Abstract: A process for selectively dealkylating aromatic compounds includes providing a coal tar stream comprising aromatic compounds and hydrotreating the coal tar stream to reduce a concentration of one or more of organic sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in the coal tar stream, and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the aromatic compounds in the coal tar stream. The process further includes hydrocracking the hydrotreated coal tar stream to further hydrogenate the aromatic compounds and to crack at least one ring of multi-ring aromatic compounds to form single-ring aromatic compounds. The single-ring aromatic compounds present in the hydrocracked stream are then dealkylated to remove alkyl groups containing two or more carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method of processing a coal feed to produce aromatic hydrocarbon compounds includes providing a coal tar stream and converting the coal tar stream to a conversion product comprising at least olefins, paraffins, and aromatics. The process further includes separating the olefins and C5? paraffins from the conversion product, and contacting the separated olefins and the C5? paraffins with a catalyst to dehydrogenize, oligomerize, and cyclize the olefins and the C5? paraffins, to form aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.

Abstract: A process for converting polycyclic aromatic compounds to monocyclic aromatic compounds includes pyrolyzing a coal feed to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream. The coal tar stream is cracked, and the cracked coal tar stream is fractionated to produce an aromatic fraction comprising the polycyclic aromatic compounds. The process further includes hydrocracking the aromatic fraction to partially hydrogenate at least a first portion of the aromatic fraction, and to open at least one ring of a second portion of the aromatic fraction to form the monocyclic aromatic compounds from the polycyclic compounds, and recycling the first portion of the aromatic fraction.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for manufacturing lubrication oils. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a lubrication oil includes the steps of receiving into an activated carbon guard bed unit an unconverted oil (UCO) feedstock, the UCO feedstock comprising polynuclear aromatic (PNA) compounds and contacting the UCO feedstock with activated carbon within the activated carbon guard bed unit to remove at least a portion of the PNA compounds, thereby forming a treated UCO feedstock.

Abstract: A process for producing olefins from a coal feed includes providing a coal tar stream and fractionating the coal tar stream to provide a hydrocarbon stream that includes hydrocarbons having an initial boiling point of about 250° C. or greater. The hydrocarbon stream is hydrotreated to reduce a concentration of one or more of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen in the hydrocarbon stream, and the hydrotreated hydrocarbon stream is cracked in a fluidized catalytic cracking zone to produce an olefin stream.

Abstract: A process for transalkylating a coal tar stream is described. A coal tar stream is provided, and is fractionated to provide at least one hydrocarbon stream having polycyclic aromatics. The hydrocarbon stream is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating zone, and then hydrocracked in a hydrocracking zone. A light aromatics stream is added to the hydrocracking zone. The light aromatics stream comprises one or more light aromatics having a ratio of methyl/aromatic available position that is lower than a ratio of methyl/aromatic available position for the hydrotreated stream. The hydrocracked stream is transalkylated in the hydrocracking zone.

Abstract: A multifunction hydrotreater includes a particulate removal zone having a particulate trap to remove particulate contaminants from a coal tar stream and a demetallizing zone including a demetallizing catalyst to remove organically bound metals from the departiculated stream. The demetallizing zone is positioned after the particulate removal zone. The hydrotreater also includes a hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation zone positioned after the demetallization zone, which includes at least one hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation catalyst to provide a hydrotreated coal tar stream.

Abstract: A process for producing hydrogen-rich coal tar includes introducing a coal feed into a pyrolysis zone, and contacting the coal feed with a hydrogen donor stream and a multifunctional catalyst in the pyrolysis zone. The multifunctional catalyst includes a hydrogenation function for increasing a hydrogen content of said coal tar stream. The process further includes pyrolyzing the coal feed with the hydrogen donor stream and the multifunctional catalyst to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream comprising hydrocarbon vapor.

Abstract: A process for converting polycyclic aromatic compounds to monocyclic aromatic compounds includes pyrolyzing a coal feed to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream. The coal tar stream is cracked, and the cracked coal tar stream is fractionated to produce an aromatic fraction comprising the polycyclic aromatic compounds. The process further includes hydrocracking the aromatic fraction to partially hydrogenate at least a first portion of the aromatic fraction, and to open at least one ring of a second portion of the aromatic fraction to form the monocyclic aromatic compounds from the polycyclic compounds, and recycling the first portion of the aromatic fraction.

Abstract: A method of processing a coal feed to produce aromatic hydrocarbon compounds includes providing a coal tar stream and converting the coal tar stream to a conversion product comprising at least olefins, paraffins, and aromatics. The process further includes separating the olefins and C5? paraffins from the conversion product, and contacting the separated olefins and the C5? paraffins with a catalyst to dehydrogenize, oligomerize, and cyclize the olefins and the C5? paraffins, to form aromatic hydrocarbon compounds.

