In situ formation of coal gasification catalysts from low cost alkali metal salts
AssigneeSRI International
InventorsBernard J. Wood, Robert D. Brittain, Kenneth M. Sancier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A carbonaceous material, such as crushed coal, is admixed or impregnated with an inexpensive alkali metal compound, such as sodium chloride, and then pretreated with a stream containing steam at a temperature of 350.degree. to 650.degree. C. to enhance the catalytic activity of the mixture in a subsequent gasification of the mixture. The treatment may result in the transformation of the alkali metal compound into another, more catalytically active, form.
Claims15
A process for the in situ formation of a gasification catalyst in a carbonaceous material which comprises:
- (a) mixing an alkali metal halide with said carbonaceous material;
- (b) thereafter treating said mixture in a stream containing steam at a temperature of 350.degree. to 650.degree. C. for a sufficient time period to hydrolyze at least 25 mole% of said alkali metal to form a hydrolyzed product in the substantial absence of any gasification to enhance the catalytic activity of the resultant mixture in subsequent gasification of said mixture;
- (c) utilizing high pressure steam at a high space velocity to remove the HCl gas as it is formed in said hydrolysis reaction;
- and
- (d) passing the resultant gasification catalyst product to a gasification zone.
A process for the in situ formation of a gasification catalyst in a carbonaceous material which comprises:
- (a) pretreating a particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size of 8 mesh or smaller with sodium chloride in a mole ratio of from 0.02 to 0.2 sodium to carbon;
- (b) exposing said sodium chloride-carbonaceous mixture to a stream containing steam at a temperature of from 350.degree. to 650.degree. C., a pressure of from 2 to 300 atmospheres, and for a time period sufficient to hydrolyze at least 25 mole% of said sodium in the substantial absence of any gasification to thereby form in situ the corresponding alkali metal hydroxide or oxide catalyst having enhanced catalytic activity;
- and
- (c) passing the resultant gasification catalyst product to a gasification zone.
A process for the production of an inexpensive gasification catalyst for the production of gases from carbonaceous materials which comprises:
- (a) impregnating a porous particulate carbonaceous material having a particle size of 8 mesh or less with a solution containing sodium chloride in a mole ratio of from 0.02 to 0.2 sodium to carbon;
- (b) reacting said mixture with steam at a temperature of from 350.degree. to 650.degree. C., a pressure of from 2 to 300 atmospheres, and for a time period sufficient to hydrolyze at least 25 mole% of said sodium in the substantial absence of any gasification;
- (c) removing hydrogen chloride gas from said mixture as it is formed;
- and
- (d) passing the resultant gasification catalyst product to a gasification zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.