COMPARISON OF COAL-LIQUEFACTION YIELDS FROM 2 DIFFERENT REACTOR SYSTEMS - THE IMPORTANCE OF LOADING AND MIXING IN DETERMINING BATCH AUTOCLAVE RESULTS

High conversions in Ni-Mo- and NaAlO2-Ni-Mo-catalysed no-solvent hydro genation of a low-rank coal were obtained in a 35 mt reactor (1g coal charge) heated in a horizontal position with vertical agitation. Much lower conversions were obtained in a 55 mt reactor (3g coal charge) he ated in a vertical position with a stirrer; however, the favourable ef fect of NaAlO2 addition in giving high oil/asphaltene ratios was prese rved. The effects of addition of solvent (tetralin and decalin) and va rying the coal loading in the 55 mt autoclave showed the importance of good accessibility of the reactant gas to the coal particles. Copyrig ht (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.