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Mike,
We've been attempting to uncover some technical details about Japan's "NEDOL" process for the liquefaction of coal. There isn't much yet revealed by the public literature except, like West Virginia University's "West Virginia Process" for coal conversion, it is a "direct" liquefaction technology, as opposed to "indirect' coal-to-liquid conversion processes, such as Fischer-Tropsch.
One important point to make note of regarding this submission is that, like the United States, Japan had/has at least one coal-to-liquid conversion plant, even though "just" a pilot, in operation after WWII, when their coal-to-liquid fuel conversion plant at Kobe, because of it's value, became, as we've documented from US military records, a strategic target of Allied bombing attacks.
The excerpt:
Document title
Steady-state thermal behavior of coal liquefaction reactors based on NEDOL processAuthor(s)
ONOZAKI M.; NAMIKI Y. ; ISHIBASHI H.; TAKAGI T.; KOBAYASHI M.; MOROOKA S.Affiliation(s)
Nippon Coal Oil Co., Ltd., KS Bldg 2, Sanban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0075, JAPONDepartment of Materials Physics and Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, JAPON
Abstract
The direct coal liquefaction plant at Kashima, Japan, was equipped with three reactors, each of which was 1 m in diameter and 11.8 m in length, connected in series. This plant was designed on the basis of the concept of the NEDOL Process, and processed 150 tons of coal per day. The steady-state behavior of the reactors was simulated using an axial dispersion model which took into consideration the liquefaction reactions and the evaporation of oil to the gas phase. The model was validated from axial temperature profiles as well as coal conversion and hydrogen consumption data, obtained from the actual operation of the reactors. The heat of reaction, estimated from the heat balance between the inlet and outlet streams in each reactor, was determined to be 2.1 MJ per 1 m3 (STP) of hydrogen consumed. The axial dispersion coefficient of the slurry phase was estimated to be 0.03-0.04 m2/s at a superficial gas velocity of 0.06 m/s. The axial dispersion coefficient was smaller and the gas holdup was larger than values reported in previous studies."As with some of the US CTL projects we've documented, quite serious, very focused and detailed research into the coal conversion process was going on at Kashima. What has happened to all the data? What were the conclusions? What else is planned?
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Center for Applied Energy Research - 1980s
Herein some excerpts from the University of Kentucky's history of their energy research:
1980 - Catlettsburg's H-Coal direct liquefaction facility, the largest ever built in the U.S., began operations. The Commonwealth contributed funds for the design and construction of this coal liquefaction plant; purchased options for the plant site; and conducted research at the laboratory on conversion of Kentucky coals. Engineering design and site acquisition for a commercial plant to employ indirect liquefaction technology utilized in South Africa to produce motor fuels also began.
(So, at the time, Kentucky was moving forward with coal conversion on two fronts: H-Coal development and Sasol's well-established commercial technology. What happened with Sasol?)
1984 - The Center's synfuels research capabilities were improved by installation of the Prototype Integrated Process Unit. This was a 10 pound per hour pilot-scale continuous-flow direct coal liquefaction mini-plant.
1986 - The United States synfuels demonstration program ended with the abolishment of the Synthetic Fuels Corporation. Kentucky's projects were also discontinued.
(Who was in control of the White House in 1986? Well ... he was a red-haired Republican, and the Secretary of Energy was one John Harrington, an attorney with no known energy or science expertise, who had been one of the President's personal assistants for White House personnel issues. In case you were wondering.)
1992 to 2002 - The CAER conducted research related to Advanced Concepts for Coal Liquefaction, sponsored by the US DOE. The first phase evaluated process concepts to effect reductions in the cost of producing coal liquids in a two-stage direct liquefaction process. The project was later extended to the production of potential value-added materials from coal liquids. The project's total value with extensions was nearly $8 million (sponsor and matching).
We have noted many times the potential for "value-added materials from coal liquids". Those "value-added materials" are primarily what the Chinese are after in their assertive CTL industrialization program. Liquid fuel seems to be more of a secondary consideration for them, according to their public statements.
