Synthetic-fuel aromaticity and staged combustion. Fourth quarterly technical progress report, July 1, 1981-September 30, 1981

Technical Report · Sat Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6164569

Levy, A; Longanbach, J R; Chan, L K

Synthetic liquid fuels, otherwise referred to as synfuels or coal-derived liquids, are probably best characterized from a combustion-environmental point of view as low in hydrogen, low in sulfur, high in nitrogen, and high in aromatics. As a consequence, two of the more critical problems in synfuel combustion are NO/sub x/ formation and soot formation (and polycyclic organic matter). This program is directed to these two issues. Pyrolysis of SRCII cuts in helium results in increasing aromatization as the temperature is increased. This occurs with substantial losses of hydrogen, although the amount of aromatic hydrogen per molecule increases. There is no significant change in molecular weight. The slight decrease in carbon content and the loss of hydrogen are balanced by a relative increase in heteroatom content, presumably oxygen. This process results in large concentrations of unsubstituted aromatics (i.e., benzene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene) in the stable liquid products. These are presumed to be soot pecursors in staged combustion. Nonbasic nitrogen, primarily pyroles, were found to increase during pyrolysis, while basic nitrogen, primarily pyridine analogs, decreased. Thus, it might be inferred that nonbasic nitrogen compounds could be the principal precursors of NO/sub x/ during staged combustion of synthetic coal derived fuels. When substoichiometric amounts of oxygen were added to the system, aromaticity increased but trends in molecular weight and elemental compositions were not apparent because unsubstituted aromatics are first favored with increasing oxygen concentration and then destroyed as the temperature increases. This results in complex trends in the structural changes which affect aromatics formation.

• Research Organization: Battelle Columbus Labs., OH (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-80PC30302
• OSTI ID: 6164569
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/30302-4; ON: DE82002453
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010406* -- Coal & Coal Products-- Pyrolysis & Cracking-- (-1987)
014000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Combustion
AROMATICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COAL LIQUIDS
COMBUSTION
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
FUELS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
LIQUEFACTION
LIQUIDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
PYROLYSIS
SOLVENT-REFINED COAL
SOOT
SRC-II PROCESS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES