Investigation of solvent extraction of coal at low temperatures
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Abstract
Solvent extraction of coal is a method to produce low molecular weight products from coal. It also can be used as a pretreatment for Direct Coal Liquefaction to enhance its efficiency. Yield, rate and nature of coal dissolution at low temperatures (25-150°C) and short contact time have been studied, using a flow micro-reactor. The results show it can be done in less than 15 minutes and the yield is about 7-9%, depending on the temperature. Also it has been observed the solvent to coal ratio has no significant effect on yield as it increases. Extraction of Poplar coal with tetralin at 150°C enhances the porosity of the coal. This knowledge about low temperature extraction was applied to liquefaction at 350°C by performing preheating in different ways. The yield increased as the mean temperature of the temperature profile during preheating was increased.