Vapor-liquid distribution of oil in coat liquefaction process

Measurements and analyses were conducted on high-temperature and high-pressure vapor-liquid distribution in the hot separator and the reactor of a 1-ton/day coal liquefaction process supporting unit, which simulated the NEDOL process. The vapor/liquid molar ratio, measured for the individual fractions of coal-derived oil in the hot separator, decreased from 1 to 0.01 with an increase in the average boiling-point temperature from 373 to 798 K. The measured ratios generally coincided well with those calculated using the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation, with a slight discrepancy for fractions having boiling point temperatures lower than ∼ 470 K. Based on the degree of concentration of the slurry, the fractional weight of vaporized oil was estimated to ≥ 0.7, depending on the reactor temperature and the feed ratio of gas/slurry. These results were used in operation and optimization of a 150-ton/day pilot plant for the NEDOL process.