Abstract In a coal liquefaction process wherein feed coal is contacted with molecular hydrogen and a hydrogen-donor solvent in a liquefaction zone to form coal liquids and vapors and coal liquids in the solvent boiling range are thereafter hydrogenated to produce recycle solvent and liquid products, the improvement which comprises separating the effluent from the liquefaction zone into a hot vapor stream and a liquid stream; cooling the entire hot vapor stream sufficiently to condense vaporized liquid hydrocarbons; separating condensed liquid hydrocarbons from the cooled vapor; fractionating the liquid stream to produce coal liquids in the solvent boiling range; dividing the cooled vapor into at least two streams; passing the cooling vapors from one of the streams, the coal liquids in the solvent boiling range, and makeup hydrogen to a solvent hydrogenation zone, catalytically hydrogenating the coal liquids in the solvent boiling range and quenching the hydrogenation zone with cooled vapors from the other cooled vapor stream.
A process for the production of liquid hydrocarbons from coal or similar liquefiable carbonaceous solids which comprises contacting said carbonaceous solids with a hydrogen-donor solvent and molecular hydrogen under liquefaction conditions in a liquefaction zone to produce a liquefaction effluent; separating said liquefaction effluent into a vapor stream and a liquid stream; passing at least a portion of the liquid stream to a solvent hydrogenation unit; cooling and scrubbing the vapor stream; separating the cooled and scrubbed vapor stream into at least two portions; combining one such portion with makeup hydrogen and using the portion combined with makeup hydrogen as a treat gas in said solvent hydrogenation unit to effect hydrogenation of liquid in said solvent hydrogenation unit; using another portion of said vapor stream to effect quenching of the hydrogenation reaction; recovering a hydrogenated effluent from said solvent hydrogenation zone; separating said hydrogenated effluent into a vaporous fraction containing molecular hydrogen and a liquids fraction and recycling said vaporous fraction inluding molecular hydrogen and at least a portion of said liquids fraction to said liquefaction zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
A process for the production of liquid hydrocarbons from coal or similar liquefiable carbonaceous solids which comprises contacting said carbonaceous solids with a hydrogen-donor solvent and molecular hydrogen under liquefaction conditions in a liquefaction zone to produce a liquefaction effluent; separating said liquefaction effluent into a vapor stream and a liquid stream; passing at least a portion of the liquid stream to a solvent hydrogenation unit; cooling and scrubbing the vapor stream; separating the cooled and scrubbed vapor stream into at least two portions; combining one such portion with makeup hydrogen and using the portion combined with makeup hydrogen as a treat gas in said solvent hydrogenation unit to effect hydrogenation of liquid in said solvent hydrogenation unit; using another portion of said vapor stream to effect quenching of the hydrogenation reaction; recovering a hydrogenated effluent from said solvent hydrogenation zone; separating said hydrogenated effluent into a vaporous fraction containing molecular hydrogen and a liquids fraction and recycling said vaporous fraction inluding molecular hydrogen and at least a portion of said liquids fraction to said liquefaction zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 1 wherein that portion of the vapor stream used to effect quenching provides from about 1.5 to about 2.5 SCM of quench gas per SCM of liquids subjected to hydrogenation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 2 wherein the temperature of the quench gas is between about 100 and 200° F.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 3 wherein that portion of the liquid stream subjected to hydrogenation is recycle solvent.