Noncatalytic Reaction of Wandoan Coal with Tetralin up to 60 MPa Pressure

Abstract

Noncatalytic reaction of Wandoan coal with tetralin was studied at temperature of 450°C and pressures of 20 to 60 MPa by continuous flow method. Liquefied products were analyzed by solvent-extraction method into mixtures of compounds as classified as unreacted coals, preasphaltenes, asphaltenes, and oils, and yield-time profiles with these classes of fraction were obtained as shown in Figs.2, 3, and 4. Two mathematical models that adequately describe the observed data were developed, and pseude-first-order rate constants for each of the mechanistic steps were calculated by nonlinear regression. The model involving all possible pathways for the formations of preasphaltenes, asphaltenes, and oils from pure coals was best fit to our experimental data. In practice, however, the model involving the lequential formation of these fractions as a simple series reaction scheme was reasonable to us in our liquefaction conditions. The results study showed rapid conversion of the pur e coalstO liquid products. Pressure effects on these steps were similar as described in a previo us paper, except the direct formation of oils from pure coals somewhat decreased with pressure. Effects of pressure on the formations of tetralin isomer 1-methylindan and naphthalene were also discussed.