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Eastman Adjusts Coal Syngas H2 with H2O

United States Patent: 7503947

 

We have many times referenced operation of the factory in Kingsport, TN, where Eastman Chemical Company is profitably making the liquid fuel and, as in ExxonMobil's "MTG"(r) technology, Gasoline raw material, Methanol, out of Coal.

We have also documented, from a variety of sources, that, if the Hydrogen content of synthesis gas derived from Coal needs to be supplemented, in order to make such syngas amenable to more complete catalytic conversion into liquid hydrocarbons, such supplementation can be effected by the rather simple expedient of adding Steam, in appropriate ways, to the reaction mix.

Exxon Hydrogenates Coal with Water and Carbon Monoxide

United States Patent: 5026475

 

We have earlier reported and documented that chemical reactions between Water and Carbon Monoxide can be orchestrated so as to provide for the hydrogenation of Carbon; and, thus, enable the synthesis of hydrocarbons.

That would seem a fact which could logically be applied to the hydrogenation and liquefaction of Coal, especially since we can make all of the Carbon Monoxide we might need for such a process from Coal.

Such logic did not escape the scientists at Exxon.

WV + Pittsburgh USDOE Coal to Alcohol

Information Bridge: DOE Scientific and Technical Information - - Document #369609

 

We have several times documented for you the operation of a Coal hydrogenation and liquefaction process, by the old Union Carbide Corporation, at a pilot plant in South Charleston, West Virginia.

As it happens, the United States Department of Energy was aware of Carbide's achievements, and, prior to Carbide's assimilation by Dow Chemical, contracted with them to study further the conversion of Coal into a variety of alcohols, including Methanol, and others, such as Isobutanol; all of which can be further processed to manufacture Gasoline or Gasoline blending components; or, used as raw materials in the manufacture of various plastics.

USDOE-sponsored WVU CO2-Methane Bi-Reforming

http://www.cffs.uky.edu/energy/pubs/IECR%20v42p2712y2003.pdf

 

Just recently, we sent you report of: "'New Catalysts for Syngas Production from Carbon Dioxide and Methane'; by Mahesh V. Iyer; Thesis submitted to the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Chemical Engineering; Edwin L. Kugler, Ph.D., Chair; Dady B. Dadyburjor, Ph.D.; Jean B. Cropley, M.S.
Department of Chemical Engineering; Morgantown, West Virginia; Copyright 2001".

 

Iyer's Thesis disclosed further study on the Carbon Dioxide-Methane bi-reforming process, wherein those two gasses are reacted together, in some cases in "tri-reforming" reactions, wherein Water is added to the mix, and made thereby to synthesize higher, and valuable, hydrocarbons.

Yet More US Gov-Paid Exxon CoalTl

 

United States Patent: 4125452

 

Now posted on the WV Coal Association's web site, as US Gov Pays for Even More Exxon CoalTL, is our earlier report concerning United States Patent: 4311578, wherein it was disclosed that, via Contract Number  EF-77-A-01-2893, awarded by the U.S. Energy Research and Development "Association", now the U.S. Department of Energy, Exxon had developed a technology for, as they put it, "An improved process for the liquefaction of solid carbonaceous materials", for which, in 1982, they were awarded US Patent 4311578.

 

As it happens, that US Government-financed, and now Exxon-owned, Coal liquefaction technology was actually only an echo of similar machinations that had been orchestrated several years prior.