Process for coal liquefaction

Patent · Tue Feb 17 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6401626

Beukes, Q J; Dry, L J; Kleynjan, C

The invention provides a process for the liquefaction of coal. The comminuted coal is slurried in a solvent or pasting oil and digested, normally under hydrogen pressure, e.g. of 50 to 250 atmospheres partial pressure, under catalytic conditions, at temperatures between about 380 and 500/sup 0/C., preferably 400 to 470/sup 0/C. And residence times between about 10 and 100 minutes. Solvent or pasting oil is obtained wholly or mostly by recycling from the distilled fractionation of the reaction products. The solvent system comprises a light fraction in the boiling range up to 200/sup 0/C. And a heavy residue fraction, boiling mainly above 450/sup 0/C., there being a more or less well-defined lack of solvent in a boiling range intermediate between 200 and 450/sup 0/C. Preferably less than 20%, e.g. 5% or less of the solvent system boils between 200 and 450/sup 0/C. The ratio of low boiling to high boiling solvent is preferably from about 3:1 to 1:3. The process can be controlled so that the coal is converted virtually completely into distillable products, more particularly predominantly in the crude diesel fuel range (200 to 450/sup 0/C.). Optionally fractionating residue may be recovered as a further valuable product for making exceptionally high grade electrodes by delayed coking at 500/sup 0/C. Followed by graphitization at 1400/sup 0/C.

• Assignee: Sasol One Pty Ltd (South Africa)
• Patent Number(s): US 4251346
• OSTI ID: 6401626
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010405* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
CATALYSTS
COAL LIQUEFACTION
DIESEL FUELS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN
LIQUEFACTION
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC SOLVENTS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
RECYCLING
SLURRIES
SOLVENTS
SUSPENSIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES