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Producing Liquid Fuels from Coal

Two ApproachesTwo basic approaches to convert coal to a liquid fuel:

Direct Liquefaction calls for breaking coal down in a solvent at elevated temperature andpressure, followed by interaction with hydrogen gas and a catalyst.

ndirect Liquefaction involves first gasifying coal and then making synthetic fuels from

this !syngas."

#sing modern technology, indirect liquefaction produces environmentally compatible $ero%sulfurliquid fuels that are cleaner than required under today&s emissions laws and regulations.

'asically, a (TL plant consists of three main processes:

)yngas *roduction: this process converts a solid, liquid or gas feedstock +usually natural

gas into hydrogen and carbon mono-ide. ischer%Tropsch +%T )ynthesis: it is the heart of the process. The syngas is converted

into liquid hydrocarbons, through a catalytic reaction using cobalt as catalyst. The syngasreacts with the cobalt, /oining together simpler hydrocarbon chains contained in the gas,to create a longer liquid hydrocarbon chain +syncrude.

0efining: the liquid hydrocarbon is then filtered and refined to produce the end product

fuels: L*1, 2aphtha, 3et fuel and Diesel.

Established Technologies Improved by R&

(oal%to%liquid fuel technologies are well%established and have been improved by 45 yearsof #.). government research and development efforts, directly and through industrypartnerships, into innovative processes ready for widespread commerciali$ation in the67st century.

Technology has come a long way since the first coal%derived liquid fuel +a synthetic crude

oil was produced through direct liquefaction in the early 7855s. n 7869, ran$ ischerand ans Tropsch used an indirect liquefaction process, which still bears their name, toproduce e-cellent transportation fuels. 1ermany had 69 liquefaction plants that, at theirpeak in

78;;, produced more than 76;,555 barrels daily and met 85 percent of the nation&s needs.

n the 7895s, )outh Africa, through its )A)

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!dvantages of Coal"to"Liquid Fuels

or =any countries, it improves national and economic security by lessening dependence

on foreign oil and substituting plentiful, domestic coal. *roduces very high quality fuels. The end products are essentially free of sulphur, olefins,

metals, alcohols and aromatics. (TL liquid fuels are superior to conventional refineryfuels.

(oal is far more plentiful than oil and significant reserves e-ist in more countries

*roducts produced can be marketed through e-isting channels and used in e-isting

vehicles.

#$# Emissions

The conversion of any feedstock to liquid fuels is an energy intensive one. @missions across theentire process have to be considered. The coal to liquids process is more (5,555 per barrel of daily capacity.

Lin%s

Borld (oal