Preparation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of carbonaceous solids
We recently documented what appears to have been, more than half a century ago, the intensive development of Coal conversion and hydrogenation technologies and processes that took place in the very heart of US Coal Country, in the state capitol of West Virginia itself.
Our reports have included:
WV 1955 Hydrogen & Syngas from Coal | Research & Development; which concerned: "United States Patent 2,699,384 - Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen from Carbonaceous Solids; January, 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"; and:
WV DuPont 1954 Coal and Steam to Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development; in which was discussed: "United States Patent 2,698,227 - Preparation of Synthesis Gases from Carbonaceous Solids; December, 1954; Inventor: Luther Peery, et. al., Charleston, WV; Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, DE; Abstract: 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".
Herein, we further document the now-obvious great interest, of a very credible international chemical industry giant, in the plain fact that our abundant West Virginia and United States domestic Coal can be converted into hydrocarbons, into virtually anything we now derive from increasingly-dear foreign petroleum.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 2,716,598 - Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen (from) Carbonaceous Solids
Date: August, 1955
Inventor: Douglas Moses, Charleston, WV
Assignee: E..I. DuPont and Company, DE
Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen by at least 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.
(Note: When Coal is hydro-gasified in a process using air, rather than purified Oxygen, as the oxidizing agent, Nitrogen, and Nitrogen compounds, will be a major component of the resulting synthesis gas. Such blends of Hydrogen and Nitrogen can be separated from the syngas and be further processed, as we've documented in previous reports, into Ammonia and Urea, which can be utilized as the bases for the further syntheses of both fertilizer and certain types "plastic" resins, i.e. "urea-formaldehyde". If Nitrogenous compounds are unwanted, then purified Oxygen can be used, in conjunction with Steam, as the sole oxidant for the Coal, and a synthesis gas consisting primarily of Hydrogen and Carbon Monoxide, and thus better suited for the production of hydrocarbons, will be the result. Inventor Moses himself does go on to explain all of that in detail)
In pending applications of Peery, et. al., ... are described processes and apparatus for the partial oxidation of coal with oxygen of at least 90% purity, these applications covering ... the preparation of synthesis gas by partial combustion of coal with oxygen and steam ... .
(Note the above reference to those DuPont patents we acknowledged in our introductory remarks, and the apparent clarification of the spelling of that lead inventor's name.)
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved process for the preparation of synthesis gas 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 constituents can be accurately controlled.
The steam has (multiple functions) to perform (including) to serve as a reactant in the process.
(Note: As in a number of our previous reports documenting related Coal conversion technology developed by numerous others, as in, for one instance:
Standard Oil 1949 Hydrogenated Coal Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 2,482,187 - Producing Hydrogen-Carbon Monoxide Gas Mixtures; 1949; Assignee: Standard Oil Corporation, Chicago; Abstract: This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the optimum utilization of the hydrocarbon values derived from ... coal (via a gasification process wherein the) proportion of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in net mixture can ...be controlled";
it has been known for better than half a century that, as DuPont, in our subject US Patent 2,716,598, suggests, the ratios and combinations of raw materials fed into the Coal gasification unit can be "controlled" and adjusted, so as to deliberately determine the composition of the synthesis gas thus produced based on the desired end product, whether, for example, "oxygenated" hydrocarbons, i.e., alcohols such as Methanol and Ethanol; more basic hydrocarbons from which we can blend Gasoline and Diesel; or, hydrocarbon gases such as Methane.)
The oxygen introduced into the burner should be of not appreciably less than 90% purity, preferably above 95% purity, and is used in sufficient amounts to give steam-oxygen mixtures containing from 25 to 50 (mole percent) oxygen, and preferably from 30 to 40 (mole percent) oxygen based on the steam-oxygen mixture.
(Again: Purified Oxygen, as opposed to air, can be used to support the oxidation the reactions with the Coal and the Steam, and thereby, if wanted, reduce the co-production of Nitrogen compounds. And, as seen 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; Abstract: 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;
our own United States Department of energy knows how to make both Hydrogen and the Oxygen required by our subject process of "United States Patent 2,716,598" by using "green algae" to process, as one example, Coal-fired power plant exhaust streams.)
Many factors such as fuel compositions and relative proportions of coal and steam influence the amount of oxygen required.
(Note, once more, the element of control over product mix indicated above.)
The product gas obtained by the partial oxidation of the pulverized fuel ... may be further treated in order to prepare it for use in the synthesis of methanol, in which a gaseous mixture of carbon monoxide is used; or to prepare it for the synthesis of ammonia, in which a gaseous mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen is used; or to prepare it for use as a hydrogenation gas in which only its hydrogen content is used.
(We will have to interrupt again here to emphasize a few things. First, if Oxygen is used in the initial Steam gasification of the Coal, then the "product gas" will consist primarily of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen, with very few Nitrogen compounds included. Such a gas, according to DuPont, can be separated so that the "carbon monoxide ... (and/or) only its hydrogen content is used.
If we are able to separate the Carbon Monoxide, as DuPont indicates, then we could, as seen in:
Pittsburgh 1951 Carbon Monoxide + Water = Hydrocarbons | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 2,579,663 - Process of Synthesizing Hydrocarbons; December 25, 1951; Assignee: Gulf Research and Development Company, Pittsburgh; Abstract: This invention relates to a process for synthesizing hydrocarbons; more particularly the invention relates to a process for synthesizing normally liquid hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and steam";
rather simply mix that Carbon Monoxide with Steam and synthesize "liquid hydrocarbons".
There would then, as DuPont suggests, be spare Hydrogen available for use "as a hydrogenation gas", which, we suggest, could be best employed as seen in:
WVU Hydrogenates Coal Tar | Research & Development; concerning: "Hydrogenation of Naphthalene and Coal Tar Distillate; Abhijit Bhagavatula; College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University; 2009; Abstract: The hydrogenation of naphthalene and coal-tar distillates (to produce) tetralin (1,2,3,4 Tetrahydronaphthalene) ... (for use in) ... producing liquid fuels from solid coal ... such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene";
to hydrogenate a primary Coal tar, i.e., "Naphthalene", to produce "tetralin", which enables the production of "liquid fuels from solid coal".)
Claims: (A) continuous process for the preparation of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (from) pulverized coal, steam and an oxidizing gas containing at least 90% oxygen."
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Which "carbon monoxide and hydrogen", can then be used "in the synthesis of methanol".
Which Methanol, we are compelled to remind you, can, through multiple technologies, then be converted, as seen, for just one instance, in:
ExxonMobil Coal to Methanol to Gasoline | Research & Development; which concerns: "United States Patent 4,035,430 - Conversion of Methanol to Gasoline; 1977; Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation";
into Gasoline.
And, all of that can start with a "process for the preparation of synthesis gas from coal" that was, as herein, developed more than half a century ago in the capitol city of West Virginia.