Research & Development

USDOE Low-rank Coal Liquefaction

 
We some time ago reported, without many details available to us at the time, on the "Encoal"(R) Process for converting low-rank coal into liquid fuels, and the work on development of such technology in Wyoming.
 
As it happens, that was one of our US Department of Energy's Coal-to-Liquid development projects, and our Federal Government does know quite a lot about using this technology to convert coal into liquids, with  improved solid fuels being produced as a useful by-product. .
 
Brief comment follows our excerpt from the evidentiary link:
 
"CCPI/Clean Coal Demonstrations; ENCOAL(R) Mild Coal Gasification Project
 
PROJECT FACT SHEET: US Department of Energy; Office of Fossil Energy

Project Summary

Operational Performance
The LFC(R) facility operated for more than 15,000 hours over a five-year period. Steady-state operation was maintained for much of the demonstration with availabilities of 90% for extended periods. The length of operation and volume of production proved the soundness and durability of the process.

By the end of the demonstration ... (over)  5 million gallons of (coal liquids) were produced and shipped to eight customers in seven states."

Those millions of gallons of liquid fuel, from a demonstration plant, were in addition to a refined, higher-Btu, cleaner, solid fuel that: "enabled reduction in SO2 emissions, reduction in NOx emissions" when used in a utility boiler application.

Again: Our US Government sponsored development of this coal liquefaction technology in the far, remote west. And, it works, and works well, on low-rank coal. How well would it work on high-rank Appalachian bituminous coal? And, why haven't any of us in the very heart of US Coal Country heard anything about it?

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