Method for refining coal utilizing short residence time hydrocracking with selective condensation to produce a slate of value-added co-products

An improved method for refining a volatile containing carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:

• (a) heating a particulate volatile containing carbonaceous material by admixing said particulate with a gaseous heating medium at a volatilization temperature of from about 1,500.degree. F. to 2,000.degree. F. and at a decomposing heat rate of at least 10,000.degree. F. per second to produce a substantially decomposed volatilization product;
• (b) contacting said substantially decomposed volatilization product with a hydrogen donor-lean reducing gaseous atmosphere at a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 50 psig to about 200 psig at condensation temperatures of about 1,100.degree. F. to about 1,300.degree. F. and at a condensation reaction residence time of from about 0.020 seconds to about 0.10 seconds to produce a selective condensation hydrocarbon liquid containing reaction product, said hydrogen being formed in substantial part in a partial oxidation reaction wherein steam and a hydrodisproportionation recycle gas rich in methane and carbon monoxide are reacted with a substoichiometric amount of oxygen;
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• (c) contacting said selective condensation hydrocarbon liquid containing reaction product with a hydrogen donor-rich atmosphere having a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 200 psig to about 600 psig to hydrostabilize said reaction product at hydrostabilization temperatures of from 900.degree. F. to about 1,100.degree. F. and at hydrostabilization residence times of from about 0.10 seconds to about 2 seconds.

An improved method for refining a volatile containing coal to produce a slate of hydrocarbon containing coproducts by short residence time hydrodisproportionation comprising the steps of:

• (a) contacting a particulate coal with a hydrogen donor-lean reducing gaseous mixture having a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 50 psig to about 200 psig and a methane partial pressure of from about 50 psig to about 400 psig, at a temperature in the range of about 2,000.degree. F. to about 3,000.degree. F. to heat said particulate coal at a volatilization temperature of from about 1,500.degree. F. to about 2,000.degree. F. at a heating rate greater than about 10,000.degree. F. per second at pressures of from about 100 psig to about 1,200 psig for a time of from about 0.005 seconds to about 0.075 seconds to produce a substantially decomposed volatilization product, wherein said hydrogen donor-lean reducing gaseous mixture is obtained in substantial part from said carbonaceous material by a partial oxidation reaction wherein steam and hydrodisproportionation recycle gas rich in methane and carbon monoxide are reacted with a sub-stoichiometric amount of oxygen;
• (b) cooling said substantially decomposed volatilization product to a condensation temperature from about 1,100.degree. F. to about 1,300.degree. F. for residence times of from about 0.020 seconds to about 0.10 seconds in an atmosphere having a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 50 psig to about 200 psig to produce a selectively condensed volatilization product, wherein said cooling is effected by direct partial quench by using a heavy hydrocarbon process liquid, or a heavy hydrocarbon process liquid which has been thermally cracked to produce lighter process liquids during said partial quench or mixtures thereof;
• (c) contacting said condensation reaction product with a hydrogen donor-rich atmosphere having a hydrogen partial pressure of from about 200 psig to about 600 psig at hydrostabilization temperature of from about 900.degree. F. to about 1,100.degree. F. for a hydrostabilizing residence time of from about 0.10 seconds to about 2 seconds to produce a hydrostabilized reaction product;
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• (d) stabilizing said hydrostabilized reaction product at a temperature of less than about 700.degree. F. to produce a hydrostabilized, selectively condensed volatilization product wherein said stabilization is accomplished by contacting the hydrogenated volatilization product with a mixture of water and lighter oils, said mixture being recycled from said hydrodisproportionation process.