WV Coal Member Meeting 2024 1240x200 1 1

CoalTL & Tar Sand Synergy

 
Much has been made of "Tar Sand", or "Oil Sand", such as in Canada's massive and much-touted Athabasca deposit, as a resource that could help us overcome our liquid fuel shortfalls.
 
It could do that, but the public doesn't seem to understand, really, the true nature of such deposits and what the implications are of extraction and usage.
 
First, the "tar", in tar sands, is more appropriately referred to as "bitumen". It is a nearly-solid substance highly contaminated with inorganic, non-combustible waste which is directly analagous to the "ash" in coal.
 
It has been postulated, in fact, that tar sands are just organic deposits that got interrupted during the process of being turned into coal.
 
Nevertheless, tar sands do represent significant, exploitable deposits of organic material that can be employed to help us satisfy our liquid fuel needs.
 
What isn't too well-known, except in certain circles, is that coal, and especially some fuel-type liquids extracted from coal, are very beneficial agents needed to "upgrade" tar sand bitumen so that it can be further refined into a liquid petroleum substitutes.
 
The enclosed report, from Japan, is just one of many available attesting to the enhancement of oil sand refining attained through the employment of coal or, better, as explained following the excerpt, liquids derived from coal, in the processing of tar or oil sand bitumen.
 
As follows: 

"Document title

Addition effects of coal-derived oil and coal on upgrading of oil sand bitumen

Authors

YOSHIDA T. ; NAGAISHI H. ; SASAKI M. ; YAMAMOTO M. ; KOTANIGAWA T. ; SASAKI A. ; IDOGAWA K. ; FUKUDA T. ; YOSHIDA R. ; MAEKAWA Y. ;

Authors Affiliation

Hokkaido national industrial res. inst., MITI, Toyohira, Sapporo 062, JAPON

Abstract

The mechanism of synergistic interaction between bitumen and coal in coprocessing was investigated in conjunction with hydrogen transfer between them. Two types of reaction systems were used in this work: the upgrading of bitumen and coal-derived oil, and the coprocessing of bitumen with either coal-derived oil or coal. Considerable retrogressive reaction was observed in the upgrading of bitumen alone at 450 °C but was effectively suppressed by the addition of either coal-derived oil or coal. These results strongly suggest that both coal-derived oil and coal act as good hydrogen donors or shuttlers in the coprocessing. Furthermore, their addition resulted in more production of light oil from bitumen. The conversion of coal into toluene solubles was influenced by the concentration of coal itself in the slurry feed, but the formation of distillable oil from coal seemed to be negligibly small."
 
There is, obviously, much not fully-explained in the Abstract. But, "coal-derived oil" "suppressed" retrograde reaction of the oil sand bitumen. The implications are that coal-derived liquids are preferable to the use of coal itself, since, in the tar sand bitumen upgrading process, "the formation of distillable oil from coal (itself) seemed to be negligibly small". But, already-synthesized "coal-derived oil" acts as a "good hydrogen" donor for the tar sand bitumen, with resultant synergies for both.
 
It is noted that raw coal was not appreciably transformed into "distillable oil" during the bitumen processing; but, liquids derived from coal and tar sand bitumen can be co-processed together more efficiently, than the bitumen can be alone, into liquid fuel raw materials.
 

Coal Liquid Advantages - POWER Magazine

 

We offer this recent selection from a respected industry journal as more confirmation, not just of the fact that coal can be converted, on a practical basis, into liquid transportation fuels, but, that those coal-based fuels, as we have earlier documented, are, in some respects, better that the petroleum-based liquid fuels our transport system is currently based on.
 
The excerpt:

"Coal-Derived Fuel’s Advantages

Coal-derived liquid fuels are zero-sulfur paraffinic hydrocarbons that are similar to diesel. Because of its paraffinic nature, coal-derived diesel has a very high cetane number (about 75) compared to petroleum diesel (about 45). A high cetane number is necessary for efficient operation in diesel engines. The high paraffin content and low (less than 2% by volume) aromatic content also reduces particulate emissions. A test comparing coal-derived diesel with petroleum diesel on a 6.5-liter diesel engine for tactical vehicle applications showed that hydrocarbon emissions can be reduced by almost 50% compared to petroleum diesel. Carbon monoxide emissions were reduced by 50% and particulates by about 30%.

A potential approach to reducing CO2 emissions is to blend biomass with the coal feedstock. By doing so, the CO2 produced by the biomass fraction during production of the coal-derived fuel offsets the CO2 that was used up by the biomass during its growth phase by photosynthesis. Unfortunately, the logic cannot be extrapolated to a 100% biomass feed because of its low energy density and high moisture content (in comparison with coal) that leads to excessively high production and processing costs.

