United States Patent Application: 0130338411
We've documented for you a number of times that the University of North Dakota, under contract to the United States Department of Energy, has been developing - - and studying the economics of - - some specific technologies for the direct conversion of our abundant United States Coal into synthetic petroleum; that is, into a substitute for the stuff we utterly squander our national treasure, and put at grave risk our national security, to continue purchasing from the alien, and often inimical, nations of OPEC.
Our reports on the University of North Dakota's efforts have included, for example:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE Demonstrates Economic Feasibility of Coal Liquefaction | Research & Development; concerning: "'Feasibility Of Direct Coal Liquefaction In The Modern Economic Climate'; Final Report for the period June 25, 2008, through June 30, 2009; U.S. Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratory; Pittsburgh, PA; Prepared by: Benjamin G. Oster, et. al.; University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND; Cooperative Agreement Number DE-FC26-08NT43291; Coal liquefaction provides an alternative to petroleum for the production of liquid hydrocarbon-based fuels. There are two main processes to liquefy coal: direct coal liquefaction (DCL) and indirect coal liquefaction (ICL). Because ICL has been demonstrated to a greater extent than DCL, ICL may be viewed as the lower-risk option when it comes to building a coal liquefaction facility. However, a closer look, based on conversion efficiencies and economics, is necessary to determine the optimal technology. This report summarizes historical DCL efforts in the United States, describes the technical challenges facing DCL, overviews Shenhua’s current DCL project in China, provides a DCL conceptual cost estimate based on a literature review, and compares the carbon dioxide emissions from a DCL facility to those from an ICL facility. Shenhua of China is currently bringing a commercial DCL facility online. That facility has estimated a break-even cost of $35–$40 per barrel of oil. Conceptual cost data obtained from the literature showed that DCL products from various technologies ranged from $25.54 per barrel of crude oil equivalent up to $140 per barrel of crude oil equivalent. For comparison, the average cost of petroleum crude oil in 2008 was $93.05, and the average selling price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil in 2009 is projected as $42. These cost data support the hypothesis that a DCL facility could be competitive with petroleum and profitable"; and, most recently:
West Virginia Coal Association | North Dakota Advances Direct Coal Liquefaction | Research & Development; concerning: "SUBTASK 3.9 – DIRECT COAL LIQUEFACTION PROCESS DEVELOPMENT; Final Report (for the period of March 1, 2010, through July 31, 2012); Prepared for: National Energy Technology Laboratory; U.S. Department of Energy; Pittsburgh, PA; Cooperative Agreement No.: DE-FC26-08NT43291; Prepared by: Ted R. Aulich (and) Ramesh K. Sharma; Energy & Environmental Research Center; University of North Dakota; Grand Forks, ND; July, 2012; Abstract: The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Accelergy Corporation, an advanced fuels developer with technologies exclusively licensed from ExxonMobil, undertook Subtask 3.9 to design, build, and preliminarily operate a bench-scale direct coal liquefaction (DCL) system capable of converting 45 pounds/hour of pulverized, dried coal to a liquid suitable for upgrading to fuels and/or chemicals. ... The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), in partnership with the U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) and Accelergy Corporation, an advanced fuels developer with technologies exclusively licensed from ExxonMobil, undertook Subtask 3.9 to design, build, and preliminarily operate a bench-scale direct coal liquefaction (DCL) system capable of converting pulverized, dried coal to a liquid suitable for upgrading to fuels and/or chemicals. ... In addition to completing fabrication of the DCL system, the project also produced a 500-milliliter sample of jet fuel derived in part from direct liquefaction of Illinois No. 6 coal, and submitted the sample to AFRL (Air Force Research Lab) for evaluation. The sample was confirmed by AFRL to be in compliance with all U.S. Air Force-prescribed MIL-DTL-83133F-derived alternative aviation fuel initial screening criteria. ... A semiautomatic distillation system was installed at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) to support direct coal liquefaction (DCL) process development activities. ... The liquid distillate will be upgraded by hydroprocessing comprising hydrotreating and hydrogenation to produce clean fuels. The hydroprocessed distillate will be fractionally distilled in this distillation system according to ASTM standards D86 or D2892 to produce transportation fuels such as naphtha, aviation fuel, and diesel".
