02 Liquid fuels (derived liquid fuels) of International Trade and Industry in Japan. NEDO started basic research for coal liquefaction in early 1980 and developed the N E D O L coal liquefaction process. The fruit of this development activity was operation of a 150 t/day pilot plant that finished in 1998 with great results. The results, including engineering data for scaling up the plant to size, were compiled as a technological package. One of the great results was creation of a simulator for estimating liquefaction yields. Moreover, a procedure for analysing the hydrodynamics in liquefaction reactors was developed and used for analysing the difference between liquefied yields of small-scale and large-scale reactors. It was explained by the difference of actual residence time in the reactors through analysis of the hydrodynamics in small-scale and large-scale reactors. In parallel with the development of coal liquefaction, development of product upgrading technology was proceeding to make use of these products as transportation fuels. It was found that heteroatoms such as nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen can be removed up to the levels specified for gasoline and diesel fuel through hydrogenation. Moreover, the octane number for the upgraded naphtha satisfied the specifications for common gasoline, and the upgraded gas oil seems to satisfy the specifications for the cetane number for diesel fuel through the addition of agents that improve the cetane number.
02/01872 Prediction of coal liquefaction reactivity by solid state laC NMR spectral data Yoshida, T. et al. Proc. - Annu. Int. Pittsburgh Coal Conf., 2000, (17), 972 978. A method for the deconvolution of 13C NMR spectrum of coal was developed by using coal-like model compounds and various lithotypes from Yallourn brown coal which is rich in various types of oxygencontaining functional groups. This was applicable to all ranks of coal from lignite to bituminous coal. The spectrum of coal consists of 24 peaks which can be grouped into nine carbon groups. In addition, the carbon distribution and liquefaction data of seven kinds of coals tested at PSU Research Center were collected, and a good correlation between them was obtained for every product• This means that yields of • various liquefaction products can be predictable from 1 3 C NMR spectral data of coal.
02•01873 Process for hydrogenating raw material of hydrocarbon Zeng, R. et al. Faming Zhuanli Shenqing Gongkai Shuomingshu CN 1,293,227 (Cl. C10G45/02), 2 May 2001, Appl. 99,113,332, 13 Oct 1999. 14. (In Chinese) The reaction is performed at 2.5-20 MPa, 200-5500, volume velocity 0.2-3.0 h 1, and ratio of H2 to oil 300-1500 in the presence of a catalyst. The hydrogenation catalyst uses AI203 as carrier and group V1B metal or/and group VIII metal as active component. The raw material may be petroleum, oil forming shale, coal-liquefied hydrocarbons and vacuum oil.
02/01874 Process for the production of liquid hydrocarbons from gaseous hydrocarbons Huisman, H. M. and Willem De Leeuw, K. Eur. Pat. Appl. EP 1,156,026 (CI. C07C1/04), 21 Nov 2001, Appl. 2000/304,264, 19 May 2000. 10. Liquid hydrocarbon products are produced from a normally gaseous hydrocarbon feed by: (a) partial oxidation of the normally gaseous hydrocarbon (e.g. natural gas) feed at elevated pressure, using air or oxygen-enriched air as an oxidant, to obtain a synthesis gas mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen; (b) converting the hydrogen and carbon monoxide obtained in step (a) via the Fischer-Tropsch reaction into a normally liquid hydrocarbon product and a normally gaseous hydrocarbon product; (c) separating from the reaction mixture obtained in step (b) an off-gas mixture comprising nitrogen, a normally gaseous hydrocarbon product, and unconverted hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and the normally gaseous hydrocarbon feed, insofar as such unconverted components are present; (d) combusting at least a part of the off-gas mixture in a steam-raising apparatus, producing steam at an elevated pressure; and (e) expanding the steam produced in step (d) for compressing the air or oxygenenriched air and/or the normally gaseous hydrocarbon feed used in step (a). A plant comprising equipment in a line-up suitable for carrying out the process is also described.
