Coprocessing waste hydrocarbons with coal

Tubing reactors were used to carry out coprocessing reactions of coal with waste materials in solid and liquid form to study the effect of waste materials on the conversion of coal. Six different coals supplied from the Pennsylvania State University Coal Sample Bank were used for studies. Reactions were carried out at 350{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C and 430{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C under a hydrogen atmosphere ranging in pressure from 0-1,200 psi (cold pressure).; Experiments carried out with a powdered form of polystyrene butadiene showed little effect on coal conversion. The polystyrene butadiene was pyrolyzed under vacuum; the derived oil was collected and used as a coal solvent. This waste oil solvent was analyzed and found to contain numerous polyaromatic molecules (naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, and phenantharene). This waste oil was found to be an effective coal solvent when coprocessed with coal at 430{dollar}spcirc{dollar}C with the addition of a molybdenum catalyst. Over 90% of the coal could be converted to products under these conditions.; Studies related to understanding the effect of polyaromatic molecules on coal conversion included the use of model polyaromatic compounds (anthracene and naphthacene). Sterically hindered analogs of the model solvent compounds were also used (9-10-biphenylanthracene and rubrene). Results showed that sterically hindered polyaromatic compounds gave similar coal conversion results when compared to nonhindered counterparts, thus indicating that the role of polyaromatics as coal solvents is linked to solubility of the coal in the solvent and not the ability of the hydrogen to transfer hydrogen.; Heavy metals found in the waste oil solvents were localized in the coal produced char/ash when coprocessing took place. Inductively coupled plasma analyses of the oils and asphaltenes produced from coprocessing reactions showed metals were complexed by asphaltenes. Breakdown of the asphaltenes into carbon-rich char/coke trapped the heavy metals. Localization of the metals was studied with electron probe microanalysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Metals, other than iron, present in the coal prior to coprocessing showed little effect on the demetallation characteristics of the coal.