Coal liquefaction

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING INSOLUBLE MATERIAL FROM A COAL LIQUEFACTION PRODUCT PRODUCED FROM A COAL FEED AND COMPRISED OF INSOLUBLE MATERIAL AND CARBONACEOUS MATTER DISSOLVED IN A COAL LIQUEFACTION SOLVENT, COMPRISING: INTRODUCING SAID LIQUEFACTION PRODUCT AND A LIQUID PROMOTER INTO A GRAVITY SETTLING ZONE TO SEPARATE INSOLUBLE MATERIAL BY GRAVITY SETTLING, SAID LIAQUID PROMOTER HAVING A 5 VOLUME PERCENT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 250*F. AND A 95 VOLUME PERCENT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE OF AT LEAST ABOUT 350*F. AND NO GREATER THAN ABOUT 750*F., SAID LIQUID HAVING A CHARACTERIZATION FACTOR (K) OF AT LEAST 9.75; SAID LIQUID HAVING A CHARACTERIZATION FACTOR GREATER THAN SAID COAL LIQUEFACTION SOLVENT; SAID PROMOTER LIQUID BEING ADDED IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO PROMOTE AND ENHANCE GRAVITY SETTLING OF INSOLUBLE MATERIAL TO PRODUCE AN OVERFLOW ESSENTIALLY FREE OF INSOLUBLE MATERIAL; AND RECOVERING FROM THE SETTLING ZONE A LIQUID OVERFLOW ESSENTIALLY FREE OF INSOLUBLE MATERIAL AND A LIQUID UNDERFLOW CONTAINING THE INSOLUBLE MATERIAL.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of liquid to coal solution is from about 0.2:1 to about 3.0:1.

Claim 4

The process of claim 2 wherein the 5 volume percent distillation temperature of the liquid promoter is at least about 310* F.

Claim 5

The process of claim 2 wherein the liquid promoter is at least one member selected from the group consisting of kerosene, kerosene fractions, middle distillates, light gas oils, gas oil fractions, heavy naphthas, white oils and white oil fractions from crude oils.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein the characterization factor of the liquid promoter has a value at least 0.25 higher than the characterization factor of the coal liquefaction solvent.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of liquid to coal solution is from about 0.3:1 to about 2.0:1.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein said promoter liquid is tetrahydronaphthalene.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein said liquid has a characterization factor of at least 11.0.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein said gravity settling is effected at a temperature from about 300* F. to about 600* F. and a pressure from about 0 psig to about 500 psig.

Claim 11

The process of claim 8 wherein the promoter liquid is a fraction having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 425* F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of no greater than about 500* F.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid promoter is a kerosene fraction having a characterization factor of about 11.9 and a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of no less than 425* F. and a 95 volume distillation temperature of no greater than about 500* F.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 wherein the weight ratio of liquid to coal solution is from about 0.3:1 to about 2.0:1.

Claim 14

A process for separating insoluble material from a coal liquefaction product produced from a coal feed and comprised of insoluble material and carbonaceous matter dissolved in a coal liquefaction, solvent, comprising: effecting said separation in a gravity settling zone in the presence of a liquid promoter of a hydrocarbon mixture, said liquid promoter having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 250* F and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 350* F and no greater than about 750* F, said liquid promoter being at least one member selected from the group consisting of kerosene, kerosene fractions, middle distillates, light gas oils, gas oil fractions, heavy naphthas, white oils and white oil fractions from crude oils, and having a characterization factor (K) of at least 9.75, said liquid having a characterization factor greater than said coal liquefaction solvent, the liquid promoter to coal liquefaction product weight ratio being from about 0.2:1 to about 3.0:1, said ratio being an amount which produces an essentially insoluble material free overflow from said gravity settling zone and a net coal product from said coal feed containing less than about 0.05 percent, by weight, insoluble material and an underflow which contains the insoluble material, said underflow containing no greater than about 40 percent, by weight, of the moisture ash free coal as an ash free 850* F+ fraction.

Claim 15

A process for separating insoluble material from a coal liquefaction product produced from a coal feed and comprised of insoluble material and carbonaceous matter dissolved in a coal liquefaction, solvent, comprising: effecting said separation in a gravity settling zone in the presence of a liquid promoter of a hydrocarbon mixture, said liquid promoter having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 250* F and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 350* F and no greater than about 750* F, said liquid promoter being at least one member selected from the group consisting of kerosene, kerosene fractions, middle distillates, light gas oils, gas oil fractions, heavy naphthas, white oils and white oil fractions from crude oils, and having a characterization factor (K) of at least 9.75, said liquid having a characterization factor greater than said coal liquefaction solvent, the liquid promoter to coal liquefaction product weight ratio being from about 0.2:1 to about 3.0:1, said ratio being an amount which produces an essentially insoluble material free overflow from said gravity settling zone and a net coal product from said coal feed containing less than about 0.05 percent, by weight, insoluble material and an underflow which contains the insoluble material, said underflow containing no greater than about 40 percent, by weight, of the moisture ash free coal as an ash free 850* F+ fraction.

