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U.S. Department of Energy
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Catalytic coal liquefaction. Quarterly report, April-June 1980. [Methylnaphthalene]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6114343

Monolith catalysts of MoO/sub 3/-CoO-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ have been prepared and tested for coal liquefaction in a stirred autoclave. Pure ..gamma..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ monolith (Corning) having 200 square channels/in/sup 2/ and an average pore diameter of 225 A was used as substrate. The monolith catalyst was tested both as whole pieces and as a crushed particulate. Each catalyst was prepared with two loadings of MoO/sub 3/ and CoO, and each was tested in the oxide or in the presulfided form. A blank run with the empty catalyst holder in place showed higher conversion of asphaltene to oil than a blank run without catalyst holder; this may be evidence for a mechano-chemical effect in oil production. An effect of stirring speed was also found with monolith catalyst: liquefaction and H/sub 2/ consumption were notably less at 400 rpm than at 950 rpm. Presulfiding had little effect on the effectiveness of monolith catalysts, but low loading of MoO/sub 3/ and CoO on the support gave better results than high loading, for equal weights of MoO/sub 3/ and CoO charged. Whole monolith pieces showed slightly lower liquefaction than their crushed counterparts. In general, the monolith catalysts were not as good as the particulate catalysts described in the previous quarterly report (FE-2013012). Ferrous sulfate dispersed in methylnaphthalene has been shown to be reduced to ferrous sulfide under typical coal hydroliquefaction conditions (1 hour, 450/sup 0/C, 1000 psi). This suggests that ferrous sulfide may be the common catalytic ingredient when either (a) ferrous sulfate impregnated on powdered coal, or (b) finely divided iron pyrite is used as the catalyst. Old research on impregnated ferrous sulfate, impregnated ferrous halides, and pyrite is consistent with this assumption. 12 references, 1 figure, 5 tables.

Research Organization:
State Univ. of New York, Buffalo (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-76ET10518
OSTI ID:
6114343
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/10518-T5; FE-2013-13; ON: DE85004630
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English