Abstract This invention relates to a process for converting solid carbonaceous material, such as coal, to liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons utilizing methane, generally at a residence time of about 20-120 minutes at a temperature of 250°-750° C., preferably 350°-450° C., pressurized up to 6000 psi, and preferably in the 1000-2500 psi range, preferably directly utilizing methane 50-100% by volume in a mix of methane and hydrogen. A hydrogen donor solvent or liquid vehicle such as tetralin, tetrahydroquinoline, piperidine, and pyrolidine may be used in a slurry mix where the solvent feed is 0-100% by weight of the coal or carbonaceous feed. Carbonaceous feed material can either be natural, such as coal, wood, oil shale, petroleum, tar sands, etc., or man-made residual oils, tars, and heavy hydrocarbon residues from other processing systems.
A process for the liquefaction of carbonaceous materials to produce predominantly liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating said materials in a liquefaction reactor to a temperature in the range of 250° C. to 750° C., under pressure up to 6000 psi of a gas containing methane in the initial gas feed at 50-100% by volume for a residence time in the liquefaction reactor of about 20-120 minutes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A process for the liquefaction of carbonaceous materials to produce predominantly liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating said materials in a liquefaction reactor to a temperature in the range of 250° C. to 750° C., under pressure up to 6000 psi of a gas containing methane in the initial gas feed at 50-100% by volume for a residence time in the liquefaction reactor of about 20-120 minutes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the liquefaction is carried out at 400°-450 C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the gas employed is natural gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 3 wherein hydrogen is added to the natural gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the solid carbonaceous feed material is selected from a member of a group consisting of natural raw materials, such as coal, wood, oil shale, petroleum, tar sands, and man-made residual oils, tars, and heavy hydrocarbon residues.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process according to claim 5 wherein the solid carbonaceous material is coal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process according to claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous material is slurried with a donor solvent selected from the group consisting of hydroaromatic solvents and hydrogenated anthracene oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process according to claim 7 wherein the hydroaromatic solvent employed is selected from the group consisting of tetralin, tetrahydroquinoline, piperidine, indoline, perhydropyrene, and pyrolidine.