Return to DOE Report Table of Contents

Coal Liquefaction - A Research & Development Needs Assessment - Final Report, Volume 1 and 2 - 1989

COLIRN Assessment Panel

Department of Energy

Table of Contents 687kb

Volume I
  Abstract xix
Acknowledgements xx
Executive Summary ES-1
Section 1
1136kb		 Chapter 1 Introduction 1-1
1.1 Background  1-1
1.2  Assessment Objectives 1-1
1.3  Definition of Coal Liquefaction Technologies 1-5
1.4  Report Organization 1-6
Reference for Chapter 1 1-7
Chapter 2 Assessment Methodology 2-1
2.1  Technical Approach 2-1
2.2  Selection and Role of the Colirn Panel 2-3
  2.2.1  Selection 2-3
2.2.2  Role 2-4
2.3  Site Visits and Other Expert Inputs 2-5
2.4  Colirn Panel Meetings 2-7
  2.4.1  First Panel Meeting 2-7
2.4.2  Second Panel Meeting 2-8
Section 2
1245kb		 Chapter 3 Coal Liquefaction R&D Recommendations 3-1
3.1  Summary 3-1
3.2  Research Needs of Direct Liquefaction 3-9
  3.2.1  Current Research Activities and Status 3-9
3.2.2  High-Priority Recommendations in Direct Liquefaction 3-11

3.3

 Research Needs of Indirect Liquefaction 3-21
  3.3.1  Current Research Activities and Status 3-21
3.3.2  High-Priority Recommendations in Indirect Liquefaction 3-24
Section 3
671kb

3.4

 Research Needs in Pyrolysis 3-30
  3.4.1  Current Research Activities and Status 3-30
3.4.2  High-Priority Recommendations in Pyrolysis 3-31

3.5 

 Research Needs in Coprocessing 3-38
  3.5.1  Current Research Activities and Status 3-38
3.5.2  High-Priority Recommendations in Coprocessing 3-39

3.6 

 Research Needs in Bioconversion 3-43
  3.6.1  Current Research Activities and Status 3-43
3.6.2  High-Priority Recommendations in Bioconversion 3-43
3.7  Direct Conversion of Methane 3-45
Section 4
559kb		 3.8  DOE Coal Liquefaction Program 3-46
  3.8.1  Overview 3-46
3.8.2  Advanced Research and Technology Development Program 3-47
3.8.3  Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center Program 3-52

3.9 

 Other Conclusions and Recommendations 3-55
  3.9.1  Opinions and Comments 3-55
3.9.2  DOE Procedures and Policies 3-56

3.10 

 Peer Reviewers' Comments 3-59
  3.10.1  General (Opposing) Comments 3-60
3.10.2  Comments re:  Direct Liquefaction 3-60
3.10.3  Comments re:  Indirect Liquefaction 3-62
3.10.4  Comments re:  Pyrolysis 3-62

Volume II 
  Introduction to Volume II xv
Chapter 4 Review of Direct Liquefaction 4-1
By Martin L. Gorbaty, Exxon Research and Engineeering Company; Donald F. McMillan and Ripudaman Malhotra, SRI International; Burtron H. Davis, Kentucky Energy Cabinet Laboratory; Francis P. Burke, Consolidation Coal Company; Harvey D. Schindler, Science Applications International Corporation; Richard F. Sullivan and Harry Frumkin, Chevron Research Company; David Gray and Glen Tomlinson, MITRE Corporation; and Barry Wilson, Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory  

4.1 

 Introduction and Summary 4-1
  4.1.1  Introduction 4-1
4.1.2  Summary 4-1

4.2 

 Fundamental and Applied Research 4-8
  4.2.1  Coal Structure Related to Liquefaction 4-8
4.2.2  Chemistry and Mechanisms of Direct Liquefaction Reactions 4-27
4.2.3  Catalysis of Direct Liquefaction 4-50
4.2.4  Methods for Characterizing Coal Liquids from Direct Coal Liquefaction 4-67

4.3 

 Direct Liquefaction Process Development 4-76
  4.3.1  Overview of Technology Development Status 4-76
4.3.2  Evolution of Direct Liquefaction Technology 4-77
4.3.3  Refining Coal Liquids 4-116
4.3.4  Economics of Coal Liquids 4-139
4.3.5  Environmental Considerations 4-156
References for Chapter 4 4-163
Chapter 5 Review of Indirect Liquefaction 5-1
By Irving Wender, University of Pittsburgh, and Kamil Klier, Lehigh University  
Section 5
414kb

5.1 

 Introduction and Summary 5-1
  5.1.1  Introduction 5-1
5.1.2  Summary 5-2

5.2 

 Conversion of Synthesis Gas To Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuels 5-6
  5.2.1  Fischer-Tropsch Reactions, Chemistry, and Mechanisms 5-6
5.2.2  Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts 5-7
5.2.3  Fischer-Tropsch Processes Not Yet in Commercial Operation 5-9
5.2.4  Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis in the Slurry Phase 5-11
5.2.5  Conversion of Methanol to Gasoline with Zeolite-Containing Catalysts 5-11
Section 6
965kb

