Fischer--Tropsch process: gasoline from coal. [11 refs]

The Bureau of Mines has done considerable development work in the area of synthesis of liquid fuels. At present, work is proceeding on the thesis that the most viable process would be a combined plant for the production of both synthetic oil and a substitute natural gas from coal gasification. The original work at the Bureau culminated in the development of the hot-gas-recycle system using parallel plates of steel thermal sprayed with a magnetite ore. This hot-gas-recycle system successfully solved the answers to two paramount problems of the F.T. Synthesis: (1) the satisfactory removal of heat of reaction from the catalyst surface and (2) a very low pressure drop over the catalyst bed. Present work is being directed at the tube-wall reactor system operating to determine the effect of higher system pressures (up to the 1000 psi range), various synthesis gas compositions, and catalyst additives on the product composition and distribution and on catalyst activity.