Method and apparatus for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal
OwnerRonald Kyleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of converting coal into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel utilizes a high pressure, high temperature reactor which operates upon a blend of micronized coal, a catalyst, and steam. Microwave power is directed into the reactor. The catalyst, preferably magnetite, will act as a heating media for the microwave power and the temperature of the reactor will rise to a level to efficiently convert the coal and steam into hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Claims14
(canceled)
The process of claim 13, wherein the carbon dioxide produced in the reactor combines with the coal and/or hydrogen in the steam to form carbon monoxide which is consumed in the formation of the petroleum products.
The process of claim 15, wherein additional carbon dioxide is injected into the base of the reactor and whereby a substantial portion of the sum of carbon dioxide produced in the reaction plus the carbon dioxide injected into the reactor is converted to carbon monoxide which is consumed in the formation of the petroleum products.
The process of claim 13, wherein the reactor comprises a vertical column having a base and a top, the base having windows of a material transparent to microwaves and said microwaves are injected through the windows to react with the catalyst and initiate the process.
The process of claim 13, wherein oxygen is fed into the base of the reactor to feed the reaction.
The method of converting coal and carbon dioxide into petroleum products comprising:
- subjecting micronized coal and particulate magnetite to microwaves and steam into a reactor;
- introducing microwave energy into the reactor;
- and
- separating the output products by removing the ash and magnetite to produce petroleum products for refining.
A process for converting coal to petroleum products, comprising:
- introducing coal having a particle size of less than about 100 microns into a reactor;
- introducing steam into the reactor;
- introducing particles of a catalytic material, absorbent of microwave energy into the reactor;
- and
- irradiating the catalytic material in the reactor with microwave energy to heat the catalyst and cause gasification of coal and steam to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide which react to produce petroleum products;
- whereby
- the catalyst will accelerate an exothermic reaction between the carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce the petroleum products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.