Abstract
Technologies of H-Coal process which is one of three Major coal liquefaction process in U. S. were reviewed in detail. The present status of the 600t/d pilot plant which is now in operation at Catlettsburg, Kentucky is also reported.
The process is developed from H-Oil process which has been commercialized for up grading residual oils and utilized an ebbulating bed of Co-Mo or Ni-Mo cata-lyst. Bituminous or subbituminous coals are liquefied at about 450°C and at 200 bar to produce low sulfur naphtha and low sulfur fuel oil.
The pilot plant which can handle 600t/d of coal has been operated since 1980 and a continuous operation of about 130 days was achieved at the end of 1981. Many tech-nical problems including solvent balance, slurry charge pump, pressure let-down valve, block valve, corrosion and pipe pluggings are clarified and most of them are solved.
