Exxon Improves Coal Conversion with Methane

United States Patent: 3929431
 
We have documented, in various of our recent reports, that Methane, as can be synthesized, via the Sabatier process, from Carbon Dioxide, among it's many valuable uses, both as a co-reactant for additional Carbon Dioxide, in Tri-reforming processes; and, as a raw material for direct chemical condensation into liquid hydrocarbons via multiple patented technologies; can serve as well to improve some processes of indirect Coal liquefaction, and to thereby enhance the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbons from Coal.
 
As further evidence of that last assertion, we submit herein another US-patented, three decades-old technology developed by Exxon's Texas R&D facilities.
 

Consol Low-Cost Hydrogen from CoalTL Residue

Process for the production of hydrogen
 
We first refer you to an earlier report, now posted on the West Virginia Coal Association's web site, detailing the "United States Patent 3,188,179 - Hydrogen from Hydrocarbon Gas and Steam", which was issued to Consol in June of 1965; and, which details one way to obtain, according the inventor, Everett Gorin, the "high purity hydrogen ... required to convert coal into gasoline".
 
Herein, via the enclosed link and attached document, we see that Gorin and Consol had addressed the issue of obtaining such needed Hydrogen, for more efficient Coal conversion, even earlier, and in a somewhat different way. 
 

Japan Converts CO2 to Hydrocarbons

Patent US3842113
 
 
More than thirty-five years ago, Japanese scientists claimed, and our United States Government confirmed, that valuable hydrocarbons can be synthesized in an efficient way from Carbon Dioxide.
 
Comment follows excerpts from the link to, and attached file of:
 
"United States Patent 3,842,113 - Catalyst for Reducing Carbon Dioxide
 

ARCO Patents Coal Liquid Refining

PROCESS AND SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC CRUDE FROM COAL
 
We present excerpts, from the above link and attached file, further below. But, first, we remind you of a post published some time ago on the WV Coal Association web site, and appearing as:
 
"West Virginia Coal Association - ARCO & FMC Refine CoalTL Courtesy of US Gov ".
 
In that dispatch, we reported further on the New Jersey "COED", Coal conversion pilot plant operated for the United States Government by FMC Corporation; documenting that the crude Coal liquids produced by that facility were studied by the Atlantic Richfield Company, who developed refining techniques for them.
 

Mobil Improves CoalTL Hydrogen Transfer

United States Patent: 4334977
 


We've cited former Mobil Oil scientist Frank Derbyshire multiple times previously; both in his capacity as a Mobil Oil Coal liquefaction researcher, and, from later in his career, as a faculty scientist at the University of Kentucky's Center for Applied Energy Research.
 
Herein, we see that, while still at Mobil, Derbyshire, and some of his colleagues, developed a technical improvement on Coal liquefaction processes; an improvement which we have already, from other sources, documented for you to be feasible; wherein primary Coal liquids, once produced, can be hydrogenated, and a portion of them then made to serve as hydrogen donor solvents for more raw Coal.