As we read the available literature - and, by now, it should be obvious that there is a lot of it - concerning the conversion of our abundant Coal into direct replacements for scarce natural hydrocarbons, it's becoming clear that most technologies for the conversion of Coal into hydrocarbons have been devised to "finesse", for want of a better term, the transfer of Hydrogen to Coal, and the bonding of the Hydrogen with the Carbon, to form hydrocarbons.
For just one, out of now many, many examples, we refer you to our report of:
Texaco 1950 Coal + Steam = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 2,516,974 - Gasifying Carbonaceous Material; 1950; Assignee: Texaco; Abstract: The present invention relates to gasification of solid fuels and is more particularly concerned with the conversion of carbonaceous materials into a gaseous product of high heating value composed primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen ... . In accordance with the present invention a stream of combustible gases, predominantly hydrogen and carbon monoxide, is produced by the reaction of water vapor with carbon";
wherein the Hydrogen is provided to the process by Steam, H2O.
One drawback to such techniques is that they result in the production of both an excess of Carbon Monoxide, relative to the Hydrogen, for subsequent catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons; and, as well, some byproduct Carbon Dioxide.
Any excess Carbon Monoxide could, of course, be extracted and utilized in a process such as that seen in:
Standard Oil Carbon Monoxide + Water = Gasoline | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,559,363 - Process for Reacting Carbon Monoxide and Water; 1985; (Assignee: Standard Oil Company of Indiana) A process for reacting carbon monoxide and water ... for the ... direct production of gasoline".
And, any co-product Carbon Dioxide could be extracted and utilized in a process such as that described in:
Utah 2011 CO2 + H2O = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,075,746 - Electrochemical Cell for Production of Synthesis Gas Using Atmospheric Air and Water; 2011; Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.; Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing synthesis gas from carbon dioxide obtained from atmospheric air or other available carbon dioxide source and water using a sodium-conducting electrochemical cell. Synthesis gas is also produced by the coelectrolysis of carbon dioxide and steam in a solid oxide fuel cell or solid oxide electrolytic cell. The synthesis gas produced may then be further processed and eventually converted into a liquid fuel suitable for transportation or other applications";
and also, like the Carbon Monoxide in the process of Standard Oil's "United States Patent 4,559,363", be converted thereby into another stream of synthesis gas, and then into more liquid hydrocarbon fuels.
However, it has been recognized that production of excess Carbon Monoxide and byproduct Carbon Dioxide can be avoided if the Coal were to be reacted with a compound that naturally contained within it an excess of Hydrogen, but, unlike the "water vapor" in Texaco's "US Patent 2,516,974", as cited above, no Oxygen.
Such a concept is exemplified in our report of:
USDOE Liquefies Coal with Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,687,570 - Direct Use of Methane in Coal Liquefaction; 1987; Assignee: The United States of America; Abstract: This invention relates to a process for converting solid carbonaceous material, such as coal, to liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons utilizing methane ... 50-100% by volume in a mix of methane and hydrogen."
Much of the "hydrogen" in the process of "United States Patent 4,687,570", as a close read might reveal, is derived from the Methane itself; and, perhaps intriguingly, as taught us more than a century ago by a Nobel Prize winner, as in:
1910 Methane & Hydrogen from Coal | Research & Development; wherein we made report of: "United States Patent 956,734 - Manufacturing Mixtures of Methane and Hydrogen; 1910; Inventor: Paul Sabatier, France; The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of Methane or of mixtures of Methane and Hydrogen ... by passing water gas over heated nickel. ... The water gas is manufactured (by passing) super heated steam ... through coke (and/or) anthracite, wood, charcoal";
we can make an excess of both Methane and Hydrogen, relative to Carbon Oxides, by starting out with nothing, essentially, but Steam and Coal; and, maybe, some naturally Carbon-recycling "wood".
In any case, in semi-confirmation of our own US Department of Energy's process, of the above-cited "United States Patent 4,687,570 - Direct Use of Methane in Coal Liquefaction", we see herein that Coal can be very efficiently converted, with minimal generation of excess or unwanted co-products, such as Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide, into a desirable hydrocarbon synthesis gas through direct reactions with both Methane and elemental Hydrogen.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent 4,326,944 - Rapid Hydropyrolysis of Carbonaceous Solids
Date: April, 1982
Inventor: James Meyer, et. al., Illinois
Assignee: Standard Oil Company of Indiana, Chicago
Abstract: A method is disclosed for recovering liquids and gases by a rapid hydropyrolysis of carbonaceous solids which comprises subjecting the carbonaceous material in a stream of carrier gas to a first pressure and a first temperature below the decomposition temperature of the carbonaceous material; reducing substantially in a single step the pressure on the stream of carbonaceous material from the first pressure to a second pressure, the ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure being at least 1.6, thereby accelerating the carrier gas in the stream of carbonaceous material; permitting the accelerated stream of carbonaceous material to expand as a free jet and mixing hot gas with the accelerated and expanded stream of carbonaceous material to raise the temperature of the carbonaceous material by heat exchange with the hot gas, to a second temperature of at least the aforesaid decomposition temperature, thereby initiating decomposition of the carbonaceous material; and reducing the temperature of the reaction mixture to below said decomposition temperature, with the total time for heating the carbonaceous material from the first temperature to the second temperature, decomposing the carbonaceous material and cooling the reaction mixture to below said decomposition temperature being from about 1 millisecond to about 10 seconds.
