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U.S. Department of Energy
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Supercritical water based liquefaction. Quarterly report No. 1, September 15-December 14, 1984

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5833740
In 1978, we first found evidence in our reactors that H/sub 2/S was active in promoting the conversion of coal related model compounds into fragmented molecules. In 1984, we began using H/sub 2/O-H/sub 2/S as a substitute for organic, hydrogen donor pasting solvents for coal liquefaction. The philosophy for its use as a substitute for organic slurrying solvent is that the water fulfills the role of the slurrying liquid and H/sub 2/S is the hydrogen atom donor. The data of Table 1 compare the H/sub 2/O-H/sub 2/S results along with those using: (1) a petroleum-coal based organic solvent, anthracene oil (AO4) together with a solvent refined coal middle distillate from the demonstration plant at Tacoma, Washington (SRCMD); and (2) dihydrophenanthrene (DHP), a reputedly excellent hydrogen donor solvent. One rank of coal is represented in the data. Water with synthesis gas equal the performance of AO4-SRCMD with synthesis gas for the conversion of two coal samples into volatile materials at the conditions used. The presence of a small amount of H/sub 2/S enhances the as-defined yields whether in water, or in an organic solvent. In one case with H/sub 2/, no enhancement occurred. The reactions which had the temperature programmed from 300/sup 0/C to 500/sup 0/C using H/sub 2/O-H/sub 2/S and synthesis gas gave the best of the aqueous-H/sub 2/S conversion yields. Synthesis gas is superior to pure H/sub 2/ (980 psig). The dihydrophenanthrene (DHP) runs gave better conversions than either water or AO4-SRCMD given otherwise the same experimental conditions. However, DHP decomposes to the extent of 11% at 420/sup 0/C at 30 minutes, and the non-gaseous products are solids rather than liquids as they are with the water runs. The water runs were the easiest to separate from the product slurry. 11 references, 3 figures, 1 table.
Research Organization:
North Dakota Univ., Grand Forks (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-84PC70787
OSTI ID:
5833740
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/70787-T2; ON: DE85008657
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English