Finally, where is the final report, with all the collected data, and what were it's conclusions?
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If you do recall our earlier report, we corrected one error in the article. The story we forwarded referred to this pending coal conversion plant as a "first" for Korea. It won't be. The Japanese were converting coal into liquid fuels there during their occupation of that country during WWII, according to Japanese and US military reports we've sent you.
We believe the following transcription to be accurate. We regret our current inability to link directly to the article for you. Additional comment follows:
"SK Energy, South Korea's largest oil refiner by output, is teaming with domestic steel maker Pohang Iron and Steel Co (Posco) to develop "clean coal" technologies at a total cost of 3.35 trillion won (US$2.6bn, £1.6bn).
The two companies have signed a deal to jointly develop a manufacturing process for synthetic natural gas, according to an announcement at the weekend by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. The ministry, which regulates economic policy in the industrial and energy sectors, said the two companies' planned facilities would help improve the country's energy security while reducing carbon emissions.
Posco will invest 1 trillion won to build a synthetic natural gas plant in Gwangyang, southwest of Seoul, with an expected annual output of 500,000 tonnes of gas. Posco estimates that its products will replace annual imports of 200bn won of liquefied natural gas.
(We would like to see an economist analyze these numbers. A 1 trillion won-or-whatever investment wouldn't be paid off in 5 years with a 200 billion annual return - there are operating costs & etc. But, that 200bn return would all be circulated within the Korean domestic economy, and it would stop a 200bn leak from that economy to the outside world. Sounds like, at least, a total 400bn/yr won win-win.)
The firms will also work on the production of controversial coal-based oil, known as synthetic crude, through a coal-to-liquid process that would extract materials needed to make chemical products.
SK Energy will spend 1.8 trillion won to build a plant capable of producing 6.3 million barrels of artificial crude oil annually. It would be equal to about 2.5 per cent of the nation's fuel demand for transportation in 2008.
The company has a further 550bn won earmarked for the manufacture of 200,000 tonnes of coal-based industrial chemicals, including methanol and hydrogen.
Coal-to-liquid processes have been widely criticised by green groups, who argue that in many cases they are even more carbon intensive than petroleum.
The federal government will provide funding of 25 billion won towards research and development for the initiatives. It believes that the domestic cultivation of clean coal and synthetic gas technologies, which could be licensed abroad, would help South Korea enter the global energy market in the future.
Earlier this month, South Korea announced details of its $85bn plan to develop eco-friendly industries. The initiative is aimed at creating a green "growth engine" for the nation’s ailing economy."
All of that is great, of course, excepting for the fact that it's South Korea, not West Virginia. And, we'll remind you of another earlier dispatch, in which we reported that the Koreans are working on the full utilization of coal-based resources, including Carbon Dioxide. In brief, we remind you of:
"Promotion of CO2 Hydrogenation in Fixed Bed Recycle Reactors
M.J. Choi, J.S. Kim, S.B. Lee, W.Y. Lee and K.W. Lee
ENR Team, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Taejon 305-600, Korea
Summary
One of the promising technologies for the utilization of CO2 is the selective synthesis of valuable chemicals by means of catalytic hydrogenation. A catalytic fixed bed recycle reactor and series reactors have been proposed to increase the level of reaction conversion in conducting the hydrogenation of CO2. The hydrogenation of CO2 was carried out over Fe-K based catalyst. The conversion of carbon dioxide increased with increasing reaction temperature and residence time in the fixed bed single reactor. ... CO2 (hydrogenation) increased with increasing recycle ratio ... For the olefin rich production, maximum (CO2) was the level of 75% in the recycle reactor, however paraffin selectivity was increased when the (CO2) was above 80%. From the results of experiments, the recycle reactor as an alternative reactor was beneficial ...for the hydrogenation of CO2 instead of the fixed bed single reactor."
So, we could infer that the Koreans are working on the complete package of a sustainable, closed-circle, coal-based liquid fuel economy.
And, finally, to repeat a portion of the initial excerpt:
"The federal government will provide funding of 25 billion won towards research and development for the initiatives. It believes that the domestic cultivation of clean coal and synthetic gas technologies, which could be licensed abroad, would help South Korea enter the global energy market ...".
