Preparation of synthesis gases from carbonaceous solids
We've previously reported on the early-1950's development, by the well-known E.I. DuPont Company, of Coal conversion technologies targeted on the production of various hydrocarbons; compounds which we presume that DuPont, based on their established business, intended for use in polymers and synthetic fibers.
Some of our earlier reports concerning DuPont have included:
DuPont 1952 Ethylene from Coal | Research & Development; which concerns: "United States Patent 2,623,011 - Preparation of Olefins by Coal Carbonization;1952; Inventor: A.J. Wells, DE; Assignee: E.I. DuPont and Company, DE; This invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, and more particularly, to the preparation of ethylene by the carbonization of coal"; and:
WV 1955 Hydrogen & Syngas from Coal | Research & Development; which details: "United States Patent 2,699,384 - Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen from Carbonaceous Solids; 1955; Inventors: Luther Perry, et. al., Charleston, WV; Assignee: E.I. DuPont and Company, DE; Abstract: This invention ... is more particularly directed to the preparation of hydrogen ... and gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide (from) ... coal. We claim: ... a process for the preparation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by the partial combustion of coal in the presence of steam".
Our speculation is that DuPont, encouraged by the preliminary work in their Delaware labs, promoted the additional efforts in the heart of Coal Country.
And, as it happens, "US Patent 2,699,384" now appears to have been founded on other, somewhat earlier work by the same West Virginia scientists working in DuPont's Charleston facility.
Further, all of their R&D efforts seem to have been centered on one key fact that we have, from many other sources, documented to be true:
Coal can be made to react with Steam, H2O, and thereby form various hydrocarbons; essentially any hydrocarbon, in fact, that we now rely on unreliable petroleum for our supply of.
Comment, concerning some interesting facets and implications of the process, follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 2,698,227 - Preparation of Synthesis Gases from Carbonaceous Solids
Date: December, 1954
Inventor: Luther Peery, et. al., Charleston, WV
(We note the variance in spelling of the lead inventor's name, relative to our earlier report of "United States Patent 2,699,384". The one immediately above is as it appears on the facsimile image of the original document.)
Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, DE
This invention relates to a process for the preparation of synthesis gases by the partial oxidation of comminuted solid carbonaceous materials, and is more particularly directed to the preparation of hydrogen, gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen and nitrogen, and gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide by the partial oxidation of powdered coal.
(We address the various "mixtures", and their implications, further on.)
To realize it's synthesis gas content, coal is usually subjected to destructive distillation in retorts, the distilled gas being subjected to purification for the recovery principally of it's hydrogen and olefin content.
The coke residue from the retorts remains the principal source of synthesis gases, the hydrogen and carbon monoxide being obtained from the coke by alternative heating with air and blasting with steam, the purified gases from the steam run being used in the synthesis of ammonia, alcohol and other organic compounds.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for the preparation of synthesis gas mixtures from coal.
Another object is to provide a process for the preparation of gases containing principally hydrogen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, or hydrogen and nitrogen, wherein the purity and/or the ratio of the constituents can be accurately controlled.
The product gas ... may be further treated ... for use in the synthesis of methanol.
Claims: A process for the preparation of a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen from pulverized coal which comprises suspending pulverized coal in superheated steam, mixing the coal-steam suspension, in a non-ignited state, with a sufficient amount of oxygen of at least 90% purity to convert the coal to carbon monoxide and hydrogen but insufficient to convert the coal to carbon dioxide and water ... ."
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We'll close there so that we can explain and emphasize a few things.
Not reflected in our excerpts is the point, that, if Ammonia, rather than Hydrocarbon, Synthesis Gas is the desired end product, then either some amount of air, instead of pure Oxygen, is used to support the partial combustion of the Coal and it's reaction with Steam; or, Nitrogen can be added to the hot gases produced.
Ammonia would be desired primarily for the further production of urea fertilizer, one of the key products China has targeted for their extensive Coal conversion industrialization plans. Those sorts of products from Coal conversion are targeted, as well, by at least one large company in Australia, as in:
Perdaman Industries: "Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers (formally North West Chemicals and Fertilisers), which is part of Perdaman Industries, is developing a US$2.5 billion urea manufacturing plant at Collie, Western Australia. Using innovative and clean coal gasification technology, the plant will transform sub-bituminous coal into urea.
The coal gasification process used in the production of urea from the Collie Urea plant produces lower emissions than an equivalently sized coal fired power plant. Indeed the global carbon footprint for the plant, taking into consideration the increased crop sizes arising from the application of urea, creates an overall net annual reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere."
The above might actually understate the facts concerning Carbon Dioxide reduction, since, as seen in:
http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/production/1A.pdf; "Urea synthesis: Urea is made from ammonia and carbon dioxide";
there might exist the potential for recycling Carbon Dioxide via reactions with the Ammonia produced by an Air-supported, or Nitrogen-supplemented, Coal hydro-gasification process.
However, DuPont specifies "oxygen of at least 90% purity to convert the coal" and Steam "to carbon monoxide and hydrogen", if hydrocarbons are the desired end products; and, we again remind you that we can obtain that Oxygen, at least in part, via a technology such as that described in:
USDOE Algae Make Hydrogen for Coal and CO2 Hydrogenation | Research & Development; concerning: "Photosynthetic Hydrogen and Oxygen Production by Green Algae; Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Tennessee; Photosynthesis research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is focused on hydrogen and oxygen production by green algae in the context of its potential as a renewable fuel and chemical feed stock";
as a co-product, along with Hydrogen, generated by Algae fed with Coal plant exhaust Carbon Dioxide.
And, finally, this is another Coal hydro-gasification "process for the preparation of synthesis gas mixtures from coal ... containing principally ... carbon monoxide and hydrogen ... wherein the purity and/or the ratio of the constituents can be accurately controlled".
If the "ratio of" the "carbon monoxide and hydrogen" can be so well "controlled", then it seems likely that any number of hydrocarbon products, in addition to the Methanol suggested herein by DuPont, can be potentially synthesized from the products of this West Virginia-originated Coal conversion process.
Those would include, as attested to by many of our previous reports concerning the production and subsequent catalytic condensation of such Coal-derived synthesis gas, Methane, Gasoline and Diesel.
All from West Virginia Coal, via a process invented in the state capital of West Virginia.