A recent study showed that by blending 15% to 30% biomass (by weight) with coal, the associated emissions can be 10% to 20% lower than the petroleum-derived fuel baseline.

In addition to environmental benefits, coal-derived liquid fuels have a high degree of thermal stability, which provides enhanced system performance for military aircraft. The DOD’s use of coal-derived liquid fuels could build public confidence and facilitate the introduction of such fuels into the private sector vehicle fleet."

We interrupt the excerpt so that we can emphasize the concluding paragraph:

"Overall, converting coal to liquid fuels is one element of an integrated approach that is needed to address fuel security. At least in the near term, it could bring a higher level of stability to world oil prices and to the global economy. Over the long term, it could serve as insurance for the U.S. (or any other oil-importing nation) against artificial or unwarranted price hikes from oil-producing countries."

It's difficult to state the benefits of coal conversion much better than that, except to offer the reminder that coal-to-liquid conversion technologies can be adapted to accept additional, renewable and CO2-recycling, biologically-based feed stocks, and be integrated with Sabatier-type processors for the direct capture and conversion of CO2 into even more hydrocarbon fuels and chemical manufacturing raw materials.

Bio Ethanol - CoalTL Synergy

 
Several international studies attest to the improvement of  direct coal liquefaction processes that employ WVU's preferred hydrogen-donor solvent, "Tetralin", as specified in their "West Virginia Process" for coal conversion, when Ethanol, as would be produced from fermentation and distillation of agricultural produce, or which could, as we've documented, be, perhaps with more efficiency, directly manufactured from coal itself, is added to the coal solvent blend.
 
We submit the enclosed documentation, out of the selection available, because it results from the collaboration of multiple researchers in several countries, and might thus convey to you more credibility.
 
Additional comment follows the excerpt:
 
"The nature of the synergistic effect of binary tetralin-alcohol solvents in Kansk-Achinsk brown coal liquefaction  

Peter N. Kuznetsov, Jan Bimer, Piotr D. Salbut, Evgeny D. Korniyets, Ludmila I. Kuznetsova and Colin E. Snape

Institute of Chemistry and Chemico-Metallurgical Processes, 42 K. Marx Str., Krasnoyarsk 660049, Russia

Institute of Organic Chemistry, 44 Kasprzaka Str., Warszawa 01-224, Poland

University of Strathclyde, Thomas Graham Building, 295 Cathedral Str., Glasgow G1 1XL, UK

Abstract

Kansk-Achinsk brown coal hydrogenation and swelling in tetralin, in low molecular alcohols, in other solvents and in binary mixtures were studied. Tetralin was found to be the most effective liquefaction solvent, but methanol and ethanol were the active ones in coal swelling. Synergistic effects were observed when the mixtures of tetralin and methanol or ethanol were used for liquefaction and swelling. The effect of binary solvents was shown to be due to the ability of alcohol components to cause brown coal to swell improving the availability of the fragments of coal matter for the reactive hydrogen donor tetralin molecules."

First, perhaps needless to say, Methanol, too, can be manufactured from coal. And, it can also, like Ethanol, but through a different process, be manufactured from biological raw materials, primarily cellulose.

And, note especially the statement: "Synergistic effects were observed when the mixtures of tetralin and methanol or ethanol were used for liquefaction and swelling."

Though not directly stated, we suspect the alcohols provide additional Hydrogen, beyond that supplied by the Tetralin, for the hydrogenation of the coal's carbon into liquid hydrocarbons.

In any case, the use of bio-derived alcohol both enhances the conversion of coal into liquid fuels and chemicals, and, provides a productive route for the recycling of atmospheric Carbon Dioxide.

It's about time we started taking advantage of this synergy to help supply our needs for energy, isn't it?

CO2 - Free CoalTL - Purdue


 
We have confirmed, via citation of multiple authoritative sources, that it is possible to utilize our abundant coal to manufacture the liquid fuels we need without adding to the environmental Carbon burden.
 
In fact, we have cited references wherein coal and botanicals conversion processes could be synergistically combined to provide a complete and integrated "system", wherein CO2 emissions could be, in essence, thoroughly "recycled", not only by the inclusion of biomass, but also by the direct capture of CO2, and it's subsequent conversion, through Sabatier or Carnol technology, back into valuable hydrocarbon compounds.
 