(This is, thus, a very rapid, high-rate production process; with what should be obvious implications for genuinely industrial-scale application.)
Claims: A process for treating crushed solid carbonaceous material to obtain therefrom liquid and gaseous products, comprising: subjecting the carbonaceous material in a stream of carrier gas to a first pressure in the range of from about 1 atmosphere to about 680 atmospheres, at a first temperature of from about ambient up to the decomposition temperature of the carbonaceous material, the carbonaceous material having a particle size in the range of from about 1 micron up to about 1 millimeter in the largest dimension;
(Note, that, unfortunately, the Coal would have to be crushed pretty fine; but, the efficiency of the conversion process itself might very well make that extra effort worthwhile.)
(And) reducing substantially in a single step the pressure on the stream of carbonaceous material from the first pressure to a second pressure in the range of from about sub-atmospheric to about 272 atmospheres, the ratio of the first pressure to the second pressure being at least about 1.6, thereby accelerating the carrier gas in the stream of carbonaceous material to at least a sonic velocity;
(Note, as well, that the specified range of pressures, though broad, does suggest that some quite high pressures might be required. Processing equipment capable of handling those pressures can be designed and made on an industrial-size basis; but, the capital expense would be significant. The payoff, again, would be in improved efficiencies and volumes of production; and, in better-quality product syngas.)
(thus) permitting the accelerated stream of carbonaceous material to expand as a free jet and mixing hot gas with the accelerated and expanded stream of carbonaceous material to raise the temperature of the carbonaceous material by heat exchange with the hot gas, to a second temperature in the range of the decomposition temperature to about 2204 C, and thereby initiating decomposition of the carbonaceous material to form a reaction mixture containing liquids and gases; and
reducing the temperature of the reaction mixture to below the decomposition temperature, with the total time for heating the carbonaceous material from the first temperature to the second temperature, decomposing the carbonaceous material and cooling the reaction mixture to below the decomposition temperature being in the range of from about 1 millisecond to about 10 seconds.
(The required temperatures, i.e., "about 2204 C", could, according to our consultants, be the largest of the drawbacks, especially on the size and volume scale a process like this would need to be operated, in an essentially sealed vessel, to be considered commercial. The temperatures can be attained and maintained, but, to do so efficiently, on a large scale and without the over-consumption of fuel, might require establishing a process such as that of our subject, United States Patent 4,326,944, somewhere like that intended in our report of:
USDOE Hydrogasifies Coal with Solar Power | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,415,339 - Solar Coal Gasification Reactor; 1983; Assignee: The USA, as represented by the Department of Energy; Abstract: Coal (or other carbonaceous matter, such as biomass) is converted into a duct gas that is substantially free from hydrocarbons. The coal is fed into a solar reactor, and solar energy is directed into the reactor onto coal char, creating a gasification front and a pyrolysis front. The product gas will be free of tar and other hydrocarbons, and thus be suitable for use in many processes. A method of producing a substantially hydrocarbon-free product gas with a solar reactor from a carbonaceous-material feed ... (and) wherein the feed is coal and includes water, thereby generating steam from said water (and) injecting at least one reactive gas selected from the group consisting of steam, CO2, H2 and CH4 into said solar reactor between said solar energy reactor entry and said gasification zone ... .The present invention relates in general to hydrocarbon gasification, and more particularly to a hydrocarbon gasification system utilizing solar energy. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coal gasification reactor that will produce a product stream that is relatively free from hydrocarbons. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a solar coal gasification system that utilizes a pyrolysis gas recycle stream and injected steam ... and/or CO2 ... . Product gases ... would be very suitable for many purposes, including conversion to methanol";
where sufficient Solar, or other suitable environmental, energy could be harvested to drive the process.
Shipping Coal to such a location shouldn't be seen as too much of a drawback, since, as seen in:
Chris Hamilton: West Virginia Coal is Valued Worldwide | Latest; wherein we're told, that, "(this) past year, coal mining provided approximately $500 million in coal severance monies to (West Virginia)";
Coal exports are a valuable contributor to Coal state economies; and, if the Coal were destined for use within the United States itself, with consequent benefit both to the Coal Country and the entire US economies, then everyone's boat, except for OPEC's, would float a little higher.)
The process ... wherein the carbonaceous material is intimately contacted at the first temperature and the first pressure either with a material which at the second temperature and at the second pressure reacts with products from the decomposition to stabilize the decomposition products against recombination or further decomposition reactions, or with a material which produces the stabilizing material at the second temperature and second pressure, and wherein the carbonaceous material is transported in intimate contact with the stabilizing material or said producing material in the stream of carrier gas.
The process ... wherein the stabilizing material or the producing material is additionally a component of the carrier gas in the stream.
The process ... wherein the stabilizing material (is) hydrogen and the producing material is ... methane.
The process ... wherein the carbonaceous material is coal.
The process ... wherein the carrier gas is hydrogen.
The process ... wherein the carbonaceous material is biomass.
(And, thus, yet again, as taught to us long ago in:
Standard Oil Co-Gasifies Coal & Carbon-Recycling Biomass | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 2,633,416 - Gasification of Carbonaceous Solids; 1953; Assignee: Standard Oil Development Company; Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of gases from non-gaseous carbonaceous materials and, more particularly, to the production of gas mixtures containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen ... from such solid carbonaceous materials as ... various coals (and) cellulosic materials";
Carbon-recycling and somewhat sustainable "biomass", i.e., "cellulosic materials", can be processed right along with Coal.)
The process ...wherein the total time is in the range of from about 2 milliseconds to about 50 milliseconds.
(In less than a split second, Coal can be transformed into hydrocarbon "liquids and gases".)
Background and Field: This invention relates generally to the recovery of liquid and gaseous products from carbonaceous materials such as coal ... and biomass and more particularly concerns the rapid and direct conversion of such carbonaceous materials involving hydropyrolysis in the gas phase.
Considerable evidence in the literature suggests that the products initially formed during the thermal decomposition of carbonaceous materials such as coal ... and biomass are largely in the liquid molecular weight range and that they continue to decompose and recombine to form refractory products like coke and gas the longer they are subjected to the thermal decomposition conditions. The available evidence also indicates that the lifetime of these liquid products, under the conditions of thermal decomposition is short. Therefore, in order to maximize liquid yields from such decompositions, it is desirable to limit the time during which the products initially formed are subjected to the decomposition conditions. Thus a low residence time of the decomposition mixture in the decomposition zone and a high rate of decomposition therein are advantageous. Similarly, rapidly quenching the decomposition reaction at some optimum short time after the decomposition commences reduces undesirable secondary reactions.
Furthermore, it is generally recognized that the conversion of carbonaceous materials, such as coal ... to the desired liquid and gaseous products can be maximized by stabilizing the liquid products initially formed. This is often effected by reaction of the liquid products with a stabilizing material such as hydrogen ... . The overall effect of thermal decomposition in the presence of such a stabilizing material or a source thereof is a much larger yield of the desired liquids and a lower char yield."
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We'll abbreviate our excerpts from the very long, very detailed full Disclosure, since it does contain what we feel to be a lot of information extraneous to our discussion herein.
Other carrier gases, for instance, which would be derived from petroleum sources, are suggested as alternatives to Methane.
But, since, as seen, for one instance, in:
Penn State Solar CO2 + H2O = Methane | Research & Development; concerning: "High-Rate Solar Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 and Water Vapor to Hydrocarbon Fuels; Oomman K. Varghese, Maggie Paulose, Thomas J. LaTempa, and Craig A. Grimes; Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University; American Chemical Society, January 2009; Efficient solar conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane";
we can use environmental energy to convert Carbon Dioxide into Methane, we can't see any reason why we would want to use an alternative, petroleum-based "carrier gas".
And, since elemental, molecular Hydrogen seems also to be needed, we submit that, as can be learned in:
Another Energy Bonanza for Coal Country | Research & Development; concerning: "West Virginia Geothermal; A Large Green Energy Source Beneath Northeastern West Virginia; Southern Methodist University, 2010; New research produced by Southern Methodist University's Geothermal Laboratory, funded by a grant from Google.org, suggests that the temperature of the Earth beneath the state of West Virginia is significantly higher than previously estimated and capable of supporting commercial baseload geothermal energy production; and, in:
General Electric Hydrogen from Geothermal Energy | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,331,179 - System and Method for Production of Hydrogen; 2008; Assignee: General Electric Company; Abstract: A technique is disclosed for a system and method for combined production of power and hydrogen utilizing the heat from a first working fluid heated by a geothermal energy source";
we could likely make all of the Hydrogen we might need right in the very heart of US Coal Country.
And, the need for Hydrogen, with it's consequent extra expense, shouldn't, in any case, be seen as that much of a drawback; since we will, by processing CO2-recycling "biomass" along with our Coal, be earning Carbon tax, i.e., Cap & Trade, credits; and, by thus making "desired liquid and gaseous products" out of those domestic resources, also be cutting back on Defense Department expenditures otherwise needed to keep peace in the OPEC sheikdoms and to maintain the OPEC sheiks safely in the lifestyles to which they've become so accustomed.