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Effect of catalyst pore size and configuration on coal liquefaction and hydrodesulfurization

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6329130

Hydrogenation studies on a West Virginia bituminous coal suspended in 1-methylnaphthalene were carried out at 400/sup 0/C in a stirred Magnedrive autoclave with cobalt molybdate catalysts of the MoO/sub 3/ concentrations supported on alumina of 100 A., 200 A., 500 A., or 1000 A., pore size or on an alumina monolith. Total catalyst surface area was maintained fixed for every run. Liquefaction increased with increasing catalyst pore size up to 500 A., but pore size had no effect on hydrodesulfurization. Catalysts with low MoO/sub 3/ concentration showed significantly higher activity than those with high MoO/sub 3/ loadings. Presulfiding of catalysts generally had a favorable effect on liquefaction. A reaction scheme involving pore diffusion and desorption of large molecules was proposed, and an equation predicting the optimum pore size for pore diffusion limited reactions was desired. Preliminary studies of oxidative desulfurization of coal by ozone and on the hydrogen content of various coal-derived liquids by an NMR technique are reported.

OSTI ID:
6329130
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English