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Coal is a high carbon content, but only 5% of hydrogen content in the solid. And liquid fuels (crude oil extracted from) compared to coal is not easy to handle and transport.

By carbon and hydrogen, coal can be directly or indirectly, into liquid fuels for transport, one of which is coking or pyrolysis, another method is liquefied. As a result of coal into liquid fuel costs than the high cost of crude oil refined, but relatively low price of coal itself, which is coal liquefaction technology will be implemented as a major motivating factor.

With the diminishing oil reserves, can be expected some time in the future, will need alternative liquid fuel. As the world's most abundant reserves of coal, coal liquefaction is one of them.

Back in the early 70s, due to soaring international oil prices, the United States, Britain and Japan and other countries began to carry out extensive research and development of coal liquefaction technology. From the 80's, most of the coal liquefaction project was shelved, but the exception of South Africa. The reason is not oil and natural gas resources in South Africa, only the rich coal resources, In addition, until the mid-'80s, South Africa by a 30-year trade embargo, these factors have contributed to large-scale use of coal liquefaction products in South Africa. Currently, 60% of transport fuels in South Africa is provided by the coal.

Many different "direct" liquefaction processes have been developed, but the chemical reactions carried out on the run, they are closely related. Common feature of these liquefaction process is a lot of coal into the first solvent, in the high temperature and pressure conditions were dissolved, and then dissolved coal in hydrogen and a catalyst under hydrogenation process.

Direct liquefaction is available to the most effective method of liquefaction. In the right conditions, the oil yield over 70% (non-drying mineral coal). If you allow the heat losses and other non-coal energy input, then the total thermal efficiency of modern liquefaction processes (ie, the input into the final product ratio of the heat value of raw materials,%) is generally 60 to 70%.

General development of these processes to the process development unit (process development unit) or the pilot phase, and the main technical problems have been resolved. However, there is no demonstration plant or commercial operation of plants built.

Coal "indirect" liquefaction process is only being run in South Africa Sasol Technology has now built three production plants. The only indirect liquefaction technology is the synthesis section of the core, so the main work has recently focused on the development of advanced catalysts, catalyst are not limited to a specific process.

From 1985 onwards, due to lower oil prices, people are used to produce transportation fuels interest in coal liquefaction down. Currently, only Japan is also active large-scale study of coal liquefaction technology, and also has a 150t / d scale devices are operating. As China is becoming a net oil importer, and the potential oil-producing region geographically isolated, so China has a strong desire to develop coal liquefaction. China is on the U.S., Japan and Germany to study the feasibility of coal liquefaction.

The feasibility of coal liquefaction liquefaction process depends mainly on economics. This requires a large number of low grade, low price of coal, and oil and gas shortage or high cost. In other words, the future oil prices will cause people to re-coal liquefaction technology of great interest, and may lead to large-scale commercial production of coal liquefaction.