Abstract: Finely divided coal is reacted in a combination of processes comprising flash pyrolysis and fluidized bed gasification of char from the pyrolysis. A portion of the char which is heated by the steam-oxygen gasification provides the heat for the pyrolysis step, which can be controlled to emphasize production of such materials as light olefins and BTX pyrolyzing at lower pressure and more severe temperature, or to emphasize production of a tar, suitable for processing as a synthetic crude oil, by pyrolyzing at higher pressure and less severe temperature. In either instance the fluidized bed gasification produces a useful synthesis gas.

Abstract: A process of tar destruction in gasification of carbonaceous material comprising providing a mixture of finely divided calcium compound of a particle size smaller than 65 mesh and finely divided carbonaceous material of a particle size smaller than 65 mesh, the calcium compound to carbonaceous material ratio being from about 0.5 to 1.0 and contacting the mixture with CO.sub.2 and tar exothermally whereby the tar is destroyed.

Abstract: A method for producing a synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor by feeding a mixture of finely divided silica and at least one finely divided calcium compound selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide and calcium carbonate to a fluidized bed; operating the fluidized bed at suitable conditions to produce pellets of synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor and recovering the pellets of synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor from the fluidized bed. Optionally, spent synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor can be charged to the fluidized bed to produce regenerated pellets of synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor.

Abstract: In a process for hydrocracking a heavy aromatic polynuclear carbonaceous feedstock containing reactive alkaline constituents to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels boiling below about 475.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure by contacting the feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst, thereafter separating a gaseous stream containing hydrogen, at least a portion of the hydrocarbon fuels and acid gases from the molten metal halide and regenerating the molten metal halide, thereby producing a purified molten metal halide stream for recycle to the hydrocracking zone, an improvement comprising; contacting the gaseous acid gas, hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuels-containing stream with the feedstock containing reactive alkaline constituents to remove acid gases from the acid gas containing stream.

Abstract: The present invention is an improvement in the known process of making a coking feedstock from non-caking or weakly caking coals for slot-type coke ovens wherein the coal is subjected to solvent extraction; and at least the non-distillable extract in the effluent slurry product, after removal of part or all of the solvent, is mixed with carbonaceous solids to serve as a binder therefor. The improvement resides in the use of fluidizer char (which is produced by the low temperature carbonization of coal in a fluidized bed) as the carbonaceous solids. The fluidizer char is preferably mixed with the coal extract slurry (after removal of solvent) in a liquid state at elevated temperatures under pelletizing and non-carbonizing conditions. The pelletized product, after cooling and crushing, is suitable as part or all of the coking feedstock for coke ovens.

Abstract: A method for hydrocracking a heavy polynuclear hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce lighter hydrocarbon fuels by contacting the feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst, the method comprising: mixing the feedstock with a heavy naphtha fraction which has an initial boiling point from about 100.degree. to about 160.degree. C. with a boiling point difference between the initial boiling point and the final boiling point of no more than about 50.degree. C.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in the regeneration system of aqueous regenerative processes for the removal of SO.sub.2 from SO.sub.2 -containing gas streams which have a scrubbing system containing (1) a scrubbing zone through which a recirculating stream of sodium or potassium thiosulfate solution continuously passes as a vehicle for the SO.sub.2 absorbent, sodium or potassium carbonate, under conditions favorable to the formation of sulfite by the reaction of carbonate and SO.sub.2 and (2) a thiosulfate generation zone in which the sulfite is converted by reaction with a sulfide to thiosulfate. The improvement comprises converting, in a regeneration system, the net make of thiosulfate to a mixture of sulfide and carbonate by first converting the thiosulfate to sulfate, then reducing the sulfate to sulfide; and thereafter partially carbonating the sulfide to form a mixture of sulfide and carbonate for return to the scrubbing system.

Abstract: An improved process for making metallurgical coke is provided as follows. An effluent slurry consisting essentially of coal extract, solvent and undissolved coal is obtained from the liquefaction of coal by solvent extraction. Solvent is removed from the slurry by distillation to produce a bottoms product which contains non-distillable extract, undissolved coal and residual solvent. The bottoms product is flowable at elevated temperatures below its carbonizing temperature and solidifiable at lower temperatures. The bottoms product is blended with sufficient finely divided hot coaly solids (unsuitable per se for making metallurgical coke) in a hot blending zone which is maintained at a temperature above the softening point of the non-distillable coal extract and below the coking temperature thereof to produce a solidifiable product which, in particulate solidified state, serves as part or all of the feedstock to a coking zone to produce coke suitable for use in a blast furnace.

Abstract: A synthetic CO.sub.2 acceptor comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide and calcium carbonate supported in a refractory carrier matrix of the general formula 3CaO(SiO.sub.2).sub.x (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3).sub.1-x wherein x is from about 0 to about 1.0.

Abstract: A method for desulfurizing a gaseous mixture such as flue gas by sequentially contacting the gaseous mixture with an aqueous solution containing ammonium thiosulfate in a first zone; an aqueous solution containing ammonia and ammonium thiosulfate in a second zone; and an aqueous solution containing ammonium thionate or thionic acid in a third zone. The sulfur is optionally recovered as elemental sulfur.