02/01876 Prospects on R&D in coal chemical industry. IV. Synthesis of fuels from coal via Fischer-Tropsch reaction Xiang, H. et al. Ranliao Huaxue Xuebao, 2001, 29, (4), 289-298. (In Chinese) This paper addresses the development trend and industrialized status of the synthesis of fuels from coal via Fischer-Tropsch process at home and abroad. The development of industrial catalysts and FischerTropsch synthesis reactor, the comparison of process routes, the process software, the optimization of integrated processes and the process economical evaluation for the production of fuels from coal are discussed. The development of the process for the conversion of coal to fuels is an essential route to dissolve the shortage of fuel in China. Some suggestions and prospects on the industrialized development for coal-based synfuel process and the set-up of the demonstration plant in China are presented.
02/01877 Second law analysis of hydrogen liquefiers operating on the modified Collins cycle Syed, M. T. et al. Int, J. Energy Res., 2001, 25, (ll), 961-978. Hydrogen liquefaction systems have been the subject of intense investigations for many years. Some established gas liquefaction systems, such as the precooled Linde-Hampson systems, are not used for hydrogen liquefaction in part because of their relatively low efficiencies. Recently, more promising systems employing the modified Collins cycle have been introduced. This paper reports on second law analyses of a hydrogen liquefier operating on the modified Collins cycle. Two different modifications employing the cycle in question were attempted: (1) a helium-refrigerated hydrogen liquefaction system and (2) a hydrogen-refrigerated hydrogen liquefaction system. Analyses were carried out in order to identify potential areas of development and efficiency improvement. A computer code capable of computing system and component efficiencies; exergy losses; and optimum number and operating conditions of compressors, expanders, aftercoolers, intercoolers, and Joule-Thomson valves was developed. Evaluation of the thermodynamic and transport properties of hydrogen at different temperature levels was achieved by employing a hydrogen property code developed by researchers at the National Bureau of Standards (currently NIST). A parametric analysis was carried out and optimal decision rules pertaining to system component selection and design were reached. Economic analyses were also reported for both systems and indicated that the helium-refrigerated hydrogen liquefier is more economically feasible than the hydrogen-refrigerated hydrogen liquefier.
02/01878 Studies on hydrogentransfer in co-liquefaction of coal with waste plastics using ~H tracer techniques. II, Hydrogen transfer from hydrogen-rich plastic Wang, L. et al. Ranliao Huaxue Xuebao, 2001, 29, (4), 309-312. (In Chinese) The co-liquefaction of Xianfeng lignite with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) using radioisotope 3H labelled polyethylene was conducted. The effects of FAMo catalyst and different solvents were examined. The 3H concentration in the reaction products was detected by a liquid scintillation counter to study the hydrogen transfer pathway. The results show that free radical groups containing hydrogen of hydrogenrich plastic LDPE do play a role of hydrogen donor in co-liquefaction of Xianfeng coal with LDPE, and the free radical groups containing hydrogen of LDPE transfer to the primary coal liquefaction products without going through the transmittance of hydrogen-donating solvents. The FAMo catalyst can improve the donating hydrogen of LDPE plastics to coal liquids• When hydrogen non-donor solvent was used in co-liquefaction in the presence of FAMo catalyst, the hydrogen transfers quickly from the free radical groups containing hydrogen of LDPE to coal, and the competitive transfer of hydrogen occurs at the initial reaction stage of coal co-liquefaction with LDPE.
02/01879 Winter diesel fuel production from a FischerTropsch wax Berlowitz, P. J. et al. PCT Int. Appl. WO 01 83,641 (CI. CIOG), 8 Nov 2001, US Appl. 562,453, 2 May 2000. 33. The 300°F Fischer-Tropsch fraction is upgraded first by hydroisomerization followed by catalytic dewaxing resulting in a diesel fuel suitable for use as a winter diesel fuel having excellent cold flow properties and reduced emissions.
02/01875 Process for the purification of 1-pentene or lower alpha olefins prepared by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction Becker, H. Ger. Offen. DE 10,022,467 (CI. C07C7/148), 15 Nov 2001, Appl. 10,022,467, 9 May 2000. 10. (In German) A distillative process for the purification of l-pentene or lower alpha otefins which are prepared by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is described; process flow diagrams are presented.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts
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