BROWN-COAL CONVERSION BY MICROWAVE PLASMA REACTIONS UNDER SUCCESSIVE SUPPLY OF METHANE

To develop an innovative method for directly converting brown coal to relatively important fuels and synthesis gases in a single step, while simultaneously upgrading the carbon content of the residue, microwave plasma technology was applied to the direct conversion of brown coal (Yallourn). Methane under reduced pressure was supplied through a quar tz reactor into the irradiation zone and reacted with the coal bed pla ced downstream. Both the coal conversion and the carbon content of the residue were increased with an increase of irradiation time. The yiel d of oily products showed a maximum value (18 wt.%) at 2 min irradiati on, and the fuels were composed mainly of aliphatic hydrocarbons in th e range from C-13 to C-34 Furthermore, carbon monoxide and hydrogen ac companied by a molar fraction of < 16% of acetylene were mainly produc ed when the irradiation time was varied from 1 to 10 min. (C) 1998 Els evier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.