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U.S. Department of Energy
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Effects of low-temperature catalytic pretreatments on coal structure and reactivity in liquefaction. Technical progress report, October 1993--December 1993

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10143984· OSTI ID:10143984
In this quarter, progress has been made in the following two aspects: The influences of temperature, dispersed Mo catalyst, and solvent on the liquefaction conversion and composition of products from low-rank coals; and the hydrous pyrolysis of a lignite and spectroscopic characterization of its structural transformation during the hydrous pyrolysis. The analytical work described in this quarter also represents molecular-level characterization of products. The purpose of the first part of the work described in this quarter is to study the influences of temperature, solvent and dispersed Mo catalyst on the liquefaction conversion and chemical composition of the products. Many specialty chemicals, including one- to four-ring aromatics, could potentially be produced by liquefying coal. To achieve this goal, not only a high coal conversion but also a desirable product distribution is necessary. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the structural changes of the coal during reaction and to investigate the conditions under which the aliphatics or aromatics can be removed from the macromolecular structure of coal. This quarterly report also describes the hydrous pyrolysis of Potapsco lignite and spectroscopic characterization of its structural transformation during the hydrous pyrolysis. This work has some implications both on the structural changes of low-rank coals during pretreatment and on the geochemical reactions during coalification stage. Vitrinite, a major component of most coals, is derived from degraded wood in ancient peat swamps. Organic geochemical studies conducted on a series of coalified wood samples derived mostly from gymnosperms have allowed the development of a chemical reaction series to characterize the major coalification reactions which lignin, the major coal-producing component of wood, undergoes.
Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-91PC91042
OSTI ID:
10143984
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/91042--8; ON: DE94010268
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English