Process for coal liquefaction employing selective coal feed

An improved coal liquefaction process wherein coal is pulverized and slurried with a pasting oil, heated to at least about 700.degree. to 900.degree. F. and pressurized to about 500 to 5,000 psig, passed with a hydrogen-rich gas and catalytic material derived solely from the feed coal to at least one dissolver, wherein said slurry is retained for sufficient time to convert at least a portion of said feed coal into liquefied reaction product, following which time the reacted liquefaction product is passed to a separator from which vapor and condensate product streams are removed, including a residual bottoms product which is subsequently de-ashed and from which is obtained recycled process solvent, which can be recycled for use as said pasting oil, solvent refined coal distillates and solid refined coal, wherein the coal conversion in said reactor is improved by:

• (a) removing a substantial portion of mineral matter from run-of-mine coal to provide a washed coal, and
• (b) measuring the vitrinite reflectance of said coal,
• (c) subjecting only said washed coal having a vitrinite reflectance of less than 0.70% and at least about 1.0% by weight of pyritic sulfur of said coal liquefaction process, whereby improved coal conversion and increased yields of pentane soluble oils and other valuable fuel fractions of said solvent refined coal are obtained.

In a direct coal liquefaction process wherein feed coal is slurried with a process derived solvent, heated to at least about 700.degree. to 900.degree. F. and pressurized to about 500 to 5,000 psig, passed with a hydrogen-rich gas and catalytic material derived solely from said feed coal to at least one dissolver, wherein said slurry is retained for sufficient time to react and dissolve at least a portion of said feed coal, following which a reacted product is passed to a separator from which separated vapor and condensed product streams are removed, including a residual bottoms product which is subsequently subjected to a solid separation from which is obtained a solid, substantially ash residue, process solvent which may be recycled and utilized as pasting oil, and solvent refined coal distillates and solids, the improvement which comprises utilizing as said feed coal only washed coal having a substantial amount of mineral matter removed, said washed coal having at least 1.0%, by weight, of pyritic sulfur content and a vitrinite reflectance of less than about 0.70%.