DEVELOPMENT OF A DISPERSED IRON CATALYST FOR 1ST STAGE COAL-LIQUEFACTION

A procedure yielding a very small particle size iron catalyst for coal liquefaction has been developed at the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This procedure has two important components. The first is incipient wetness impregnation of coal with an aqueous solution of ferric nitrate (subsequently converted to hydrated iron oxide by contact with ammonium hydroxide). The second is proper time/temperature activation of the iron under a gaseous atmosphere of H-2/H2S to produce pyrrholite. In continuous operations. an optimum preliquefaction temperature of 275-degrees-C was observed for the activation of hydrated iron oxide in the presence of Illinois No. 6 coal. The net effect of proper implementation of this procedure was the development of a finely divided iron catalyst that exhibited high levels of activity in comparisons with molybdenum catalysts.