Process of coal liquefaction

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coal liquefaction process whereby excellent crushability of an iron ore is obtd.; the wear of a crushing apparatus is made little; and a high catalytic activity and an improved oil recovery are achieved by using, as the catalyst for hydrogenation of coal, an iron ore which has a molar ratio of inherent moisture to iron atom of a specified value or higher and which is limonite mechanically crushed in advance in a coal liquefaction solvent into a specified particle size or lower. SOLUTION: An iron ore having a molar ratio of inherent moisture to iron atom of 0.4 or higher and an average particle size of 10 μm or lower is used. Limonite substantially contg. no iron oxide is pref. Limonite in the sulfidized state acts as a coal liquefaction catalyst; therefore, limonite is to be sulfidized before the hydrogenation. When a relatively large amt. of sulfur or a sulfur compd. is contained in coal present together with limonite, the sulfur or sulfur compd. can be reacted with limonite; however, the addition of simple sulfur or a sulfur compd. is preferable to sufficiently sulfidize limonite.