As we noted in the above report, the specified "naphtha' product is an important blending component, or feedstock, for the formulation of gasoline.
And, herein, we see that the University of North Dakota, as embodied in their Energy & Environmental Research Center, and in the person of the above report's co-author, Ramesh K. Sharma, have formalized their technology and process for directly converting Coal, along with renewable and carbon-recycling biomass, into synthetic liquid petroleum.
Comment follows, and is inserted within, excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"United States Patent Application 20130338411 - Liquefaction of Carbonaceous Material and Biomass to Produce a Synthetic Fuel
LIQUEFACTION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL AND BIOMASS TO PRODUCE A SYNTHETIC FUEL - Sharma, Ramesh K.
December 19, 2013
Inventor: Ramesh K. Sharma, ND
Abstract: The present invention relates to production of fuels from carbonaceous material and biomass. In some examples, the carbonaceous material is nonpetroleum fossil fuel or petroleum residuals. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method of liquefaction of carbonaceous material and biomass. The method includes providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture including carbonaceous material and biomass. The method also includes subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry. Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method of fuel production from carbonaceous material and biomass. The method includes separating the product slurry from the liquefaction, to give a conversion component. The method also includes processing the conversion component, to give a fuel.
Government Interests: This invention was made with government support under U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-0SNT43291 entitled "EERC-DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources," Subtask 3.5 entitled "Catalytic Coal Liquefaction to Produce Transportation Fuels," Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) Fund 15159, and U.S. Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-0SNT43291 entitled "EERC-DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources," Subtask 3.8 entitled "Analysis of Multiple Pathways for Converting Coal to Liquid Transportation Fuels," EERC Fund 16344. The government has certain rights in this invention.
Claims; A method of liquefaction of carbonaceous material and biomass, comprising: providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising carbonaceous material and biomass; and subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry; wherein the carbonaceous material comprises a nonpetroleum fossil fuel (and) wherein the carbonaceous material comprises coal, coal tar, wax from a FT process ... or a combination thereof.
(The above "wax from a FT process" refers to, literally, wax that is a byproduct of some indirect processes for the conversion of Coal into hydrocarbons, most usually labeled generically "Fischer-Tropsch", or, even more generically, just "FT". In FT processes, Coal is first gasified, to produce a blend of, primarily, Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen; and, that "syngas" is then catalytically, chemically condensed into hydrocarbons. We've previously made report on the potential utility of byproduct FT wax, as in:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE Pays Mobil Oil to Refine CoalTL Wax | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,684,756 - Process for Upgrading Wax from Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis; 1987; Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation; Abstract: The waxy liquid phase of an oil suspension of Fischer-Tropsch catalyst containing dissolved wax is separated out and the wax is converted by hydrocracking, dewaxing or by catalytic cracking with a low activity catalyst to provide a highly olefinic product which may be further converted to premium quality gasoline and/or distillate fuel. Government Interests: The Government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC22-83PC60019 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Claims: A process for converting synthesis gas to liquid hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: charging said synthesis gas to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis conversion zone containing a catalyst providing CO reducing characteristics to produce a waxy hydrocarbon liquid; separating hydrocarbon wax from said waxy liquid; catalytically cracking said wax in a fluidized bed of acid crystalline zeolite at cracking temperature under process conditions requiring a supply of heat to effect cracking ... . (And) thereby producing olefinic liquid hydrocarbon crackate in the gasoline and distillate boiling range along with olefinic light gas; (Recovering) distillate range hydrocarbons from the liquid crackate; (And) further converting the olefinic gasoline range hydrocarbon crackate and olefinic light gas under oligomerization conditions ... to upgrade at least a portion of said olefinic crackate and olefinic light gas to distillate range hydrocarbon product and producing by-product light fuel gas; (And) wherein the synthesis gas reaction of step (a) is carried out with a low H2 /CO ratio syngas ... . ... This invention is concerned with a process wherein the "wax" resulting from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction is catalytically upgraded into high quality gasoline and distillate products. Processes are well known for converting coal ... to a gaseous mixture consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and/or dioxide. It is also well known that these gases (synthesis gas) will undergo conversion to reduction products of carbon monoxide such as hydrocarbons, over a fairly wide variety of catalysts under certain conditions of temperature and pressure. The Fischer-Tropsch process, for example, produces a range of liquid hydrocarbons";wherein it was seen that other technologies, as well, exist for the productive use of "FT wax" arising from an indirect Coal-to-Hydrocarbon process. The implication of our subject is, that, a direct Coal conversion facility and an indirect Coal conversion facility could exist side-by-side, producing different ranges of hydrocarbons from Coal, with the direct Coal conversion facility, operating along the principles of our subject herein, "United States Patent Application 20130338411 - Liquefaction of Carbonaceous Material and Biomass to Produce a Synthetic Fuel", consuming and utilizing the byproduct "FT wax" generated by the indirect Coal conversion facility.)
