The application of a modified dissolving model to the separation of major components in low-temperature coal tar

Abstract The selectivity of organic solvent extraction for separating non-aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and polar components in low-temperature coal tar was enhanced by applying the Hansen Solubility Parameters theory. The relationship between solubility parameter “distance” ( R a ) and solubility was obtained by turbidimetric titration, thus allowing an approximate comparison of dissolving properties between different solvents and the typical model compound (solute). A modified dissolving model in terms of the Hansen solubility sphere was established in order to select the extraction solvent. In practice, the low-temperature coal tar was successfully divided into three parts (i.e., enriching non-aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and polar components) by a three-step extraction-precipitation process at 298 K and 1 atm. Experimental results demonstrated a high correlation with the estimation made by the ellipsoidal model. The mass percentage of non-aromatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons and polar components in their separation products were all ca. 90 wt.%. The mass percentages of the three products in total feedstock were around 12%, 46% and 36%, respectively. The mass loss during the entire separation process was from 4.5% to 6.0%.