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Title: Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, April--June 1992

Abstract

Low severity coal liquefaction allows for solubilization of coal with reduced gas make. These lower severity conditions may result in some selective bond rupture. Promotion of coal solubilization through hydrogen transfer using highly active and effective hydrogen donors is the objective of this study. The highly effective donors being tested are cyclic olefins. Representative cyclic olefins are isotetralin, which is 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalene, and 1,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydroanthracene. These compounds are hydroaromatics without aromatic rings and have been shown to be highly effective donors. The objective of the work performed in this study during this quarter was to evaluate reaction parameters for low severity liquefaction reactions using the cyclic olefin, hexahydroanthracene, and the aromatic, anthracene. These model compounds were reacted under a variety of conditions to evaluate their reactivity without coal. The reactions were performed under both thermal and catalytic conditions. Finely divided catalysts from different molybdenum precursors were used to determine their activity in promoting hydrogenation and hydrogen transfer at low severity conditions. The catalysts used were Molyvan L, sulfurized oxymolybdenum dithiocarbamate, molybdenum naphthenate, and Molyvan 822, organo molybdenum dithiocarbamate.

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Auburn Univ., AL (United States). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10178600
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/91281-T3
ON: DE92040657
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-91PC91281
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 27 Jul 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; COAL LIQUEFACTION; HYDROGEN TRANSFER; PROGRESS REPORT; ALKENES; EXPERIMENTAL DATA; 010405; HYDROGENATION AND LIQUEFACTION

Citation Formats

Curtis, C.W. Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, April--June 1992. United States: N. p., 1992. Web. doi:10.2172/10178600.
Curtis, C.W. Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, April--June 1992. United States. doi:10.2172/10178600.
Curtis, C.W. Mon . "Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, April--June 1992". United States. doi:10.2172/10178600. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10178600.
@article{osti_10178600,
title = {Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins. Quarterly report, April--June 1992},
author = {Curtis, C.W.},
abstractNote = {Low severity coal liquefaction allows for solubilization of coal with reduced gas make. These lower severity conditions may result in some selective bond rupture. Promotion of coal solubilization through hydrogen transfer using highly active and effective hydrogen donors is the objective of this study. The highly effective donors being tested are cyclic olefins. Representative cyclic olefins are isotetralin, which is 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalene, and 1,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydroanthracene. These compounds are hydroaromatics without aromatic rings and have been shown to be highly effective donors. The objective of the work performed in this study during this quarter was to evaluate reaction parameters for low severity liquefaction reactions using the cyclic olefin, hexahydroanthracene, and the aromatic, anthracene. These model compounds were reacted under a variety of conditions to evaluate their reactivity without coal. The reactions were performed under both thermal and catalytic conditions. Finely divided catalysts from different molybdenum precursors were used to determine their activity in promoting hydrogenation and hydrogen transfer at low severity conditions. The catalysts used were Molyvan L, sulfurized oxymolybdenum dithiocarbamate, molybdenum naphthenate, and Molyvan 822, organo molybdenum dithiocarbamate.},
doi = {10.2172/10178600},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 1992},
month = {Mon Jul 27 00:00:00 EDT 1992}
}

Technical Report:

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  • The goal of this research is to develop a methodology for analyzing the reactivity of cyclic alkenes in situ in a high temperature and high pressure infrared cell. Cyclic alkenes are highly reactive donors of hydrogen to coal in low severity coal liquefaction.
  • The goal of this research is to develop a methodology for analyzing the reactivity of cyclic olefins in situ in a high temperature and high pressure infrared cell. Cyclic olefins, such as 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalene (isotetralin) and 1,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydroanthracene (HHA), are highly reactive donor compounds that readily donate their hydrogen to coal and model acceptors when heated to temperatures of 200{degrees}C and above. These donors are active donors in the low severity liquefaction of coal at 350{degrees}C as shown in the research performed in this project. The infrared studies are being performed in a high temperature infrared cell that was obtained from AABSPEC.more » Modifications to that cell have been made and have been reported in previous progress reports.« less
  • New ways to improve the coal liquefaction process continue to be sought with the goal being to find the least expensive method to achieve the greatest coal conversion and the best product slate. Low severity is at logical route taken with this goal in mind. Low severity reduces the need for expensive high-pressure valves, pumps and fittings and reduces the problems of construction and handling of severe slurries. However, because of the often diminished conversion of liquefaction reactions at lower temperatures and pressures, methods must be found to increase reactivity of the coal. The basis for this study is themore » increase of coal liquefaction reactivity through the combination of the use of cyclic olefins with pretreatment to remove cations.« less
  • Low-severity coal liquefaction allows for the solubilization of coal with reduced gas make. The idea being tested in this research is whether selective bond rupture occurs during liquefaction at low temperatures that can be satisfied by hydrogen donation from highly active hydrogen donor compounds. Promotion of coal solubilization through hydrogen transfer using highly active and effective hydrogen donors is the objective of this study. The highly effective hydrogen donors being tested are cyclic olefins. Representative cyclic olefins are isotetralin (ISO), which is 1,4,5,8-tetrahydronaphthalene, and 1,4,5,8,9,10-hexahydroanthracene (HHA). These compounds have been shown to highly effective donors (Bedell and Curtis, 1991) whichmore » release their hydrogen at fairly low temperatures, in the 200 to 300{degree}C range. ISO has been shown to be much more effective than its hydroaromatic analogue tetralin (TET) in releasing hydrogen at low temperatures and transferring that hydrogen to an acceptor molecule or to coal (Bedell and Curtis, 1991). Likewise, at 380{degree}C, the ability of HHA to release hydrogen in both N{sub 2} and H{sub 2} atmospheres was greater than a comparative hydroaromatic compound, dihydroanthracene (DHA). However, when an acceptor molecule or coal was present, DHA was as or more active than HHA in transferring hydrogen (Bedell et al., 1993). In another study, at equivalent reaction conditions and in the presence of anthracene (ANT) as a hydrogen acceptor, ISO released more than 200 times as much hydrogen as TET and HHM released 18 to 25 times as much hydrogen as DHA (Wang, 1992).« less
  • Low severity coal liquefaction promoted by cyclic olefins offers a means of liquefying coal at low severity conditions. Lower temperature, 350{degrees}C, and lower hydrogen pressure, 500 psi, have been used to perform liquefaction reactions. The presence of the cyclic olefin, hexahydroanthracene, made a substantial difference in the conversion of Illinois No. 6 coal at these low severity conditions. The Researchperformed this quarter was a parametric evaluation of the effect of different parameters on the coal conversion and product distribution from coal. The effect of the parameters on product distribution from hexahydroanthracene was also determined. The work planned for next quartermore » includes combining the most effective parametric conditions for the low severity reactions and determining their effect. The second part ofthe research performed this quarter involved performing Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using cyclic olefins. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using FTIR and a heated cell to determine the reaction pathway that occurs in the hydrogen donation reactions from cyclic olefins. The progress made to date includes evaluating the FTIR spectra of cyclic olefins and their expected reaction products. This work is included in this progress report.« less