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Effect of iron catalysts on hydrogenation pathways in direct coal liquefaction

Journal Article · · Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry
OSTI ID:430312
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
The effect of a commercially available, high surface area manometer size iron oxide (SFIO) catalyst on the pathway by which hydrogen is added to a subbituminous coal during direct liquefaction was studied under a variety of conditions. This unique iron oxide, prepared by pyrolyzing volatilized iron carbonyl to produce a finely divided product, is characterized as {gamma}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} having a surface area of {approximately}300 m{sup 2}/g and particle size of 1-3 nm. Liquefying Wyodak coal in tetralin (0.5 hrs, 415{degrees}C, 2.3 tetralin/dry coal, 6.89 MPa H, cold) containing 1.2 wt % Fe as SFIO resulted in an increase in overall coal conversion (77 to 83%) with most of the increase in product being in formation of THF soluble-pentane insoluble product. Adding an excess of sulfur to convert the iron to pyrrhotite further increases conversion to 85% along with a decrease in the THF soluble-pentane insoluble fraction. The presence of catalyst increases the amount of hydrogen added to the product as dihydrogen (H{sub 2}) relative to the amount from tetralin via the H-donor pathway. In the absence of catalyst, 60% was added as H{sub 2}; adding 1.2% Fe increased H{sub 2} addition to 67%; adding 3 mol S/mol Fe to 1.2% Fe further increased H{sub 2} addition to 82%.
OSTI ID:
430312
Report Number(s):
CONF-960376--
Journal Information:
Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry, Journal Name: Preprints of Papers, American Chemical Society, Division of Fuel Chemistry Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 41; ISSN 0569-3772; ISSN ACFPAI
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English