Hybrid Coal Liquefaction

The concept of a hybrid DCTL/ICTL plant has been discussed for many years. The DOE commissioned MITRE Corporation to study the concept between 1990 and 1991. Initial studies indicated that production costs were slightly lower for a hybrid plant compared with stand-alone direct or indirect plants. No testing has been performed based on this concept to date. 

Blending the raw distillable products prior to refining takes advantage of their complementary characteristics. High-octane naphtha from direct coal liquefaction is blended with low-octane naphtha from indirect coal liquefaction, and high-cetane diesel from indirect coal liquefaction is blended with low-cetane diesel from direct coal liquefaction. The blended liquids require less refining to meet premium product specifications than if they were refined separately. 

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The most highly developed commercial technology for converting coal-derived syngas into a light syncrude is a hybrid gasification-liquefaction process known as Fischer-Tropsch technology. The Fischer-Tropsch process catalyti-cally converts synthesis gas into a variety of hydrocarbons, alcohol, ketone... 

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