Gasification or liquefaction of coal using a metal reactant alloy composition

A reaction vessel for reacting coal particles with molten metal, the reaction vessel comprising:

• a reaction vessel wall containing a molten metal within the reaction vessel;
• a refractory material lining an inside of the reaction vessel wall;
• a cooling plate attached to an outside of the reaction vessel wall, wherein the cooling plate forms a channel for a cooling fluid between the cooling plate and the reaction vessel wall;
• a steam line coupled to the cooling plate and configured to direct steam from the cooling plate to a steam turbine;
• a metal feed line passing through to the reaction vessel wall configured to supply the molten metal;
• a coal injection line passing through the reaction vessel wall and having an outlet in the reaction vessel and configured to mix precursor coal into the molten metal to produce one or more liquefied products;
• a first collection line and a second collection line each passing through the reaction vessel wall at a lower portion of the reaction vessel;
• a separator feed line designed to remove reaction gas from an upper portion of the reaction vessel;
• wherein the first and second collection lines are configured to remove components of differing densities of the one or more liquefied products from the reaction vessel;
• and
• wherein the first and second collection lines are configured to remove the components of differing densities from beneath the molten metal.