The method ... wherein the coal comprises coal powder, pulverized coal, or a combination thereof (and) wherein the coal comprises lignite, brown coal, jet coal, subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, steel coal, anthracite, graphite, or a combination thereof (and) wherein the biomass comprises plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat (and) wherein the mass ratio of carbonaceous material to biomass is about 0.01-10 to 1.
The method ... wherein the mixture further comprises solvent (and) wherein the solvent comprises a carbonaceous material-derived heavy liquid.
(What is meant by the above, to put it plainly, is a Coal Oil, which is often specified as a Coal solvent in direct Coal liquefaction processes; as seen, for one example, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | Mobil Liquefies Pittsburgh Seam Coal with Coal Oil | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 4,032,428 - Liquefaction of Coal; 1977; Mobil Oil Corporation; Abstract: This invention provides an improved process for solvent-refining coal which involves heating an admixture of coal and a thermally stable organic solvent to solubilize substantially the coal to form a slurry of liquefaction phase and a residual solids phase, and thereafter passing the slurry through a filter bed of crushed raw coal to separate the liquefaction phase from the solids phase. (It) is an object of the present invention to provide an improved coal liquefaction process. One or more objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a process for liquefaction of coal which comprises admixing comminuted coal with a thermally stable organic solvent ... . By the term 'thermally stable' organic solvent is meant a solvent medium which is substantially composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon derivatives (and) suitable solvents ... are tetralin, ... anthracene, (and etc., as) may be derived from ... the destructive distillation of coal, coal tar and oils".)
The method ... wherein the liquefaction comprises direct liquefaction (and) wherein subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction comprises contacting the feed mixture with a liquefaction catalyst and hydrogen gas at a temperature of about 200 to about 600 C, at a pressure of about 50 to about 300 atm.
(As we've noted in many previous reports, the direct liquefaction of Coal can require relatively high pressures and temperatures. All of the above, however, are well within the ranges of current industrial practice. Chemical manufacturers employ them on an industrial scale. The downside is the capital expenditure needed to build the processing equipment to handle the extremes of pressure and temperature, and the cost of the energy input needed to maintain them.)
The method ... wherein the liquefaction catalyst comprises a cobalt-molybdenum catalyst (and) wherein the hydrogen gas is provided from a supply integrated in the method.
(We've many times documented, as quite recently in:.
West Virginia Coal Association | Chevron Recovers and Recycles Coal Liquefaction Catalyst | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,628,735 - Process for Recovering Metals from Coal Liquefaction Residue Containing Spent Catalysts; 2014; Chevron USA, Inc.; (The) invention relates to a method for recovering metals from a deoiled and dried coal liquefaction residue that contains spent catalyst originating from a Group VIB metal sulfide catalyst. The method ... wherein the ... catalyst comprises molybdenum (and) wherein the ash feed contains about 0.1% to 10% molybdenum by weight";
that, the element "molybdenum" is often specified as a catalyst in Coal hydrogenation/liquefaction processes; and, technologies have been developed to conserve it, and to thus reduce costs, by recovering it from the Coal liquefaction residues and recycling it back into the Coal liquefaction process. Further, note that elemental, molecular "hydrogen gas" is required; and, keep in mind, that, as seen for one example in:
West Virginia Coal Association | USDOE and Delaware Sunshine Extracts Hydrogen from Water | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent Application 20130175180 - Devices and Methods for Increasing Solar Hydrogen Conversion Efficiency in Photovoltaic Electrolysis; 2013; University of Delaware; Devices and methods for photovoltaic electrolysis are disclosed. A device comprises a photovoltaic cell element and an electrolysis compartment. Government Interests: This invention was made with Government support ... by the Department of Energy. The Government may have certain rights in this invention. This invention relates generally to electrolysis, and more particularly to devices and methods for increasing solar hydrogen conversion efficiency in photovoltaic electrolysis. Photovoltaic (PV) electrolysis allows the generation of hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) from water using solar energy";
we're continually improving the technologies for extracting Hydrogen from water, in processes which can be driven by freely-available environmental energies, such as "solar energy".
