ASSIGNMENT 1

CHE685

FUEL AND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

EH2208D

NAME OF STUDENTS : Nuradilla binti Irwan Shah (2014442236)

LECTURERS NAME : Sharifah Aishah Syed Abdul Kadir
SUBMISSION DATE : 13TH APRIL 2017

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN KIMIA

UITM SHAH ALAM
TABLE OF CONTENT

NO CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

2. DIRECT COAL LIQUEFACTION (DCL)

3. INDIRECT COAL LIQUEFACTION (ICL)

4. COMPARISON OF DCL AND ICL

5. CONCLUSIONS

6. REFERENCES
Introduction

The world now is facing a problem shortage of oil. In order to solve this problem, coal is used to
convert into liquid fuels. Coal is used because of it is one of the renewable energy. Coals
principally made of carbon, small amounts of hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur and nitrogen whereas
oil consists of large carbon and hydrogen (Owen, 1981). The process of converting the coal into
liquids needs the addition of large amounts of hydrogen or removal of excess carbon.

Coal liquefaction is the technology used to convert coal into liquid or known as CTL
(Hk et al., 2010). Coal liquefaction process has been introduced during in the early 20 th
century (Frank M. Mourits et al., 2006). There are few countries that running coal liquefaction
plant such as Germany, South Africa, USA and China. According to Mikael et al, coal
liquefaction is a reasonable method for alternative fuel because this method technically and
commercially has been established.

There are three methods or process that used to convert the coal to liquid which is
pyrolysis, direct coal liquefaction (DCL) and indirect coal liquefaction (ICL) (Hk et al., 2010).
However, usually coal liquefaction used direct liquefaction and indirect liquefaction. Figure
below shows the options can be used to convert the coal into liquid fuels.

Figure 1: The Methods Used in Coal Liquefaction (Kabiruddin, 2009)

Direct Coal Liquefaction (DCL)

Direct coal liquefaction has been developed by Friedrich Bergius which it has been commercially
during Germany near World War II to meet the demand of liquid fuel at that time (Hk et al.,
2010)All direct liquefaction process has been introduced from Bergius method.

Direct coal liquefaction also can be knowing as direct reaction of coal with hydrogen to
form liquids. Coal need to dissolve with solvent at high temperature and pressure and then it will
be addition of hydrogen and catalyst which can cause hydrocracking. Hydrocracking cause long
carbon chain become shorter and the addition of hydrogen improves the H/C ratio of the product
(Hk et al., 2010). Catalysts can increase the required reactions and catalyst that usually used in
this process is tungsten or molybdenum sulfides, tin or nickel oleate. The product is produced
from this reaction is heavy oil, middle oil, gasoline and gases.

Based on the figure above, direct coal liquefaction process involves producing partially
refined synthetic oil from coal. Further treatment need to be done before the liquid can be use as
transport fuel and refining stages are the process need to be done. This refining process can be
done by sending to CTL facility or to a conventional refinery (Hk et al., 2010). Moreover,
overall thermal efficiencies for this processes are normally is ranged between 60-70%.

There are two types of direct coal liquefaction to separate from the conversion of the
dissolved coal into distillable liquid products which is one stages and two stages. Table below
shows the difference between one stages and two stages.
 Table 1: Single Stage and Two Stage of Liquefaction (Minchener, 2005)
Single-Stage Liquefaction Two-Stage Liquefaction
Process provides distillates via one Provides distillates via two reactors or
primary reactor, or in a train of reactors in reactor trains, in series. The main function
series. An integrated on-line hydro- of the first stage is the coal dissolution,
treating reactor may be included to and it is operated either without a catalyst,
upgrade the primary Distillates without or with only a low-activity disposable
increasing overall conversion catalyst. The heavy coal liquids are hydro-
treated in the second stage in the presence
of a high-activity catalyst to produce
distillable products (DTI 1999).

Figure below show four major variables which need to consider to produce the liquid fuel.

The nature
of the coal
being
processed

The number
of reactor Variables
stages used, Which Need The
and the To Be solvent or
subsequent Considered solvent
refining of For Direct mix used
Liquefaction
the initial
products

The process
conditions,
including
temperature,
pressure,
residence time
and catalyst

Figure 2: The Variables Which Need to Consider to Produce the Liquid Fuel (Minchener, 2005)
The advantages of direct coal liquefaction are shown in the figure below.

Easy to
store
Higher
Low efficiency
transportati than high
on cost Btu gas
production

Less ADVANTAGES Less water

chemical OF DIRECT required for
transformati COAL manufactur
on required LIQUEFACTION e

Figure 3: Advantages of Direct Coal Liquefaction (Wal, 2015)

Indirect Coal Liquefaction (ICL)

Figure below shows the process of indirect coal liquefaction. Based on the figure 1, there are two
possible routes to produce of liquid transport fuels either via FT synthesis which produced diesel,
or methanol synthesis where its product is petrol or gasoline (Radtke et al., 2006).

