REACTIONS OF BROWN COALS WITH CO-H2O IN THE PRESENCE OF ALKALINE CATALYSTS IN A WELL-STIRRED AUTOCLAVE WITH HOT-CHARGE FACILITY

Victorian brown coals were reacted with CO-H2O in the presence of different amounts of NaAlO2, NaOH, Na2CO3 and Ca(AlO2)2 in a well-stirred autoclave with a hot-charge facility. The effects of reaction time, temperature, stirrer speed, reactant gas composition, coal structure and reactant ratios were studied and the results were compared with those of reactions using a similar reactor in a less well-mixed system. Efficient mixing led to higher yields of liquid products, at lower water:coal ratios and lower promoter loadings. In addition, the product yields were less sensitive to coal structure in this well-mixed system.