5.3

 Oxygenate Synthesis and Processes 5-19
  5.3.1  Methanol Synthesis 5-19
Section 7
1001kb		 5.3.2  Higher Alcohols 5-61
Section 8
222kb		 5.3.3  Water Gas Shift (WGS) Technologies 5-112
5.3.4  The Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) and Tertiary-Amyl Methyl Ether (TAME) Technology 5-115
  References for Chapter 5 251kb 5-123
Chapter 6 Review of Pyrolysis 6-1
By Harvey D. Schindler, Science Applications International Corporation  

6.1

 Introduction 6-1
  6.1.1 Introduction 6-1
6.1.2 Summary 6-2

6.2

 Fundamental and Applied Research 6-5
  6.2.1  Coal Structure and Physiocochemical Properties as Related to Pyrolysis 6-5
6.2.2  Chemistry and Mechanisms of Pyrolysis Reactions 6-13
6.2.3  Catalysis 6-23
6.2.4  Characteristics and Properties of Pyrolysis Products 6-29
6.2.5  Upgrading of Pyrolysis Products and Their Utilization 6-34

6.3

 Process Development 6-44
  6.3.1  Descriptions of Advanced Low-Temperature Pyrolysis Processes 6-44
6.3.2  Technology Assessment and Economics 6-57
6.3.3  Environmental Considerations 6-71
References for Chapter 6 6-72
Chapter 7 Review of Coal/Oil Coprocessing 7-1
By Christine W. Curtis, Auburn University, and Richard A. Winschel, Consolidation Coal Company  

7.1

 Introduction and Summary 7-1
  7.1.1  Introduction 7-1
7.1.2  Summary 7-2

7.2

 Background of Coprocessing 7-4
  7.2.1  Early Work 7-4
7.2.2  Advantages of Coprocessing 7-5

7.3

 Fundamental and Applied Research 7-8
  7.3.1  Chemistry and Mechanisms of Coprocessing Reactions 7-8
7.3.2  Catalytic Coprocessing 7-12

7.4

 Process Development 7-15
  7.4.1 Recent Development Work 7-15
7.4.2 Characterization of Coprocessing Products and Their Upgrading 7-25
7.4.3 Economics of Coprocessing 7-25
References for Chapter 7 7-34
Chapter 8 Review of Bioconversion of Coal 8-1
By Michael E. McIlwain, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory  

8.1

 Introduction and Summary 8-1
  8.1.1 Introduction 8-1
8.1.2 Summary 8-2

8.2

 Background 8-4
  8.2.1 Description of the Bioconversion Concept 8-4
8.2.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Bioprocessing 8-8

8.3

 Direct Liquefaction (Biosolubilization) 8-11
  8.3.1 Historical Background 8-11
8.3.2 Current Research Agendas and Objectives 8-20
8.3.3 Research and Development Needs 8-22

8.4

 Indirect Liquefaction 8-25
  8.4.1 Historical Background 8-25
8.4.2 Current Research Agendas and Objectives 8-26
8.4.3 Research and Development Needs 8-29
References for Chapter 8 8-32
Chapter 9 Liquefaction Developments Outside the U.S. 9-1
By Harvey D. Schindler, Science Applications International Corporation  

9.1

 Introduction and Summary 9-1
  9.1.1  Introduction 9-1
9.1.2  Summary 9-2

9.2

 Federal Republic of Germany 9-4
  9.2.1 German Technology 9-4
9.2.2 Pyrosol Process 9-4
9.2.3 High-pressure Hydrogenation 9-4
9.2.4 Coprocessing 9-9

9.3

 Japan 9-11
 

9.3.1

 Brown Coal Liquefaction 9-11

9.3.2

 Bituminous Coal Liquefaction Project 9-11

9.4

 Canada 9-14
 

9.4.1

 Alberta Research Council (ARC) 9-14

9.4.2

 CANMET 9-15

9.4.3

 Ontario-Ohio Clean Fuels (OOCF) 9-15

9.5

 Great Britain 9-17
 

9.5.1

 Direct Liquefaction 9-17

9.5.2

 Indirect Liquefaction 9-17

9.5.3

 Pyrolysis 9-17

9.6

 Italy 9-18

9.7

 Peoples Republic of China (PRC) 9-19
 

9.7.1

 Direct Liquefaction 9-19

9.7.2

 Indirect Liquefaction 9-20
References for Chapter 9 9-20
Appendix A Summary of Recommendations From the FERWG-II Report 180kb A-1
Appendix B Oxidative Coupling of Methane -- Review B-1
Appendix C Member of the Expert Panel 165kb C-1
Appendix D Panel Meeting Reports 330kb D-1
Appendix E Development of Research Recommendation Database 313kb E-1
Appendix F Peer Reviewers' Comments 972kb F-1
Glossary 85kb GL-1