JPRS ID: 10124 WEST EUROPE REPORT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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• Collection: JPRS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00850R000400070039-8
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• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 34
• Document Creation Date: November 1, 2016
• Sequence Number: 39
• Content Type: REPORTS

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JPRS L/ 10124
18 November 1981
~IVest E u ro e o rt
p ~
SCIENCE AND TECHNOIOGY
(FOUO 14/81)
FBIS FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORA~IATION SERVICE
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NOTE
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- encZosed in parentheses. Words or names preceded by a ques-
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JPRS L/10124
18 November 1981
WEST EUROPE REPORT
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
- (FOUO 14/81)
C~NTEfVTS
_ ELECTRONICS
Briefs
Bubble i~emQries ~
ENERGY
Status of Coa1-Ccnversion Pro~ects at Ruhrkohle AG
- (Josef Langhoff, et al. ; ERDOEL & KOHLE� ERDGAS-PE~'ROCf~2~, Sep 81) 2
TRANSPORTATION
A 320 Development Schedule, Technical Data
(AIR & COMOS, 19 Sep 81) 16
First Flight Tests of British Aerospace 1~+6 Successflil
(AIR & COSMOS, 19 Sep 81) 22
- Renault's Douai Plant Highl,y Automated ~
(Michel Jacques; L'EXPRESS, 2 Oct 81) ~4
New Generation Avionics for Air~~n Aircraft Tested
(Gerard Collin; AIR & COSMOS, 19 Sep 81) 28
Briefs 31
British Partic:ipa.tion in A 320
_ _ a_ [III - wE - isi s&T Fouo~
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ELECTRONICS
BRIEFS
- BUBBLE MEMaRIES--Bubble memories have had a decidedly turbulent history.
Following Rockwell and Texas [Instr~ents] it is now National SQmiconductor's
turn to announce its withdrawal from the field, attesting to a market which
is too small because of prices which are still high in comparison with compe-
titive technologies, principally magnetic disks and semiconductor memories.
Also working against bubble memories is the slow development of interface and
peripheral circuits. National Semiconductor"s dec~sion directly concerns
SAGEM [Company for General Applications of Electricity and ~Iechanics] which had
executed cooperation agre~ments allowing it to offer a very wide range of pro-
ducts and peripheral circuits for "civil" applications upon the market. The
SAGEM has no intention of abandoning its bubble memory technology, for aero-
space and military applications,~developed from the work of LETI/AEC [Electronics
and Data Processing Technology Laboratory, Grenoble/Atomic Energy Commission];
moreover it is installing large production facilities at Eragny. Nevertheless
the National Semiconductor decision will have an eff~ct because in all probabil-
ity it is going to compel SAGEM to redefine its commercial policy as far as
civil applications are concerned. [Text] [Paris AIR & COSMOS in French
~ 12 Sep 81 p 31] [COPYRIGHT: A.&C. 1980] 11706
CSO: 3102/12
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ENE RGY
STATUS OF COAL-CONVERSION PROJECTS AT RUHRKOHLE AG
I~amburg ERDOEL & KOHLE-I:RDGAS-PETROCHEMIE in German Sep 81 pp 37~-386 -
[Article by Josef Langhoff, Rainer Duerrfeld, and Eckard Wolowski: "Npw Technoiogies
for Hard Coal Refining"]
[Text] [English-language summary] The successfui operation of
pilot and demonstration plants, followed by prelitninary project
estimates ~or industrial scale plants form the basis of com-
mercialization of new technologies for coal processing. From
a technical point of view large scale plants can be justified ~
even today. Depending upon the size of the plant and the time
requirements for off icial ap~roval, it takes four to ten years
to put such a plant into operation. Considering the economics,
however, operation of such plants using domestic coal--apart
from exceptional cases--is not feasible. The financing of
these projects is, therefore, possible only with the support of
public resources. Assuming that the present relaxed situation
of oil and gas supply is only temporary, and supply Sottle-
necks and price problems have to be reckoned with in cour:.e
of time, financial support of such pro~ects appear justified
from an overall economic viewpoint.
