Coal hydrogenation

Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) operated a coal hydrogenation plant at a pressure of 20 MPa (2900 psi) and a temperature of 400—500°C to produce Hquid hydrocarbon fuel from 1935 to the outbreak of World War II. As many as 12 such plants operated in Germany during World War II to make the country less dependent on petroleum from natural sources but the process was discontinued when hostihties ceased (see Coal conversion PROCESSES,liquefaction). Currentiy the Fisher-Tropsch process is being used at the Sasol plants in South Africa to convert synthesis gas into largely ahphatic hydrocarbons at 10—20 MPa and about 400°C to supply 70% of the fuel needed for transportation. 

To determined if the ash removal steps could be simplified, experiments were performed on hydrogenated coals. Hydrogenation experiments were conducted at 400°C in tetralin and the piteh isolated from the insoluble mmeral matter and... 

Catalysts used in hydrotreatment (hydrodesulfurization, HDS) processes are the same as those developed in Germany for coal hydrogenation during World War II. The catalysts should be sulfur-resistant. The cobalt-molybdenum system supported on alumina was found to be an effective catalyst. 

The effect of the following coal property parameters was studied in relation to liquid yields and conversions during coal hydrogenation using both experimental procedures. 

Figure 6. Influence of digestion time on the extraction yield and yield of filter cake. Digestion Annesley coal/hydrogenated solvent prepared at 430°C (— —), yield of filter cake (------------------), extraction yield.

The results reported here have important implications for coal hydrogenation processes. 

Thus we have conducted work on the structural parameters of coal hydrogenation products using the method of Brown-Ladner (1), and from the results obtained we have developed correlations of the reaction. Based on the above, the outline of the reaction mechanisms have been previously discussed and our results have been reported (2, 3J. ... 

Figure 1. Flow diagram for solvent fractionation of coal hydrogenation product...

The distribution of products from the hydrogenation of vitrinite and inertinite separated from Australian Bayswater coal is shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 respectively. Fig. 5 shows the distribution of products from the reduction of Soya-Koishi coal by CD + H20. The product distribution shows a similar tendency to that of Yubari coal shown in Fig. 2. Thus, it indicates that the Py-2, Py-1, A, 02 can be considered as intermediate products in a consecutive coal hydrogenation reaction scheme. 

Figure 2. Distribution of products from Yubari coal hydrogenation at 400°C...

Figure 8. Distribution of structural parameters of asphaltene from Shin-Yubari coal hydrogenation at 450°C (O), H2 100kg/cm2 ( ), H2 75 + CHh 25 ( ),...

Synthetic Petroleum from High-Pressure Coal Hydrogenation... 

The synthesis of petroleum has received much attention lately. Indeed, many scientists believe the synthetic petroleum obtained from coal hydrogenation will contribute significantly to the United States s natural petroleum supply. Coal hydrogenation is not a recent discovery it has a long and successful history dating from 1913. 

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