Integration of short-contact-time liquefaction and critical solvent deashing with gasification through methanol-to-gasoline

Claim 1

An integrated process for the conversion of solid coal to a wide slate of fuel products comprising: liquefying a portion of said coal by contacting said coal with a solvent to product dissolved coal liquids and an undissolved coal residue, separating a light SRC from said coal liquids by mixing said coal liquids with a light solvent under supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure, whereby said light solvent is converted to a dense-gas phase capable of dissolving said coal liquid, and varying the density of said dense-gas phase to precipitate out said light SRC, said light SRC having a hydrogen concentration greater than said coal feed and remaining portions of said coal liquid, upgrading said light SRC in the presence of hydrogen to produce a plurality of upgraded fuel products, gasifying a mixture of said residue and a portion of said coal liquids under oxidizing conditions to produce a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, shifting the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of said synthesis gas to produce a hydrogen gas stream, combining a portion of said hydrogen gas stream with said synthesis gas, converting said combined hydrogen gas stream and synthesis gas to methanol, passing at least a portion of said methanol in contact with a catalyst capable of converting said methanol to gasoline products, recycling at least one of the product streams for use in the integrated process, said recycle product streams including methanol or said gasoline products for use as said light solvent, light SRC or upgraded fuel products as said solvent for liquefying said coal, or said hydrogen gas stream to upgrade said light SRC or for inclusion with said solvent to liquefy said coal.