TWO-STAGE COAL HYDROGENATION PROCESS HAVING CATALYTIC FIRST STAGE AND INCREASED DISTILLATE LIQUIDS YIELDS

摘要

A process for two-stage hydrogenation of coal to produce increased yields of hydrocarbon liquid and gas products. In the process, the particulate coal is fed at temperature below about 650.degree.F into a first stage catalytic reaction zone to maintain a temperature therein at 750-800.degree.F and 1000-5000 psig hydrogen partial pressure. The partially hydrogenated material from the first stage reaction zone is phase separated and the liquid fraction is passed to the second stage reaction zone maintained at 800-860.degree.F temperature for further predominately thermal hydrocracking reactions. By this process, the coal feed is heated quickly and successively catalytically hydrogenated and hydrocracked at selected conditions, which results in minimal production of undesirable residuum and unconverted coal or char and increased yields of desirable hydrocarbon liquid products, while catalyst life is increased.