North Dakota & China Collaborate on CoalTL

 
We have previously documented the Coal-to-Liquid conversion plans and aspirations of both China and North Dakota.
 
Just as, as we have also documented for you, China and West Virginia University have collaborated on Coal conversion technological developments, it appears that North Dakota's government has established it's own liaison with China's Coal liquefaction industry.
 
We alert you in advance to one error: China's "commercial-scale, coal-to-liquid energy plant", as below, is, most definitely, not "the world's only". South Africa Synthetic Oil Limited, SASOL, has operated multiple "commercial scale" CoalTL facilities for decades.

Penn State & Taiwan Coal Oil Hydrogenation


 
We have often made reference to WVU's "West Virginia Process" for the direct liquefaction of Coal, usually noting that their technology, as we understand it, specifies use of a solvent, "tetralin", which we have also reported as being an hydrogenated version of the primary Coal oil, Napthalene.
 
Herein, we submit report of how Napthalene is actually converted, and efficiently, into the hydrogenating Coal solvent, Tetralin, from Penn State University's Chunsan Song, and colleagues in Taiwan.
 
You will recall that we have frequently cited Dr. Song's achievements, with Penn State colleagues such as Craig Grimes, in the development of "tri-reforming" technologies, in which effluent Carbon Dioxide is reacted, recycled, with Methane to synthesize higher hydrocarbons.

Mobil Liquefies Pittsburgh Seam Coal with Coal Oil

 
We have many times documented that Coal can be liquefied and hydrogenated, and thus transformed into a very serviceable direct replacement for liquid petroleum, by dissolving it in long-known Coal oils, or tars, such as anthracene and naphthalene, and derivatives thereof. 
 
An advance excerpt from the enclosed US Patent further confirms that fact, as in: "suitable solvents ... are tetralin, ... anthracene, (and etc., as) may be derived from ... the destructive distillation of coal".
 
We note, again, that "tetralin", according to other references we have earlier provided you, is an hydrogenated version of the Coal oil, naphthalene; and, we believe it is also the solvent specified by WVU, in their "West Virginia Process" for the direct liquefaction of Coal.

Illinois Recycles CO2 to Methanol


Via separate report, we are submitting an article with the self-explanatory title: "Coal-To-Liquid Fuels Have Lower GHG Than Some Refined Fuels".
 
Whether Coal-derived liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels do, or do not, produce less greenhouse gas than their petroleum-based counterparts should, by now, you will understand if you have followed our posts thus far, be a moot point.
 
We'll presume you to have read our earlier reports of such technologies as those disclosed, for instance, in "US Patent 3,959, 094 - Synthesis of Methanol from CO2" and "US Patent 4,609,441 - Electrochemical Reduction of Aqueous CO2 to Methanol" and, thus, know that Carbon Dioxide, the most notorious of the accused greenhouse culprits, from whatever source it arises, can be productively reclaimed, and recycled into valuable hydrocarbons.
 
Again presuming you to have followed our reports, we are hopeful you will recall the various Carbon conversion technologies that have been developed at Southern Illinois University (SIU), especially by one of their scientists, Bakul Dave.

Coal Liquids Have Lower GreenhouseGas Emissions

 
There is some interesting information, along with what should be thought-provoking, and inquiry-stimulating, implications, to be taken from the report we enclose herein.
 
But, the main point is this conclusion, from our own, USDOE National Energy Technology Laboratories, as excerpted from the body of the report, with no emphasis added by us:
 
"When the source of the feedstock is considered, coal-to-liquid fuels have a lower GHG emission profile. The GHG emissions for coal-to-liquid fuels is 5% to 12% lower than petroleum based fuels processed from many sources of import feedstocks."
 
In other words, if we want to lower greenhouse gas emissions by "5% to 12%", we can do so by making liquid fuels from Coal instead of from imported crude oil.