Effects of solvent pretreatment and solvent incorporation on coal liquefaction

Yields of short-contact-time liquefaction product can be increased by pretreating the coal-solvent slurry at below normal liquefaction temperatures to permit solvent incorporation and/or swelling of the coal before liquefaction. An external pretreatment and an in situ pretreatment produce similar results. A coal-vehicle adduct was isolated from the pretreated coal and had liquefaction characteristics similar to the original coal. The beneficial effect of the solvent pretreatment is therefore believed to be the result of physical solvent incorporation with the coal, which causes solvent-aided liquefaction, in contrast with the thermal decomposition that can occur if some of the coal reaches liquefaction temperatures before it is contacted by vehicle. Pretreatment allows vehicle to be present (in contact with coal) at the reactive site in order to react with, and cap, coal free radicals.