Alternative process schemes for coal conversion. Progress report No. 3, June 1-August 31, 1979

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5532215· OSTI ID:5532215

Sansone, M J; Dang, V D

In coal gasification processes such as the flash hydropyrolysis or the Exxon catalytic process, methane is the major desired end product. However, methane is usually produced along with hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide. To obtain pipeline grade methane, it is necessary to develop economical methods of separating methane from hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide mixtures. The hydrogen and carbon monoxide are then recycled in the process. Several separation technologies such as absorption/stripping, cryogenic, clathrate formation have been examined. In this report, an absorption/stripping process calculation using propane as the absorption solvent for separation of methane from hydrogen and carbon monoxide has been performed. Detailed material and energy balances for the process as well as the dimensions of the absorber and the stripper are reported. Other major pieces of equipment such as heat exchangers pumps, and compressors were evaluated in order to determine the equivalent electrical energy of the process as approximately 13550 cal(e)/gm-mole methane produced. The purity of methane in the final stream is 96% by volume at 100/sup 0/F and 1000 psi. The present process appears to be a potential working process for methane separation in large quantity.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-0016
• OSTI ID: 5532215
• Report Number(s): BNL-51117
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010402 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Purification & Upgrading
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
ALKANES
CALCULATION METHODS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL GASIFICATION
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
FLOWSHEETS
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN
METHANE
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROPANE
PURIFICATION
RECYCLING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES