Supporting research and development on separations technology. Final report

Abstract

This project for supporting research and development in separations technology for coal conversion systems was sponsored by the Energy Research and Development ~dministration, Division of Fossil Energy Research. During the first year, the work focused on alternative methods for accomplishing the solid-liquid separations that are required for liquefaction processes. The first phase, completed January 18, 1975, consisted of the.review and evaluation of available data. Phase 11, reviewed June 30, 1975, consisted of .characterization tests of selected process streams and scouting tests for some alternate separations methods. A thir'd phase, which included bench-scale development of agglomeration-settling separations techniques,. verification of methods to significantly improve current process filtration rates, and selected characterization and aging tests, ends with this report. Funding in this area was discontinued September 30, 1.976. ' n settling time irl: 1 lir or less .' ' ' 1k some cases, the clarified fraction will meet EPA guidelines fordirect combustion as a boiler fuel. Preliminary economics.have not yet been determined, but it.is .possible that additive agglomeration at low concentrations (< 1000 ppm) will, be the'least expensive of the proposed separations.techniques.. . 4. Studies of both Solvent Refined ,Coa.l ,(SRC) and Char Oil ;. Energy Development (COED) process .streaq characteristics, have added significantly to.,the coal liquefaction data base. The electron microscope was used to characterize process, solids by particle size distributions.. .The,accumulation of physical and chemical property data, petrographic analyses, neutron activation analyses, and photon emission ,. .. spectroscopy data also contributed to the data base.. . Aging tests have determined the. effects. of sampling. . and. ' '. . storing SRC-unfiltered oil under. various. .. conditions .

Settling of Coal in Coal-Oil Slurries

“…These findings are very encouraging from the process development point of view since this substance is available from the process product and could conceivably be recycled to enhance solids separation. Rodgers (1977) also found in a study of SRC oil that the settling rate was improved by the addition of process-desired solvent.…”

Chemical Technology Division annual progress report for period ending March 31, 1977

“…The third phase, beginning in October 1975, has con sisted in bench-scale development of a solvent agglomer ation technique for improved solid-liquid separations. 20 Ihe bench-scale unit, which was designed and fabricated on the basis of the previous studies, has been used to demonstrate the technical viability, limits of operability, preferred operating conditions, and preliminary economics of two propoud separations processes under realistic (filtration and settling) conditions.…”

Indirect measurement of inclined sedimentation for ash in coal liquids at high temperature and pressure by x-ray photography

“…Previous investigators (Gorin et al, 1977;Burke, 1976; Huang and Fischer, 1976; Rodgers et al, 1977) have measured the settling rate of mineral matter in coal derived liquids by direct sampling, which is time consuming and expensive. Ondeyka et al (1978) developed an indirect X-ray technique for a vertical settler which avoids the direct sampling problem and permits rapid measurement of solids settling in opaque liquids such as coal-derived liquids at high temperature and pressure.…”