And, such a combined system could, as we have thoroughly documented, provide a productive channel through which organic, high-carbon wastes, such as scrapped auto tires, sawdust, used paper, crop residues and sewage sludge could be beneficially and productively disposed of. 
 
Herein, we introduce you to Rakesh Agrawal, Purdue's Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering.
 
He, as we have previously documented to be feasible, promotes the use of environmental energy to effect the economical production of Hydrogen, from water, for the hydrogenation, into hydrocarbon fuel and chemical compounds, of abundant high-Carbon materials, such as coal and cellulose.
 
And, even better: Agrawal's process would itself emit no Carbon Dioxide, as some indirect coal and cellulose liquefaction processes might.
 
Some excerpts: 

"(Agrawal reports) ' Power for the electrolysis would be provided by carbon-free energy sources, such as solar, wind or nuclear power. And, unlike conventional methods of producing liquid fuels from plant matter and coal, H2CAR would not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The goal is to accomplish the complete transformation of every carbon atom in the feedstock to liquid fuel by supplementing the conversion process with hydrogen from a carbon-free energy source,' Agrawal said.

The process also offers potential advantages over producing liquid fuels from coal using conventional methods, which emit carbon dioxide. Because H2CAR would not emit this additional carbon dioxide, the process would eliminate the need for proposed carbon dioxide sequestering.

'The tremendous convenience provided by the existing infrastructure for delivering and storing today's fuels is a huge deterrent to introducing technologies that use only batteries or hydrogen alone,' Agrawal said. 'A major advantage of our process is that it would enable us to use the current infrastructure and internal combustion engine technology.' "

We'll emphasize one final point, which we have made before: As noted in the excerpt's final paragraph, converting coal and biomass into liquid fuels would vastly reduce the need for the hugely-expensive infrastructure and national vehicle fleet adaptations that would be necessary to accommodate more radical transportation concepts, such as electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. That, of course, is in addition to recycling and forestalling the emission of CO2; and, to keeping the all the miners and farmers represented on West Virginia's state seal gainfully employed

US Navy Liquefies Coal

 

We earlier told you of several patented technologies, wherein the patents were assigned, variously, to the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, and to defense contractor Grumman Aerospace, for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide, as arises from our coal-use industries, into liquid fuels.
 
Those patents are: 
 
1. Process and System for producing synthetic liquid hydrocarbon fuels, Patent: US7420004;
2. Synfuel Production Ship, Patent: US4568522; and,
3. Production of synthetic hydrocarbons from air, water and low cost electrical power, Patent US4282187.
 
Herein, we introduce you to yet another technology held proprietary by the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy; another technology that should be of great interest to all those of us who call, or want to call, land-locked West Virginia "Home".
 
We do make this submission with some caution, as we explain, following the Abstract:
 
"Coal liquefaction
United States Patent 4176040

Abstract:
A method for converting coal to liquid hydrocarbons or oil-soluble solids comprises the steps of contacting said coal with oxygen for at least 15 minutes, at a temperature from about 90° to about 225° C., heating the oxidized coal to a temperature from about 250° to about 450° C., and maintaining the temperature for at least 15 minutes.
 
Inventors:
Hazlett, Robert N. (Alexandria, VA)
Application Number:
05/903464
Publication Date:
11/27/1979
Filing Date:
05/08/1978
 
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy (Washington, DC)"
 
Regarding our note above, about caution: We point out that the Abstract's process description must, in some way, be incomplete. Simply "contacting ... coal with oxygen", for any amount of time, at any temperature, will not produce hydrocarbons; just, one would think, oxides of carbon.
 
However, the Patent Abstract, as reproduced above, is accurate according to multiple sources. There is something more to the process than is indicated.
 
And, "Robert N. Hazlett", of Alexandria, VA, is not, we have discovered, an inventor. He is, though, a patent attorney, as listed in several directories, and we thus presume he is acting solely on behalf of the United States Government. 
 
The date of this patent is of interest. Another coal-to-liquid and synthetic fuel production technology that, for nearly three decades, could have helped our nation, and thus many of our US citizens, avoid impoverishment through enforced tithing to OPEC powers and through waging costly, overseas, oil-producing region conflicts, has been held proprietary, and thus gone unused, by the US Government department, the DOD, and her key contractors, whose primary purpose for existence should be to guard and promote our secure prosperity.
 
Throughout our American history, many technical innovations developed by and for our military have been passed along, with great benefit, to the public industries, and thus the private citizens, of the United States.
 
It's way past time that tradition was applied to the technologies our military has developed for converting coal into liquid fuels, and to those for recycling Carbon Dioxide.