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Title: Catalytic liquefaction of coal using supercritical water-solvent mixtures. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6378309

This report describes studies of the kinetics of the catalytic reaction between CO and water, and its utilization in the liquefaction of coal in the presence of organic solvents. The kinetic of the water gas shift reaction was found to be first order in all the catalysts studied. The activity of the catalysts decreased in the following order: cobalt molybdenum sulfides; cobalt molybdenum oxide; iron salts. The presence of toluene, tetralin and THQ decreased the CO conversion with cobalt molybdenum catalysts but increased the CO conversion with iron catalysts. Moderate coal conversions to toluene soluble products (25 to 35%) were obtained in the presence of supercritical water and water/CO mixtures. However, addition of organic solvents to water/CO increased the toluene conversion to 70 to 80% for THQ, to 50 to 50% for tetralin and only to 35 to 40% for toluene. Addition of H/sub 2/S to the solvent/water/CO medium increased the conversion even further. The presence of catalysts had only a minor effect in coal conversion and were not required to achieve high conversions. The optimum operating conditions for an Illinois No. 6 coal were obtained using a THQ/water/CO/H/sub 2/S medium at 3600 psi, and 400/sup 0/C. Higher conversions were attained with a subbituminous Wyodak coal. These studies clearly demonstrate that high conversion of coal to toluene soluble products can be attained in a water/CO solvent medium. 44 refs., 18 figs., 8 tabs.

Research Organization:
Notre Dame Univ., IN (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
OSTI ID:
6378309
Report Number(s):
EPRI-AP-4359; ON: TI86920102
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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