THE NATURE OF THE SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF BINARY TETRALIN-ALCOHOL SOLVENTS IN KANSK-ACHINSK BROWN-COAL LIQUEFACTION

Kansk-Achinsk brown coal hydrogenation and swelling in tetralin, in lo w molecular alcohols, in other solvents and in binary mixtures were st udied. Tetralin was found to be the most effective liquefaction solven t, but methanol and ethanol were the active ones in coal swelling. Syn ergistic effects were observed when the mixtures of tetralin and metha nol or ethanol were used for liquefaction and swelling, The effect of binary solvents was shown to be due to the ability of alcohol componen ts to cause brown coal to swell improving the availability of the frag ments of coal matter for the reactive hydrogen donor tetralin molecule s. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.