Claim 16

The process of claim 13 wherein said 5 volume percent distillation temperature is at least about 400* F.

Claim 17

The process of claim 14 wherein said promoter liquid is a kerosene fraction having a characterization factor of about 11.9, a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 4250* F., and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of no greater than about 500* F.

Claim 18

The process of claim 15 wherein said settling zone is operated at a temperature from about 300* F to about 600* F and at a pressure from about 0 psig to about 500 psig.

Claim 19

The process of claim 16 wherein said underflow contains no greater than about 25 percent, by weight, of the moisture ash free coal as an ash free +850* F. fraction.

Claim 20

The process of claim 17 wherein said promoter liquid to coal liquefaction product weight ratio is from about 0.4:1 to about 0.6:1.

Claim 21

The process of claim 13 wherein underflow is withdrawn from said settling zone at a rate of from about 20 to about 25 wt. percent of the total of liquefaction product and promoter liquid introduced into the settling zone.

Claim 22

The process of claim 13 wherein the liquid promoter has a characterization factor of at least about 11.0.

Claim 23

The process of claim 20 wherein the promoter liquid has a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of no greater than about 600* F.

Claim 24

The process of claim 20 and further comprising: stripping promoter liquid and components boiling up to about 900* F. from said underflow.

Claim 25

The process of claim 20 wherein the promoter liquid is a fraction having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 425* F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of no greater than about 500* F.

Claim 26

The process of claim 13 wherein the characterization factor of the liquid promoter has a value at least 0.25 higher than the characterization factor of the coal liquefaction solvent.

Claim 27

A process for separating insoluble material from a coal liquefaction product produced from a coal feed and comprised of insoluble material and carbonaceous matter dissolved in a coal liquefaction solvent, comprising: a. separating from the coal liquefaction product at least those components boiling up to about the 95 volume percent distillation temperature of the liquid promoter hereinafter defined in step (b); b. introducing the coal liquefaction product from step (a) and a liquid promoter into a gravity settling zone, said liquid promoter having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 250* F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 350* F. and no greater than about 750* F., said liquid having a characterization factor (K) of at least about 9.75, said liquid having a characterization factor K greater than said coal liquefaction solvent and being present in an amount sufficient to promote and enhance gravity settling of insoluble material to produce a net coal product from said coal feed containing less than about 0.1 percent, by weight, insoluble material and a coal residue containing no greater than about 40 percent, by weight, of the MAF coal feed as an ash free +850* F. fraction; c. withdrawing a liquid overflow essentially free of insoluble material and a liquid underflow containing said coal residue from the gravity settling zone; d. separating the promoter liquid from the liquid overflow; and e. passing separated promoter liquid from step (d) to step (b).

Claim 28

A process for separating insoluble material from a coal liquefaction product produced from a coal feed and comprised of insoluble material and carbonaceous matter dissolved in a coal liquefaction solvent, comprising: a. separating from the coal liquefaction product at least those components boiling up to about the 95 volume percent distillation temperature of the liquid promoter hereinafter defined in step (b); b. introducing the coal liquefaction product from step (a) and a liquid promoter into a gravity settling zone, said liquid promoter having a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 250* F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 350* F. and no greater than about 750* F., said liquid having a characterization factor (K) of at least about 9.75, said liquid having a characterization factor K greater than said coal liquefaction solvent and being present in an amount sufficient to promote and enhance gravity settling of insoluble material to produce a net coal product from said coal feed containing less than about 0.1 percent, by weight, insoluble material and a coal residue containing no greater than about 40 percent, by weight, of the MAF coal feed as an ash free +850* F. fraction; c. withdrawing a liquid overflow essentially free of insoluble material and a liquid underflow containing said coal residue from the gravity settling zone; d. separating the promoter liquid from the liquid overflow; and e. passing separated promoter liquid from step (d) to step (b).

Claim 29

The process of claim 25 wherein the liquid promoter has a characterization factor of at least about 11.0.

Claim 30

The process of claim 25 wherein in the liquid promoter is at least one member selected from the group consisting of kerosene, kerosene fractions, middle distillates, light gas oils, gas oil fractions, heavy naphthas, white oils and white oil fractions from crude oils.

Claim 31

The process of claim 27 wherein the promoter liquid has a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of at least about 310* F.

Claim 32

The process of claim 28 wherein said gravity settling is effected at a temperature from about 300* F to about 600* F and a pressure from about 0 psig to about 500 psig.

Claim 33

The process of claim 29 wherein said liquid is a kerosene fraction having a characterization fActor of about 11.9, a 5 volume percent distillation temperature of no less than about 425* F. and a 95 volume percent distillation temperature of no greater than about 500* F.

Claim 34

The process of claim 27 wherein the characterization factor of the liquid promoter has a value at least 0.25 higher than the characterization factor of the coal liquefaction solvent.