Short Contact Time Direct Coal Liquefactionn Using a Novel Batch Reactor. Quarterly Report. May 16 - August 15, 1996

The objective of this research is to optimize the design and operation of the bench scale batch reactor (SCTBR) for studying direct coal liquefaction at short contact times (.01 to 10 minutes or longer). Additional objectives are to study the kinetics of direct coal liquefaction particularly at short reaction times and to investigate the role of organic oxygen components of coal and their reaction pathways during coal liquefaction. Many of those objectives have already been achieved. This quarterly report discusses further kinetic studies of the liquefaction of Illinois #6 bituminous coal, Wyodak-Anderson subbituminous coal, and Pittsburgh #8 bituminous coal. The thermodynamic characteristics of the extraction stage at the start of the liquefaction process in the liquefaction of Illinois #6 coal is also discussed. Further work has also been done to attempt to clarify the role of the liquefaction solvent in the direct liquefaction process.