Abstract: A process for purifying at least one product from coal tar is described. The process involves separating a coal tar fraction having a boiling point in the range of about 180° C. to about 230° C. into an acidic portion and a non-acidic portion by contacting the fraction with a caustic compound. The acidic portion is separated into a cresol portion and a xylenol portion, and the non-acidic portion is separated into a naphthalene portion and a naphthalene co-boiler portion. The acidic portion and the non-acidic portions are separated by contacting with an adsorbent comprising small, discrete crystallites, the adsorbent having less than 10 wt % amorphous binder component. The various portions can be separated in a similar manner.

Abstract: A process for producing alkylated aromatic compounds includes pyrolyzing a coal feed to produce a coke stream and a coal tar stream. The coal tar stream is hydrotreated and the resulting hydrotreated coal tar stream is cracked. A portion of the cracked coal tar stream is separated to obtain a fraction having an initial boiling point in the range of about 60° C. to about 180° C., and an aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is extracted by contacting the fraction with one or more solvents. The aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is contacted with an alkylating agent to produce an alkylated aromatic stream, or the aromatics-rich hydrocarbon stream is reacted with an aliphatic compound or methanol in the presence of a catalyst to produce a methylated aromatic stream. The alkylated aromatic stream, the methylated aromatic stream, or both are separated into at least a benzene stream, a toluene stream, and a xylenes stream.

Abstract: A process for selectively dealkylating aromatic compounds includes providing a coal tar stream comprising aromatic compounds and hydrotreating the coal tar stream to reduce a concentration of one or more of organic sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in the coal tar stream, and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the aromatic compounds in the coal tar stream. The process further includes hydrocracking the hydrotreated coal tar stream to further hydrogenate the aromatic compounds and to crack at least one ring of multi-ring aromatic compounds to form single-ring aromatic compounds. The single-ring aromatic compounds present in the hydrocracked stream are then dealkylated to remove alkyl groups containing two or more carbon atoms.

Abstract: Methods of treating coal tar using reactive distillation are described. The methods include introducing a coal tar stream into a reactive distillation zone which has a reaction zone and a separation zone. The reaction zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst and an absorbent. The coal tar stream is contacted with a hydrogen stream in the reaction zone to remove contaminants from the coal tar stream, and the treated coal tar stream is separated into at least two fractions.

Abstract: A process for pyrolyzing coal using a recycled hydrogen donor includes introducing a coal feed to a pyrolysis zone and heating the coal feed to a temperature of about 300° C. in the absence of hydrogen. A hydrogen donor solvent is introduced to the pyrolysis zone after the coal feed is heated to about 300° C., and the temperature of the coal feed and the hydrogen donor solvent is increased to about 475° C., while increasing a pressure in the pyrolysis zone to at or above a vapor pressure of the hydrogen donor solvent. At least an aromatic hydrocarbon rich fraction is separated from the coal tar stream and hydrogenated. The hydrogenated aromatic hydrocarbon rich fraction is recycled to the pyrolysis zone as the hydrogen donor solvent.

Abstract: A process for converting Fischer-Tropsch liquids and waxes into lubricant base stock and/or transportation fuels is disclosed. The process includes the steps of feeding a Fischer-Tropsch wax to a first isomerization unit to produce an isomerized Fischer-Tropsch wax product; combining a Fischer-Tropsch liquid with the isomerized Fischer-Tropsch wax product to create a mixture of the Fischer-Tropsch liquid and the Fischer-Tropsch wax product; and feeding the mixture to a fractionation column to separate the mixture into a lubricant base stock fraction and at least one transportation fuel fraction.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for pretreating a hydrocarbon stream in a hydrotreating reactor and separating the diesel materials from the pretreated effluent before the heavier liquid materials are fed to a hydrocracking unit. Thus diesel materials are preserved but recovered along with the hydrocracked effluent. A recovered diesel stream can be sent to a hydrotreating unit to improve its cetane rating.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for pretreating a hydrocarbon stream in a hydrotreating reactor and separating the diesel materials from the pretreated effluent before the heavier liquid materials are fed to a hydrocracking unit. Thus diesel materials are preserved but recovered along with the hydrocracked effluent. A recovered diesel stream can be sent to a hydrotreating unit to improve its cetane rating.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for alkylating and hydrogenating a light cycle oil. The process can include passing the light cycle oil, one or more C2-C6 alkenes, and hydrogen through a reaction vessel containing an alkylation zone and a hydrogenation zone. Generally, the hydrogen is at least partially comprised from a hydrocarbon product stream from a fluid catalytic cracking zone.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for alkylating and hydrogenating a light cycle oil. The process can include passing the light cycle oil, one or more C2-C6 alkenes, and hydrogen through a reaction vessel containing an alkylation zone and a hydrogenation zone. Generally, the hydrogen is at least partially comprised from a hydrocarbon product stream from a fluid catalytic cracking zone.