Abstract: In a coal liquefaction process wherein feed coal is contacted with molecular hydrogen and a hydrogen-donor solvent in a liquefaction zone to form coal liquids and vapors and coal liquids in the solvent boiling range are thereafter hydrogenated to produce recycle solvent and liquid products, the improvement which comprises separating the effluent from the liquefaction zone into a hot vapor stream and a liquid stream; cooling the entire hot vapor stream sufficiently to condense vaporized liquid hydrocarbons; separating condensed liquid hydrocarbons from the cooled vapor; fractionating the liquid stream to produce coal liquids in the solvent boiling range; passing the cooled vapor, the coal liquids in the solvent boiling range, and makeup hydrogen to the solvent hydrogenation zone as feed to the hydrogenation zone; and thereafter catalytically hydrogenating the hydrogenation zone feed stream while quenching the hydrogenation reaction with fluids recovered from the hydrogenation zone effluent.

Abstract: In a coal liquefaction process wherein feed coal is contacted with molecular hydrogen and hydrogen-donor solvent in a liquefaction zone to form coal liquids and vapors and coal liquids in the solvent boiling range are thereafter hydrogenated to produce recycle solvent and liquid products, the improvement which comprises separating the effluent from the liquefaction zone into a hot vapor stream and a liquid stream, combining a portion of the hot vapor stream with makeup hydrogen and with coal liquids in the solvent boiling range, passing the combined vapor, hydrogen and coal liquids to the solvent hydrogenation zone as feed to the hydrogenation zone, discharging the remainder of the vapor stream as purge after cooling to recover vaporized hydrocarbons and removing contaminants, and thereafter catalytically hydrogenating the hydrogenation zone feed stream while quenching the hydrogenation reaction with fluids recovered from the hydrogenation zone effluent.