A method of fuel production from carbonaceous material and biomass ... (and) wherein the method is substantially or fully integrated with respect to the fuel production.
(Some of the claims are given over to disclosure of "hydrotreating' and "hydroprocessing" steps which are, in fact, components of standard, conventional petroleum refining, and which lead to the production of various hydrocarbon product streams, but are beyond our scope herein.).
The method ... wherein the fuel comprises a liquid transportation fuel.
A method of liquefaction of coal and biomass, comprising: providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising coal and biomass, the biomass comprising plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat; and subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction (as described).
(We've many, many times documented the fact, that, a wide variety of organic, renewable, Carbon-recycling products and wastes can be combined with Coal in various Coal conversion processes, in order to introduce notes of Carbon-recycling and sustainability into those processes which convert Coal into various hydrocarbons. See, for another recent example:
West Virginia Coal Association | WVU Coal and Carbon-recycling Renewables into Crude Oil | Research & Development; concerning, primarily:"United States Patent 8,597,382 - Rubber Material In Coal Liquefaction; December 3, 2013; Inventor: Alfred H. Stiller, Morgantown, WV; Assignee: West Virginia University; Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for coal liquefaction using a rubber material ... wherein the rubber material is from a rubber tire (and wherein the product) coal extract may be added to a pipeline of petroleum crude for delivery to a petroleum refinery"; and which also contained links to our prior reports concerning: "United States Patent 8,449,632 - Sewage Material in Coal Liquefaction; May 28, 2013; Inventor: Alfred H. Stiller, Morgantown, WV; Assignee: West Virginia University; Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for coal liquefaction using a sewage material. A method of obtaining a de-ashed coal extract includes exposing a coal to a sewage material. ... The de-ashed coal extract may be added to a pipeline of petroleum crude for delivery to a petroleum refinery"; and: "United States Patent 8,465,561 - Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil in Coal Liquefaction; June 18, 2013; Inventors: Alfred H. Stiller and Elliot B. Kennel, Morgantown, WV; Assignee: West Virginia University; Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for coal liquefaction using a hydrogenated vegetable oil".)A method of fuel production from coal and biomass, comprising: providing or obtaining a feed mixture, the mixture comprising coal and biomass, the biomass comprising plant-derived oil, algae-derived oil, biomass pyrolysis oil, waste oil, yellow grease, brown grease, tar, or animal fat; subjecting the feed mixture to liquefaction, to provide a product slurry; distilling the product slurry, to give a distillate; and hydrotreating the distillate, to give a hydrotreated material; hydrogenating the hydrotreated material, to give a hydrogenated material; isomerizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an isomerized material; aromatizing at least some of the hydrotreated material, to give an aromatized material; and blending at least some of the isomerized material and at least some of the aromatized material, to give a fuel.
Background: Refining of petroleum crude is the most common pathway for the production of fuels. However, petroleum is a limited and nonrenewable resource, and the extraction, transportation, and refining of petroleum can be problematic from an environmental, political, and energy efficiency standpoint. Several competitive technologies allowing production of synthetic fuels from other sources such as coal or natural gas are currently being developed or are at advanced stages of development. In addition, most competitive technologies do not produce all of the key constituents needed to produce synthetic fuels, such as aviation fuels. At best, they produce blendstocks that need to be mixed with petroleum-derived fuels or blendstocks to meet the key requirements of particular fuels, such as aviation fuels.
