Mineral matter effects and catalyst characterization in coal liquefaction. Project No. 8008 first quarterly report, October--December 1977

This is the first quarterly report of a study of mineral matter effects and catalyst characterization in coal liquefaction. The objectives of the program are to: (1) determine the effect of mineral content on coal liquefaction kinetics and product composition and (2) analyze catalysts that have been tested in a bench-scale, continuous reactor. To study the effects of mineral matter on coal hydroliquefaction, an existing one-litre, stirred, high-pressure (5000-psig maximum allowable working pressure) autoclave was modified for rapid heating and cooling of a coal/solvent slurry. Residence times as short as one minute are possible at operating temperatures (depending on the solvent used) to 435/sup 0/C and operating pressures of 2000 psig. One hot (405/sup 0/C) and six cold (22/sup 0/C) slurry injection experiments have been completed, with Illinois No. 6 coal (Burning Star Mine; 11.8 percent ash and 3.5 percent sulfur) in tetralin (1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydronaphthalene) solvent. In each case, at least 85 to 95 percent of the coal slurry had been injected into the preheated solvent. Product workup and analysis techniques, using room temperature pressure filtration for solids removal, vacuum distillation, and Soxhlet extractions with tetrahydrofuran, benzene, and pentane, have been evaluated. Fresh and spent samples of themore » current H-Coal catalyst (American Cyanamid, 1442A) have been received from Hydrocarbon Research, Inc. These will be analyzed for Fe and Ti by emission spectroscopy. Elemental-depth profiling of these metals will be accomplished by electron microprobe analysis.« less