The first process which is gasification comprises a complete breakdown of coal into other
compounds. Coal gasification is produced synthesis gas which is hydrogen and carbon monoxide
and then it is undergoing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis which it will produce liquid fuel (Robinson,
2009). The syngas is reacted with addition of catalyst to produce the desired product using
Fischer-Tropsch reactions. Methanol also can be produced from coal gasification process which
it will undergoing further treatment to produce high-quality gasoline via the Mobil process in
additional stages (Wise et al., 1976).

Fischer-Tropsch has two different synthesis which at high temperature where it is

operates between 300350C, a gasoline-like fuel is produced while the other one is at low-
temperature which at range 200250C, mainly produce a diesel-like fuel (Minchener, 2005).
This process yields high quality of transportation fuel. However, the thermal efficiency of this
indirect coal liquefaction is between 40% to 50% which is lower compared to direct coal
liquefaction which is about 60% to 70% (Minchener, 2005).

Figure 4: Indirect Coal Liquefaction Process (Sharma, 2008)

 Sasol is a company in South Africa which this company has run indirect coal liquefaction
plant in South Africa for about 50 years and this plant has produce about 160,000 barrels per day
(Robinson, 2009). Moreover, it has produce almost 1.5 billion barrels of synthetic oil during its
existence. Sasol company has shown that indirect coal liquefaction is a proven technology and
well established. Sasol has introduced a few technologies from years 1950s, 1980s and 1990s
and among technology from Sasol company that still utilized is until today is Sasol Advanced
Synthol High-Temperature FT synthesis and the Sasol Slurry Phase Distillate Low-Temperature
FT-synthesis (Collings, 2002).

Figure 5: Sasol Company

Comparison of DCL and ICL

DIRECT INDIRECT
LIQUEFACTION LIQUEFACTION

Dissolves in a solvent Com plete breakdown

followed by of coal with steam
hydrocracking and oxygen
Adds hydrogen to Sulfur is rem oved
break down the coal from the syngas
Operates at 450 C Syngas reacted over
and 170 bars catalyst at 300 C and
Light products are 20 bars
distilled Therm al Effi ciency 40-
Medium and heavy 45%
distillates obtained Produces a lighter
from vacuum suite of products;
distillation high quality gasoline
Therm al Effi ciency 60- and petrochem icals
70%
Further upgrade is
needed for use as
transportation fuels
Conclusion

As a conclusion, coal liquefaction is a best method to help the world to depend with oil which it
uses coal to produce liquid fuel. Liquid fuel produce can be in such as gasoline or diesel.
Although coal liquefaction process is expensive but this liquid fuel commonly used in
transportation. Besides, coal liquefaction can provide environmental benefits which cleaner fuels
which reduce NOx and particulate emissions. The coal liquefaction is a proven technology where
Sasol company has run indirect coal technology for about 50 years and even has create a new
technology. So, coal liquefaction can be continued for thousand years as it can replace the oil and
coal liquefaction can help to increase the economics of our country.
References

1. Collings, J. (2002). Mind over matter: The Sasol Story: A half-century of

technological innovation: Sasol.
2. Frank M. Mourits, & Kelly, J. F. (2006). Coal Liquefaction.
3. Hk, M., & Aleklett, K. (2010). A review on coaltoliquid fuels and its coal
consumption. International Journal of Energy Research, 34(10), 848-864.
4. Kabiruddin, M. (2009). Coal Liquefaction.
5. Minchener, A. J. (2005). Coal gasification for advanced power generation.
Fuel, 84(17), 2222-2235.
6. Owen, J. (1981). Conversion and uses of liquid fuels from coal. Fuel, 60(9),
755-761.
7. Radtke, K. R., Heinritz-Adrian, M., & Marsico, C. (2006). New wave of coal-to-
liquids: An opportunity to decrease dependency on oil and gas imports and
an appropriate approach to a partial revival of domestic coal industries. VGB
powertech, 86(5).
8. Robinson, K. K. (2009). Reaction engineering of direct coal liquefaction.
Energies, 2(4), 976-1006.
9. Sharma, P. D. (2008). Pollution from Motor Vehicles Urgency of development
of environment-friendly, cleaner system for road transport:.
10.Wal, R. L. V. (2015). Coal to Liquids.
11.Wise, J., & Silvestri, A. (1976). Mobil process for the conversion of methanol
to gasoline. Paper presented at the Coal Gasification and Liquefaction.