Frontiers in Chemistry (Nov 2019)

Transformation Characteristics of Hydrogen-Donor Solvent Tetralin in the Process of Direct Coal Liquefaction

  • Hai-zhou Chang,
  • Jun-qi Li,
  • Shuai Du,
  • Kai-yuan Shen,
  • Qun Yang,
  • Han Yi,
  • Ji-wei Zhang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2019.00737
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7

Abstract

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The aim of this study is to investigate the transformation of hydrogen-donor solvent tetralin in the direct liquefaction process of coal. Pure tetralin liquid as well as mixture of tetralin and Wucaiwan coal (WCW) were separately reacted under a liquefaction condition, and constituents of liquid product were analyzed by GC-MS. The results show that after the tetralin liquid reacts with high-pressure hydrogen, 90% of the reaction product is in liquid state, the gaseous products mainly include alkane gas and COx gas. When the reaction temperatures were set at 380 and 420°C, respectively, the corresponding transformation rates of tetralin can be 34.72 and 52.74%. At 380°C, the tetralin mainly plays a role of passing active hydrogen, while at 420°C, it mainly occurs dehydrogenation transformation to provide active hydrogen, as well as generate naphthalene, methyl indan, and substituted benzene, etc. Taking tetralin as the hydrogen-donor solvent, the WCW was performed liquefaction reaction, and the obtained results show that the transformation rates of tetralin are 69.76 and 83.86% at liquefaction temperatures of 380 and 420°C, respectively. Tetralin mainly occur to dehydrogenation transformation to generate naphthalene, followed by methyl indan, where contents order of main constituents of the liquefaction products were: naphthalene> tetralin > methyl indan.

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