TITLE: Overview of Indirect Liquefaction Processes and Prospects.

AUTHOR: R. R. Schehl.

INST.  AUTHOR: Department of Energy, Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  1984,  12p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE85012225/INW

NOTES: 11. annual energy technology conference and exposition, Washington, DC, USA, 19 Mar 1984.

ABSTRACT:

Processes for the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide have had commercial importance since about 1920, when the commercial production of methanol and higher alcohols on oxide catalysts began. Soon thereafter, Fischer and Tropsch discovered that liquid hydrocarbons could be synthesized from carbon monoxide and hydrogen over Group VIII metal catalysts. Following extensive development efforts, this technology provided Germany with a source of liquid fuels during World War II. The period following the War saw an acceleration in research and development on the Fischer-Tropsch process, but the only commercial application that was to emerge was the SASOL process in the Union of South Africa. The oil crisis of the 1970's has rekindled worldwide interest in indirect liquefaction technologies for the production of clean, high-quality motor fuels from coal. The development of more efficient coal gasification processes and the advent of molecular sieve catalysts that allow tailoring of product distribution have set the stage for revolutionary improvements in process designs. A brief discussion of the historical development of this 60-year-old technology is followed by more detailed descriptions of (a) the process used in South Africa; (b) the Mobil processes, based on their zeolite catalyst; and (c) the promising new applications that are in the R and D pipeline. 11 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs. (ERA citation 10:033116)

REPORT  NUMBER: CONF-840302-7