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Enhanced coal liquefaction by low-severity catalytic reactions: Technical progress report for the period December 1986 to February 1987. [3,5 dimethyl phenol, diphenyl ketone, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, tetrahydro-1-naphthol, bibenzyl, biphenyl, pyrene, benzyl ether, phenyl ether, phenyl-ethyl-ether, decahydronaphthalene]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6741632

The objective of this investigation is to examine the potential and limitations of temperature-staged catalytic liquefaction. Experiments have been planned to examine the chemical reactions which occur during the low- and high-severity stages, the effects of coal rank and process conditions, the function of catalyst and influence of solvent donor capability. Initial experiments have been conducted using a lignite, subbituminous B, hvC and hvA bituminous coals. Experimental conditions were varied by using separate single low and high severity stages and a two-stage liquefaction sequence. Although no catalyst or solvent were used in these experiments, the atmosphere was systematically changed, using either hydrogen or nitrogen. From the low-severity single-stage reations (275/sup 0/C) it appears that the atmosphere has negligible effects on the product distributions. Reaction variables had a greater influence in the single-stage high severity (425/sup 0/C) runs and a temperature sequence, the highest conversions being obtained in the latter. As expected, the presence of nitrogen in either the high-severity single- or two-stage reactions significantly lowered the percentage conversions when compared to the presence of H/sub 2/ atmosphere in otherwise similar runs. Eleven model compounds, representing structures which could exist in coal, were hydrogenated either in the presence or absence of a molybdenum sulfide catalyst. Reaction products were analyzed by gas chromatography and characterized by the number of fragments that differ in boiling point relative to unreacted material. It was found that, under the reaction conditions employed, the catalyst can be effective in hydrogenating condensed aromatics, cleaving certain bridging linkages, and stabilizing other bond types. 24 refs., 7 figs., 7 tabs.

Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Coal Research Section
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-86PC90910
OSTI ID:
6741632
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/90910-2; ON: DE87006280
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English