Abstract: In a process for hydrocracking heavy polynuclear carbonaceous feedstocks to produce lighter hydrocarbon fuels by contacting the heavy feedstocks with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst in a hydrocracking zone, thereafter separating at least a major portion of the lighter hydrocarbon fuels from the spent molten metal halide and thereafter regenerating the spent molten metal halide by incinerating the spent molten metal halide by combustion of carbon and sulfur compounds in the spent molten metal halide in an incineration zone, the improvement comprising: (a) contacting the heavy feedstocks and hydrogen in the presence of the molten metal halide in the hydrocracking zone at reaction conditions effective to convert from about 60 to about 90 weight percent of the feedstock to lighter hydrocarbon fuels; (b) separating at least a major portion of the lighter hydrocarbon fuels from the spent molten metal halide; (c) contacting the spent molten metal halide with oxygen in a liquid phase gasifi

Abstract: In a process for the production of hydrogen-rich gas from a fuel gas containing carbon monoxide and other components, the fuel gas is contacted in a formate synthesis zone with an aqueous solution containing sodium or potassium carbonate and/or bicarbonate under conditions effective to produce an effluent aqueous solution of the corresponding formate and an effluent gas containing the other components of the fuel gas. The aqueous formate solution is thereafter subjected to catalytic decomposition in a formate decomposition zone under conditions effective to produce a hydrogen-righ gas and an aqueous solution which consists essentially of carbonate and/or bicarbonate solution.

Abstract: A two-step process for the production of fixed bed gasifier feedstock from a coal liquefaction effluent slurry is provided which comprises (a) treating a coal liquefaction effluent slurry in a stirred vessel with a mixture of anti-solvent and coal-derived carbonaceous solids to form agglomerates in a pumpable slurry; and (b) converting the pumpable slurry to larger-size agglomerates or pellets by the addition of further coal-derived carbonaceous solids under pelletizing conditions.

Abstract: Pelletization of a pumpable non-distillable conversion product of coal is effected by agglomerating, in a pelletization zone, a mixture of such product with finely divided coaly solids and recycled undersized pellets from solvent extract and pellet classification zones.

Abstract: The effluent slurry product from a coal liquefaction reactor is split into two streams. The first stream is subjected to vacuum distillation to produce a vacuum bottoms. The second stream is mixed with particulate char to form a solids-enriched slurry feedstock to a low temperature carbonization plant. The char made in this plant, plus the vacuum bottoms from the first stream, forms a pelletizable composition which serves as a feedstock to a pelletizing plant. By virtue of the foregoing procedure, a reduction of the order of 30 percent in size of the pelletizing plant is effected, as compared to sending to the pelletizing plant all the vacuum bottoms obtainable from the entire coal liquefaction effluent slurry product; yet about the same total weight of pellets is made.

Abstract: A coal liquefaction process is provided in which a hydrogen donor solvent is used to at least partially liquefy the coal. The process is maintained in hydrogen donor solvent balance by treatment of products obtained in the course of the coal liquefaction process. The required balance is achieved by catalytically hydrocracking a selected portion of the relatively high boiling distillable components obtained by intensive extraction of the coal. The underlying premise is that the high boiling components of a deeply extracted coal include hydrogen donor solvents or hydrogenatable precursors thereof which may be selectively recovered by solvent fractionation to yield the desired aromatic hydrocarbons for such solvent or precursor.

Abstract: A coal liquefaction process is provided in which a hydrogen donor solvent is used in the liquefaction of the coal. The process is designed to maintain the hydrogen donor solvent in balance by hydrogenation of the spent hydrogen donor solvent and precursors of the hydrogen donor solvent which are generated in steps of the overall liquefaction process. The principal sources of the desired hydrogenatable precursors are a solids-free and benzene insolubles-free portion of the coal extract, and particularly the coker distillates generated by coking a non-distillable hydrocracked fraction of said solids-free and benzene insolubles-free portion.

Abstract: A coal liquefaction process is provided in which a hydrogen donor solvent is used to at least partially liquefy the coal. The process is maintained in hydrogen donor solvent balance by treatment of selected products obtained in the course of the coal liquefaction process. The required balance is achieved by a series of inter-related operations performed on a hydrofined portion of a solids-free fraction of the coal extract. The inter-related operations include the recovery of an aromatic hydrocarbon-rich portion from the solids-free fraction by selective recovery from the solids-free fraction and from the products of a catalytic cracking operation wherein the remaining portion of the solids-free fraction is used as a feedstock. The aromatic hydrocarbon-rich portion boils within the range of the hydrogen donor solvent, and serves as makeup solvent for the required maintenance of solvent balance.

Abstract: A coal liquefaction process is provided in which a hydrogen donor solvent is used in the liquefaction of the coal. The process is designed to maintain the hydrogen donor solvent in balance by hydrogenation of the spent hydrogen donor solvent and selected precursors of the hydrogen donor solvent which are generated in selected steps of the overall liquefaction process. The principal sources of the desired hydrogenatable precursors are a hydrogenated solids-free and benzene insolubles-free portion of the coal extract, and particularly the coker distillates generated by coking a non-distillable hydrocracked fraction of said hydrogenated solids-free and benzene insolubles-free portion.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in the regeneration system of agueous regenerative processes for the removal of SO.sub.2 from SO.sub.2 -containing gas streams which have a scrubbing system containing (1) a scrubbing zone through which a recirculating stream of sodium, potassium or ammonium thiosulfate solution continuously passes as a vehicle for the SO.sub.2 absorbent--sodium, potassium, or ammonium carbonate--under conditions favorable to the formation of sulfite by the reaction of carbonate and SO.sub.2 and (2) a thiosulfate generation zone in which the sulfite is converted by sulfide to thiosulfate. The improvement comprises converting in a regenerating system, the net make of thiosulfate to sulfide and carbonate by converting one portion of the thiosulfate to formate and the reacting the other portion with said formate.