1. Introduction
For China, with abundant domestic coal resources but limited
oil and gas resources, the conversion of coal into
liquid fuels offers an alternative to importing petroleum
or gas-based transportation fuels. Two routes to liquid fuels
from coal include direct coal liquefaction (DCL) and
indirect coal liquefaction (ICL). DCL, the production of
a synthetic crude oil product by direct contact of coal
with an appropriate catalyst in the presence of added hydrogen
at elevated temperature, is discussed in a companion
paper [Williams and Larson, 2003]. ICL is the
production of fuels with an intermediate step of synthesis
gas production by coal gasification. The principal constituents
of ‘‘syngas’’ are carbon monoxide and hydrogen,
which can be processed chemically into a variety of different
fuels.
Fuels that can be made by ICL include methanol
(CH3OH), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), Fischer-Tropsch
diesel- or gasoline-like fuels, and hydrogen (H2). The
availability of CO and H2 as molecular building-blocks
at an ICL facility also provides opportunities for production
of chemicals. Commercial application of ICL for fue1. Introduction
For China, with abundant domestic coal resources but limited
oil and gas resources, the conversion of coal into
liquid fuels offers an alternative to importing petroleum
or gas-based transportation fuels. Two routes to liquid fuels
from coal include direct coal liquefaction (DCL) and
indirect coal liquefaction (ICL). DCL, the production of
a synthetic crude oil product by direct contact of coal
with an appropriate catalyst in the presence of added hydrogen
at elevated temperature, is discussed in a companion
paper [Williams and Larson, 2003]. ICL is the
production of fuels with an intermediate step of synthesis
gas production by coal gasification. The principal constituents
of ‘‘syngas’’ are carbon monoxide and hydrogen,
which can be processed chemically into a variety of different
fuels.
Fuels that can be made by ICL include methanol
(CH3OH), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), Fischer-Tropsch
diesel- or gasoline-like fuels, and hydrogen (H2). The
availability of CO and H2 as molecular building-blocks
at an ICL facility also provides opportunities for production
of chemicals. Commercial application of ICL for fueproduction today exists in South Africa (for FischerTropsch
fuels). Also, the US Department of Energy announced
its financial backing for a $ 612 million project
early this year to demonstrate advanced Fischer-Tropsch
fuel production by ICL at a site in Pennsylvania[1]. In
China, the production of methanol (primarily for use as
chemical feedstock) by ICL processes is commercially established[2].
China has an estimated 10 to 15 modern coal
gasification facilities in operation to make hydrogen for
ammonia production. Also, there is considerable interest
in China (especially Shanxi Province) in the use of methanol
as a vehicle fuel [Niu, 2003]. There is also interest
in pursuing ICL to produce dimethyl ether (DME) from
coal: in 2002, China’s State Development Planning Commission
approved plans for the first large-scale coal-toDME
project, to be located in Ningxia Province.
Dimethyl ether is a less familiar fuel option than methanol.
It is used today exclusively as a chemical feedstock
and aerosol propellant (e.g., in hair-sprays). DME is a
potential premium fuel for compression ignition (diesel)
engines because of its high cetane rating and because it
burns without sooting since it contains no carbon-carbon
1. IntroductionFor China, with abundant domestic coal resources but limitedoil and gas resources, the conversion of coal intoliquid fuels offers an alternative to importing petroleumor gas-based transportation fuels. Two routes to liquid fuelsfrom coal include direct coal liquefaction (DCL) andindirect coal liquefaction (ICL). DCL, the production ofa synthetic crude oil product by direct contact of coalwith an appropriate catalyst in the presence of added hydrogenat elevated temperature, is discussed in a companionpaper [Williams and Larson, 2003]. ICL is theproduction of fuels with an intermediate step of synthesisgas production by coal gasification. The principal constituentsof ‘‘syngas’’ are carbon monoxide and hydrogen,which can be processed chemically into a variety of differentfuels.Fuels that can be made by ICL include methanol(CH3OH), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), Fischer-Tropschdiesel- or gasoline-like fuels, and hydrogen (H2). Theavailability of CO and H2 as molecular building-blocksat an ICL facility also provides opportunities for productionof chemicals. Commercial application of ICL for fue1. IntroductionFor China, with abundant domestic coal resources but limitedoil and gas resources, the conversion of coal intoliquid fuels offers an alternative to importing petroleumor gas-based transportation fuels. Two routes to liquid fuelsfrom coal include direct coal liquefaction (DCL) andindirect coal liquefaction (ICL). DCL, the production ofa synthetic crude oil product by direct contact of coalwith an appropriate catalyst in the presence of added hydrogenat elevated temperature, is discussed in a companionpaper [Williams and Larson, 2003]. ICL is theproduction of fuels with an intermediate step of synthesisgas production by coal gasification. The principal constituentsof ‘‘syngas’’ are carbon monoxide and hydrogen,which can be processed chemically into a variety of differentfuels.Fuels that can be made by ICL include methanol(CH3OH), dimethyl ether (CH3OCH3), Fischer-Tropschdiesel- or gasoline-like fuels, and hydrogen (H2). Theavailability of CO and H2 as molecular building-blocksat an ICL facility also provides opportunities for productionof chemicals. Commercial application of ICL for fueproduction today exists in South Africa (for FischerTropschfuels). Also, the US Department of Energy announcedits financial backing for a $ 612 million projectearly this year to demonstrate advanced Fischer-Tropschfuel production by ICL at a site in Pennsylvania[1]. InChina, the production of methanol (primarily for use aschemical feedstock) by ICL processes is commercially established[2].China has an estimated 10 to 15 modern coalgasification facilities in operation to make hydrogen forammonia production. Also, there is considerable interestin China (especially Shanxi Province) in the use of methanolas a vehicle fuel [Niu, 2003]. There is also interestin pursuing ICL to produce dimethyl ether (DME) fromcoal: in 2002, China’s State Development Planning Commissionapproved plans for the first large-scale coal-toDMEproject, to be located in Ningxia Province.Dimethyl ether is a less familiar fuel option than methanol.It is used today exclusively as a chemical feedstockand aerosol propellant (e.g., in hair-sprays). DME is apotential premium fuel for compression ignition (diesel)engines because of its high cetane rating and because itburns without sooting since it contains no carbon-carbon
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