Coal-oil slurry preparation

A process for producing a pumpable coal/oil slurry product, useful as a liquid fuel, from pulverized sulfur-containing coal which comprises the steps of:

• (1) subjecting said pulverized coal to gravity separation to provide
• (a) a highest density refuse portion comprising the major portion of the ash and sulfur content of the coal feed,
• (b) a middlings coal portion of lower ash and sulfur content than said high density portion, and
• (c) a deep-cleaned lowest density coal portion having a sulfur content of less than about 1%;
• (2) subjecting said highest density refuse portion to gasification by partial combustion in oxygen
• (a) thereby obtaining a crude gas product comprising hydrogen, oxides of carban, hydrogen sulfide and steam, thereafter
• (b) subjecting said crude gas product to a water gas shift reaction in the presence of steam and over sulfur-resistant catalyst, to convert contained carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide with accompanying further production of hydrogen, and
• (c) removing said carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide from the products of said shift reaction to recover a purified hydrogen-rich gas;
• (3) introducing said middlings coal portion into a liquefaction zone and treating the same with a coal derived solvent and with said purified hydrogen-rich gas under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure, thereby effecting liquefaction of said middlings coal portion to produce a coal derived, benzene soluble hydrocarbon oil distillate;
• (4) slurrying said deep-cleaned coal portion of lowest density from step (1) with said coal derived hydrocarbon oil of step (3) to provide said coal/oil slurry product.