Integrated coal liquefaction-gasification process

Claim 2

A combination coal liquefaction-gasification process comprising passing mineral-containing feed coal, hydrogen, recycle dissolved liquid solvent, recycle normally solid dissolved coal and recycle mineral residue to a coal liquefaction zone to dissolve hydrocarbonaceous material from mineral residue and to hydrocrack said hydrocarbonaceous material to produce a mixture comprising hydrocarbon gases, dissolved liquid, normally solid dissolved coal and suspended mineral residue; separating distillate liquid and hydrocarbon gases from a slurry comprising said normally solid dissolved coal, solvent and mineral residue recycling to said liquefaction zone a portion of said slurry; passing the remainder of said slurry to distillation means including a vacuum distillation tower for distillation, the slurry bottoms from said vacuum distillation tower comprising a gasifier feed slurry; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire normally solid dissolved coal and mineral residue yield of said liquefaction zone substantially without normally liquid coal and hydrocarbon gases; passing said gasifier feed slurry to a gasification zone; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire hydrocarbonaceous feed to said gasification zone; said gasification zone including an oxidation zone for the conversion of the hydrocarbonaceous material therein to synthesis gas; converting a portion of said synthesis gas in a shift reaction to a gaseous hydrogen-rich stream and passing said hydrogen-rich stream to said liquefaction zone for use as process hydrogen; the amount of hydrocarbonaceous material passed to said gasification zone being sufficient to enable said gasification zone to produce an additional amount of synthesis gas beyond the amount required to produce process hydrogen which increases the thermal efficiency of said process when burned as fuel in said process; the total combustion heat content of said additional amount of synthesis gas being between 5 and 100 percent on a heat basis of the total energy requirement of said process; and burning said additional amount of synthesis gas as fuel in said process.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said total combustion heat content is at least 10 percent on a heat basis of the total energy requirement of said process.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of normally solid dissolved coal in said gasifier feed slurry is between 15 and 45 weight percent of the feed coal.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of normally solid dissolved coal in said gasifier feed slurry is between 15 and 30 weight percent of the feed coal.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of normally solid dissolved coal in said gasifier feed slurry is between 17 and 27 weight percent of the feed coal.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 including the removal of mineral residue as slag from said gasification zone.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein there is no step for the separation of mineral residue from normally solid dissolved coal.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 wherein the maximum temperature in said gasification zone is between 2,200 and 3,600° F.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein the maximum temperature in said gasification zone is between 2,300 and 3,200° F.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein the maximum temperature in said gasification zone is between 2,500 and 3,600° F.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein the total coke yield in said liquefaction zone is less than 1 weight percent, based on feed coal.

Claim 13

A combination coal liquefaction-gasification process comprising passing mineral-containing feed coal, hydrogen, recycle dissolved liquid solvent, recycle normally solid dissolved coal and recycle mineral residue to a coal liquefaction zone to dissolve hydrocarbonaceous material from mineral residue and to hydrocrack said hydrocarbonaceous material to produce a mixture comprising hydrocarbon gases, dissolved liquid, normally solid dissolved coal and suspended mineral residue; separating distillate liquid and hydrocarbon gases from a slurry comprising normally solid dissolved coal solvent and mineral residue recycling to said liquefaction zone a portion of said slurry; passing the remainder of said slurry to distillation means including a vacuum distillation tower for distillation, the slurry bottoms from said vacuum distillation tower comprising a gasifier feed slurry; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire normally solid dissolved coal and mineral residue yield of said liquefaction zone substantially without normally liquid coal and hydrocarbon gases; passing said gasifier feed slurry to a gasification zone including an oxidation zone for the conversion of the hydrocarbonaceous material therein to synthesis gas; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire hydrocarbonaceous feed to said gasifiction zone; converting a portion of said synthesis gas in a shift reaction to a gaseous hydrogen-rich stream and passing said hydrogen-rich stream to said liquefaction zone for use as process hydrogen; the amount of hydrocarbonaceous material in said gasifier feed slurry being sufficient to enable said gasification zone to produce an additional amount of synthesis gas beyond the amount required to produce process hydrogen which improves the thermal efficiency of said process when burned in said process as fuel; burning as fuel in said process a portion comprising at least 60 mol percent of the total CO plus H 2 content of said additional amount of synthesis gas to supply between 5 and 100 percent on a heat basis of the total energy requirement of said process; and converting the remainder of said additional amount of synthesis gas to an other fuel.

Claim 14

A combination coal liquefaction-gasification process comprising passing mineral-containing feed coal, hydrogen, recycle dissolved liquid solvent, recycle normally solid dissolved coal and recycle mineral residue to a coal liquefaction zone to dissolve hydrocarbonaceous material from mineral residue and to hydrocrack said hydrocarbonaceous material to produce a mixture comprising hydrocarbon gases, dissolved liquid, normally solid dissolved coal and suspended mineral residue; separating distillate liquid and hydrocarbon gases from a slurry comprising normally solid dissolved coal solvent and mineral residue recycling to said liquefaction zone a portion of said slurry; passing the remainder of said slurry to distillation means including a vacuum distillation tower for distillation, the slurry bottoms from said vacuum distillation tower comprising a gasifier feed slurry; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire normally solid dissolved coal and mineral residue yield of said liquefaction zone substantially without normally liquid coal and hydrocarbon gases; passing said gasifier feed slurry to a gasification zone including an oxidation zone for the conversion of the hydrocarbonaceous material therein to synthesis gas; said gasifier feed slurry comprising substantially the entire hydrocarbonaceous feed to said gasifiction zone; converting a portion of said synthesis gas in a shift reaction to a gaseous hydrogen-rich stream and passing said hydrogen-rich stream to said liquefaction zone for use as process hydrogen; the amount of hydrocarbonaceous material in said gasifier feed slurry being sufficient to enable said gasification zone to produce an additional amount of synthesis gas beyond the amount required to produce process hydrogen which improves the thermal efficiency of said process when burned in said process as fuel; burning as fuel in said process a portion comprising at least 60 mol percent of the total CO plus H 2 content of said additional amount of synthesis gas to supply between 5 and 100 percent on a heat basis of the total energy requirement of said process; and converting the remainder of said additional amount of synthesis gas to an other fuel.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein at least 70 mol percent of the CO plus H 2 content of said additional amount of synthesis gas is burned as fuel in said process.

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 wherein at least 80 mol percent of the CO plus H 2 content of said additional amount of synthesis gas is burned as fuel in said process.

Claim 17

The process of claim 12 wherein the mol ratio of H 2 to CO in said synthesis gas is less than 1.

Claim 18

The process of claim 12 wherein the mol ratio of H 2 to CO in said synthesis gas is less than 0.8.

Claim 19

The process of claim 12 wherein the maximum temperature in said gasification zone is between 2,200 and 3,600° F.

Claim 20

The process of claim 12 wherein the maximum temperature in said gasification zone is between 2,500 and 3,500° F.

Claim 21

The process of claim 12 wherein said other fuel is methane.

Claim 22

The process of claim 12 wherein said other fuel is methanol.