be applied to hydrogenation of anthracite, bituminous coal or lignite. In one of the more specific aspects, this invention relates to an improved process for the liquid phase hydrogenation of coal. ... An object of this invention is to ... provide an improved process for the production of oil from coal";
we have previously cited the Texaco scientist named as the inventor of the Coal hydrogenation and liquefaction technology we record in this dispatch; an identically-labeled and titled Coal conversion technology which may be viewed as precedent and enabling Coal hydrogenation art, relative to that disclosed by our previously-reported United States Patent 2,753,296.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link to:
"United States Patent 2,572,061 - Process for the Hydrogenation of Coal
Date: October, 1951
Inventor: Frederick Sellers, NY
Assignee: Texaco Development Corporation, NYC
Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the hydrogenation of solid carbonaceous material. The process of the present invention is particularly applicable to the treatment of coal and may be applied to hydrogenation of anthracite, bituminous coal or lignite.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved process ... for the production of oil from coal by reaction of powdered coal with hydrogen.
In a copending (Texaco-originated) application ... a novel process for pulverizing carbonaceous solids is disclosed. In the accordance with (that) method ... particles of ... coal (are) admixed with a fluid to form a suspension and suspension passes as a confined stream in turbulent flow through a heating zone. The carbonaceous solid is heated in the heating zone to an elevated temperature (which) results in rapid disintegration of the particles to powder.
(Note: A search, somewhat more than cursory, failed to turn up a US Patent resulting from the referenced application. But, that's okay. We really don't need Einstein to tell us how to make Coal dust, do we?)
In accordance with the present invention, this novel step of heating and pulverizing solid carbonaceous material is employed in connection with hydrogenation of the resulting powder. Preferably, the hydrogenation step is carried out with a hydrogen concentrate, for example, hydrogen produced by a commercial process, containing 95% or more hydrogen by volume. The hydrogenation reaction is carried out at an elevated temperature and pressure in the presence of a hydrocarbon oil. An important feature of the present invention is the novel procedure for preparation of the coal for hydrogenation.
The oil used in forming the suspension of coal ... is a hydrogenated aromatic or an oil mixture comprising aromatics which act as hydrogen transfer agents. Hydroaromatics which are suitable for use in the processes include tetralin and decalin. The heavy oil which is obtained from ... coal is especially suited for the preparation of the feed mixture.
(We remind you that "tetralin", as above, a derivative of the primary Coal, or Coke-oven, oil, Naphthalene, is the Hydrogen-donor solvent specified by WVU, in their "West Virginia Process" for the direct liquefaction of Coal. So, don't be misled by specification, as above, of "oil" to "be used in forming the" initial "suspension of coal". Such "oil", without doubt, is made from the Coal itself, and, thus, no natural petroleum would be harmed in the making of this liquid fuel from Coal. Further, note, that, back, all the way back, in 1951, an oil company could also speak easily about the use of "hydrogen produced by a commercial process". The petroleum industry was, then, already using a bunch of that Hydrogen to upgrade heavy natural crude oil. And, even though the manufacture and use of Hydrogen sounds like an expensive complication impacting Coal liquefaction, it isn't. The petroleum industry has been making and using it on a large scale for the better part of a century. And, as seen in: Solar-Powered Hydrogen Generation | Research & Development; "United States Patent 7,726,127 - Solar Power for Thermochemical Production of Hydrogen; 2010; Abstract: A solar-powered hydrogen production system"; we have even better options for making it now, by using environmental energy to extract any needed Hydrogen from plain old Water.)
Anthracite silt may be advantageously used as a feed material for the present process. Anthracite silt is a term applied to the fine particles of coal ... obtained as a by-product in the mining, handling and sizing of anthracite coal. ... Little, if any, preliminary grinding is required when using anthracite silt as feed for the present process.
(We include the above reference to what is, nowadays, pretty-darned scarce "anthracite silt", since, as in, further above, it's specified that this process "may be applied to hydrogenation of anthracite, bituminous coal or lignite", we wanted to clarify that this is not a process wherein Anthracite Coal must be used. And, we wanted to emphasize that it is no big deal to make "silt" out of Bituminous Coal, as any old miner who's ever had to muck the "bottoms" out of a rotary dump or prep plant sump in WV or PA could testify. The full Disclosure goes on, in fact, to clarify how Coal particles may, in any case, be reduced to an appropriate size by simple modifications or adaptations in the way the Coal and Coal Oil slurry is mechanically handled and pumped, and, thus, as they specify in another section of the full Disclosure, the need for "costly pulverization by mechanical means is eliminated".)
Various metals or metal oxides may be admixed with the coal and oil as hydrogenation catalysts. Iron sulfate and tin oxalate are suitable. The hydrogenation step, per se, is not novel; conventional hydrogenation procedures may be used.
(Note: We don't need expensive Gold dust or powdered Diamonds to catalyze the Coal hydrogenation reaction. A little Iron powder, a little Sulfur and a little Water are all we would need to, easily, make some, as above, "Iron sulfate".)
The hydrogenation step, per se, is not novel; conventional hydrogenation procedures may be used.
(Note, again: Even all the way back in 1951, "hydrogenation procedures" which could be successfully applied to Coal, were already, in the Petroleum industry, "conventional" and commercially practiced.)
The effluent of the hydrogenation step is separated without reduction in pressure into a gaseous fraction, predominantly hydrogen, which is recycled, a heavy oil fraction or crude product of the hydrogenation step, and residual solid or pitch.
The heavy oil product amounts to about 1700 pounds per ton of coal fed to the process.
(In other words, doing the math, fully 85% of the raw Coal is converted into "crude" petroleum. Hydrogen, which can be recycled back for utilization in the system, is also generated and/or passed through. The remaining "pitch", we remind you, would be a carbonaceous residue which, while comprising nearly 15% of the original Coal, could, itself, as in Consol Hydrogasifies CoalTL Residues | Research & Development; which concerns: "United States Patent 4,248,605 - Gasification of Coal Liquefaction Residues; 1981; Assignee: Conoco, Inc., CT; Abstract: A method for gasifying the bottoms fraction from a coal liquefaction process ... to produce a hydrogen-rich fuel gas"; be gasified with Steam and made thereby to yield a hydrocarbon synthesis gas, which could then be processed via well-established Fischer-Tropsch catalytic techniques and be made thereby to yield even more hydrocarbons.)
Claims: (A) process for the hydrogenation of coal."
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Thus, in 1951, we had a process in hand that would, if implemented, have enabled us to begin converting up to 85%, and more, of the Coal we might have wished to devote to it into, as Texaco plainly states, "oil".
And, they make it clear that there is nothing special about such "oil".
It is simply a direct substitute for natural liquid petroleum - a direct substitute for natural petroleum we have, as herein officially, known for more than half a century how to, efficiently and directly, make out of Coal.