Hydrogenation of brown coal: 10. Multi-element promoters for the liquefaction of wet Victorian brown coal in synthesis gas

Abstract

A series of multi-element promoters based on copper, nickel or cobalt in association with sodium aluminate, sodium silicate, or magnesium acetate have been shown to be excellent promoters of the reaction of only partially dried (40 wt% moisture) Victorian brown coal with synthesis gas in the presence of tetralin. The best of these promoters, based on copper (0.30 mole kg −1 dry coal) and sodium aluminate (1.10 mole kg −1 dry coal) features a high conversion (94 wt%) for liquefaction at 405 °C with a high yield of useful liquid products (46 wt%) soluble in light petroleum. The process also yields a net production of hydrogen through in-situ promotion of the water gas shift reaction.