HYDROPYROLYSIS OF ALBERTA COAL AND PETROLEUM RESIDUE USING CALCIUM-OXIDE CATALYST AND TOLUENE ADDITIVE

Hydropyrolysis of a mixture of Alberta coal and Athabasca bitumen was carried out in a batch reactor using calcium oxide as an alternate cat alyst and the results were compared with those of widely used iron oxi de and well-known NiMo/Al2O3 catalysts. Most of the reactions were don e at temperatures of 500-540 degrees C, residence time of 1 min and hy drogen pressure of 3.4 MPa. Maximum distillable oil (below 5230 degree s C) yield of 55 wt% and pitch conversion of 62 wt% were obtained in t he presence of CaO or Fe2O3 and these values were higher than those wi thout catalyst, although NiMo/Al2O3 catalyst gave much higher oil yiel d and pitch conversion. Catalyst concentration (above 2 wt%) has no co nsequence upon the distribution of various product fractions. In anoth er study, addition of 15% toluene to the feed in the absence of cataly st led to higher distillable oil yield (68 wt%) and pitch conversion ( 72 wt%) in the hydroconversion of coal and bitumen mixture. Increase i n toluene concentration from 15 to 50 wt% had no positive effect on th e product yields. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.