West Virginia University has the West Virginia Process for converting coal into liquid fuels, and has been working with China in that nation's ambitious coal-to-liquid industrialization, as we've documented. If we could get a domestic coal-to-liquid refinery of our own up and running, and follow that with a CO2 recycling project, wouldn't it then be great if our Mountain State could publicly proclaim it's intent to "enter the global energy market"?
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"WBKO TV News - July 29, 2009
It's a first for not only Kentucky, but the entire United States.
Muhlenberg County has been selected to be a location for the first coal-to-diesel production plant in the country."
Muhlenberg County a First for Coal-to-Diesel Production
WBKO TV News - July 29, 2009
It's a first for not only Kentucky, but the entire United States.
Muhlenberg County has been selected to be a location for the first coal-to-diesel production plant in the country.
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More from Meyer Steinberg, at Brookhaven National Laboratory, on the Carnol Process for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide into liquid fuels.
The excerpt:
"Document title
The carnol process for CO2 mitigation from power plants and the transportation sectorAuthor
STEINBERG M.Affiliation
Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, ETATS-UNISAbstract
A CO2 mitigation process is developed which converts waste CO2, primarily recovered from coal-fired power plant stack gases with natural gas, to produce methanol as a liquid fuel and coproduct carbon as a materials commodity. The Carnol process chemistry consists of methane decomposition to produce hydrogen which is catalytically reacted with the recovered waste CO2 to produce methanol. The carbon is either stored or sold as a materials commodity. A process design is modelled and mass and energy balances are presented as a function of reactor pressure and temperature conditions. The Carnol process is a viable alternative to sequestering CO2 in the ocean for purposes of reducing CO2 emissions from coal burning power plants. Over 90% of the CO2 from the coal burning plant is used in the process which results in a net CO2 emission reduction of over 90% compared to that obtained for conventional methanol production by steam reforming of methane. Methanol as an alternative liquid fuel for automotive engines and for fuel cells achieves additional CO2 emission reduction benefits. The economics of the process is greatly enhanced when carbon can be sold as a materials commodity. Improvement in process design and economics should be achieved by developing a molten metal (tin) methane decomposition reactor and a liquid phase, slurry catalyst, methanol synthesis reactor directly using the solvent saturated with CO2 scrubbed from the power plant stack gases. The benefits of the process warrants its further development."Mike, perhaps the quote: "The Carnol process is a viable alternative to sequestering CO2 in the ocean for purposes of reducing CO2 emissions from coal burning power plants."
From our own, US, Brookhaven National Laboratory, we learn that it makes more sense to recycle the Carbon Dioxide arising from our use of coal, whether we burn that coal for power or convert it into liquid fuels, and use that CO2 to make more liquid fuel.
Brookhaven proposes, as have others, that methane be used as the Hydrogen source for hydrogenating Carbon extracted from CO2. Chemically, it might take less energy to make the Hydrogen available from methane, and perhaps methane's own Carbon content could be incorporated into the resulting methanol. We don't know. But, methane gas is not the only potential source of Hydrogen for synthesizing liquid hydrocarbons from CO2. As we've elsewhere documented, botanical materials can provide it; or, it can be electrolyzed from water. Other researchers have suggested the use of various, easily-compounded acids as Hydrogen donors.
And, note: "Over 90% of the CO2 from the coal burning plant is used in the process ...".
Do current CO2 sequestration technologies achieve that degree of CO2 capture? Even if they do, doesn't it make more sense to recycle the captured CO2 into more liquid fuels, rather than force our coal-use industries to pay to pump it down geologic storage rat holes, many of which are located and designed to help subsidize, at the coal industry's expense, the recovery of residual petroleum for the oil industry?
More on the Carnol Process for the conversion of Carbon Dioxide into methanol will follow. But, keep in mind that methanol, a fine liquid fuel in it's own right, can be converted, once it is synthesized from CO2, through established commercial processes, such as ExxonMobil's "MTG" technology, into gasoline.
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