Abstract: Improvements in a process for reforming coal by subjecting a mixed slurry containing a hydrocarbon solvent and coal fines to hydrogenation reaction under high temperature and pressure conditions, gas-liquid separation, and distillation to obtain a solvent-refined coal, the improvements comprising: maintaining the reaction temperature and total reaction pressure within a hydrogenation reactor at 400.degree. to 500.degree. C. and 50 to 200 atms., and controlling the residence time distribution of reactants, excepting gaseous reactants, in the hydrogenation reaction zone to have an average residence time longer than 17 minutes, and to keep the quantity of the reactants which have a residence time shorter than 10 minutes in a proportion less than 20% by weight of the reactants.

Abstract: A coal liquefaction apparatus which comprises a slurry mixing tank, a preheater, a hydrogenation reactor, and a gas-liquid-solid separator or separators in series and a gas-liquid separator and at least one solid-liquid separator are interposed between the hydrogenation reactor and a dehydrogenation cyclopolycondensation reactor which is positioned upstream of the final gas-liquid-solid separator.The coal liquefaction process comprises the steps of heat treating a slurry prepared by mixing coal fines with a hydrocarbon based solvent having a boiling point greater than 150.degree. C. in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature of 300.degree. to 500.degree. C.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for thermal dehydration of brown coal, by which an excellent heat recovery can be accomplished. The method includes the steps of admixing raw brown coal with a solvent to prepare a slurry, preheating the slurry in a heat exchanger, heating the same at 100.degree. to 300.degree. C., passing it through a gas-liquid separator to separate it into a steam-containing vapor and a dehydrated slurry and recoverying the dehydrated slurry while the steam-containing vapor is recycled to the heat exchanger so as to be utilized as a heating medium for preheating the slurry.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing metallurgical carbonaceous materials from coals, particularly coals of a low rank of coalification, in which coal fines and a hydrocarbon base solvent having a boiling point of 150.degree. to 500.degree. C. are mixed together into a slurry form, then the slurry is subjected to a first heat treatment wherein the slurry is treated in the presence of a mixture gas including carbon monoxide and steam under a pressure of 50 to 300 atms. and temperature of 300.degree. to 600.degree. C., and then the reaction product thus derived is subjected to a second heat treatment wherein the reaction product is treated in the presence of a hydrogen gas at a low partial pressure, at a pressure 10 mmHg to 250 atms, and temperature of 400.degree. to 600.degree. C.