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Title: Synfuels uncertain and costly fuel option

Journal Article · · Chem. Eng. News; (United States)

Detailed descriptions are given of various second-generation coal gasification processes, including the Institute of Gas Technology's Hygas and U-Gas processes, FMC Corp.'s COGAS process, Rockwell International Corp.'s and Cities Service Co.'s flash hydropyrolysis process, and Exxon Research and Engineering Co.'s catalytic gasification; of direct coal liquefaction processes including Gulf Oil Corp.'s solvent refined coal process, Exxon Corp.'s donor solvent process, and Hydrocarbon Research Inc.'s H-Coal Process; of oil shale processes, including Oil Shale Co.'s TOSCO II process, Union Oil Co.'s steam gas recirculation process, Occidental Petroleum's modified in-situ retorting, and Dow Chemical Co.'s underground gasification process. A planned commercial-scale coal gasification facility in North Dakota, which will be based on the first-generation Lurgi process, which like the Winkler and Koppers-Totzek processes, has been proven commercially abroad; the conclusion that biomass-derived fuels other than ethanol for gasohol cannot contribute significantly to total U.S. fuel supplies by 1990; environmental problems with synthetic fuel processes; and uncertainty as to the ultimate costs of synthetic fuels are discussed.

OSTI ID:
6379239
Journal Information:
Chem. Eng. News; (United States), Vol. 57:35
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English