Patent · US Expired

Process for heating coal-oil slurries

US4424108A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
3References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 8, 1982
Grant dateJan 3, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 8, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S208/01
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Controlling gas to slurry volume ratio to achieve a gas holdup of about 0.4 when heating a flowing coal-oil slurry and a hydrogen containing gas stream allows operation with virtually any coal to solvent ratio and permits operation with efficient heat transfer and satisfactory pressure drops. The critical minimum gas flow rate for any given coal-oil slurry will depend on numerous factors such as coal concentration, coal particle size distribution, composition of the solvent (including recycle slurries), and type of coal. Further system efficiency can be achieved by operating with multiple heating zones to provide a high heat flux when the apparent viscosity of the gas saturated slurry is highest. Operation with gas flow rates below the critical minimum results in system instability indicated by temperature excursions in the fluid and at the tube wall, by a rapid increase and then decrease in overall pressure drop with decreasing gas flow rate, and by increased temperature differences between the temperature of the bulk fluid and the tube wall. At the temperatures and pressures used in coal liquefaction preheaters the coal-oil slurry and hydrogen containing gas stream behaves essent…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.