Definitions: The term "fuel" as used herein can refer to a hydrocarbon mixture, such as, for example, a distillate fuel, jet fuel, diesel fuel, compression ignition fuel, gasoline, spark ignition fuel, rocket fuel, marine fuel, or other fuel, qualifying as such by virtue of having a set of chemical and physical properties that comply with requirements delineated in a specification developed and published by ASTM International (ASTM), European Standards Organization (CEN), and/or the U.S. military. In some examples, a fuel can be a liquid transportation fuel, for example, for surface or air transport. Surface transport includes both terra firma and oceanic transport. Fuels of this type are included, but not limited to, ASTM specifications D975 (Diesel Fuel Oil), D1655 (Aviation Turbine Fuels), D4814 (Automotive Spark Ignition Fuel); military specifications MIL-DTL-83133G (Turbine Fuel, Aviation, Kerosene Type), MIL-DTL-25576D (Propellant, Rocket-Grade Kerosene), MIL-DTL-38219D (Turbine Fuel, Low Volatility), MIL-DTL-5624U (Turbine Fuel, Aviation), MIL-DTL-16884L (Fuel, Naval Distillate), and other such specifications for similar fuels.
(In other words, no matter what sort of liquid hydrocarbon fuel we need, we can make it, starting via the process of our subject herein, "United States Patent Application 20130338411 - Liquefaction of Carbonaceous Material and Biomass to Produce a Synthetic Fuel", from Biomass and Coal. That is further confirmed in additional specifications.)
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method of producing a synthetic fuel, for example, an aviation fuel, from a combination of carbonaceous material, such as coal, and renewable material. The method can include liquefaction coupled with an upgrading process to give the fuel. In some examples, the overall process can include a) liquefaction; b) catalytic hydrotreating of carbonaceous material liquids, such as coal liquids, to remove heteroatoms; c) saturation to hydrogenate the aromatics to naphthenes; d) aromatization of at least part of the saturated product stream; and e) catalytic isomerization of at least part of the saturated product stream to produce isoparaffins. In one example, blending the products from Steps d and e together in the appropriate ratios can allow control over the composition of the product fuel. In another example, adjusting the ratios of the carbonaceous material and the biomass can allow control over the composition of the product fuel. By controlling the composition of the product fuel, various fuels can be produced, such as, for example, gasoline, naptha, kerosene, jet fuel, or diesel fuel.(They're big on flying out in North Dakota, and have a big air base or two. So, a lot of the full Disclosure specifies "aviation fuel' as a desirable product. Note, in the above, admission that any and all liquid hydrocarbon fuels can be made via this process from Coal and biomass.).
In various examples, the fuels produced by the present method can not only meet but even exceed the military aviation fuel-screening criteria, advantageously providing a pathway to energy security to the U.S. military and the entire nation. In some examples, fuels produced by the method of the present invention can meet or exceed the specification parameters for JP-8, a petroleum-based jet fuel widely used by the U.S. military, including parameters such as freeze point, density, and flash point. In some examples, the fuel can meet or exceed the thermal stability specification of JP-8 fuel as determined by a QCM test. In various examples, the present method can produce fuels that can look and act identically or superiorly to petroleum-derived fuels and that can thus be used interchangeably without any special requirements, providing renewable options across the spectrum of fuel needs. In some examples, superior qualities of the fuels of the method as compared to petroleum-derived equivalent fuels can include cleaner burning with less particulate emissions and having a lower concentration of sulfur-containing compounds and aromatics.
Herein the invention has been described with what feedstocks are presently considered the preferred embodiments; however, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but rather is intended to cover various other readily available feedstocks within the scope of the appended claims.'
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There doesn't seem much we can add at this point.
In sum:
The University of North Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center, in a development project partly paid for by the United States Department of Energy, that is, with tax dollars collected from all of us, has developed an extraordinary technology that converts, as added ingredients, just about any and all sorts of sustainable, renewable, and Carbon-recycling Biomass and organic wastes into, basically, synthetic petroleum, in a process that uses - - because of it's abundance and the economies of it's extraction - - as the basic, core raw material for the synthesis of substitute petroleum and liquid hydrocarbon fuels, our far and away most valuable fossil resource:
Coal.