On the basis of the following guides an efficient direct coalliquefaction-reactor has been developed: They consists of:
(1) using tubular units through the liquefaction beginning at a paste preheating so that the reactor may have higher space-time-yields;
(2) operating it under larger values of paste Re number at which no solid particle sedimentation occurrs and the paste flow pattern is close to plug flow;
(3) suppling hydrogen from several inlets distributing along its axial direction both to compensate hydrogen pressure decrease and to meet effectively hydrogen requirement, with progress of liquefaction;
(4) equipping some gas-liquid separators in such a way that they can adjust gas flow rate in the reactor to suppres gas-void-fraction increases which cause space-time-yield decrease;
(5) being provided with a stirred tank at a step within the paste preheating process where coal swelling brings about a marked rise of paste viscosity to result in plugging if tubular units are used.
To investigate characteristics of the reactor designed on the basis of the guides, a bench scale apparatus was made so as to almost followed them and its properties were studied by experiments and simulation. The experimental results were in accord with the expectations. The simulated results were qualitatively coincide with exper imental ones although reaction progresses in the former were greater than those in the latter.