~
Considerable efforts were made in the FRG likewise during the recent decade to speed
up the development of new coal refining technologies. The development programs
carried out jointly by industry and the government in the final analysis are aimed
at a long-term, reliable supply of diversified and regionally balanced and raw
material resources. The important thing is to make more use of coal reserves
available domestically than has been the case so far in order to bring the use of
mineral oil and nstural gas into a suitable ratio with respect to the supplies
available in longer-range terms and to counteract an incalculable price rise for
those supplies.
In the past, the FRG spent an estimated DM 4 billion for carrying out such "coal
refining" development programs. The amount might be taken as an indication of the
significance which the government and industry assign to the expansion of coal re-
finement.
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Ruhrkohle AG [Incorporated] currently extracts ahout 63 million t of hard coal and
has stockpiles of 20 billion t. This fact alone clearly points up the interest, if
not the obligation, which the enterprises have in expanding the "conventional"
sectors of coal refining througfi.coal liquefaction, coal gasification, and fluidized-
bed furnaces.
To do this job, Ruhrkohle AG early in 1975 founded an affiliate which today is
called Ruhrkohle Oel und Gas GmbH jlncorporated].
This company engages in the following activities:
Investigations of technical and economic utilization possibilities of new coal
refining methods;
Technical process development through planning, construction, and operation of large-
scale experimental and demonstration plants, considerir.g the requirements of en-
vironmental protection;
Utilization of experimental results and the know-how acquired through planning,
- construction, and operation of production units;
And sale of products turned out in a form suitable for the market. .
These tasks are being carried out by Ruh.rkohle Oel und Gas GmbH in very close
cooperation with partners and institutes, for example, Bergbau-Forschung GmbH and
engineering firms. In order, in keeping with the goals, to achieve the production
of products for the oradual replacement of petroleum and natural gas in the fastest
and most economical fashion possible, the various development lines extensively
relied on known basic principles of technologies used in the past for the gasifica-
tion and liquefaction of hard coal.
The following is a report on the projects worked on and the development level
achieved by Ruhrkohle Oel und Gas.
Coal Gasification
The selection of inethods was essentially determined by two basic viewpoints:
Availability and quality of charge coal,
Production of market-orjented products, that is to say, mostly synthesis gas and
heating gas.
Dust gasification methods are particularly suitable for generating synthesis gas;
these methods are being implemented at high temperatures. Texaco, in the United
States, has developed such a method on an experimental scale (15 t/d). To develop
the method further, Ruhrkohle AG and Ruhrchemie AG have since early 1978 been
operating a demonstration plant with a coal processing valume of 150 t/d or a
synthesis gas output of 240,000 m2/d. The followin; are the advantages of this
method which must be stressed:
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The ~ae~hod is independent of the coal quality (carhonization degree, water-ash
content, grain size, caking properties);
The use of coal as suspension facilitates grinding, conveyance, and dosing without
any problems into the reactor; there is no need for coal drying which uses up
- much energy;
Gasification at high temperature (about 1,500� C) leads to higher output rates;
a crude gas is generated which is free of byproducts (for eaample, tars, phenols).
Gas purification and waste water treatment are correspondingly simple. The fused
mass of the mineral substance benerates a slag which is ready for dumping.
Gasification is accomplished, depending upon the purpose, at pressures of up to
100 bar so that high specific outputs can be achieved in combination with favor-
abl~ investment and ~~mpression costs.
The process as such has been described in literature on the subject several times
(1, 'L, 3, 4) so that in the following we will go into the results of the development
project.
In the course ~f process-engineering and equipment development, it was possible to
work out essential improvements for the various process stages. By influencing
the grinding fineness of the charge coal and by using additives , the solid-substance
content in the suspension was raised to 70 percent. This is decisive progress in
view of tlie reduction of the specific OZ requirement, reduction in the C02 content
in the crude gas, and the ircrease in the efficiency. Changes in the design and
the material of the burner improved the output and the operational safety of the
gasification reactor. Comprehensive development work was required for the fire-
proof lining of the reactor in order to achieve adequate service lifn. The testing
of the novel waste heat system leads to the extensive recovery of the detectable
heat of the crude gas.
Development progress during experimental operation is illustrated by the plant's
increasing availability. The operation today is characterized by a qui~t and steady
pace. The system can be started, controlled, and adjusted in the load range down
to 20 percent without any problems. It is thus comparable to a conventional heavy-
oil gasification system as far as operational performance is concerned. Early in
1980, synthesis gas from coal was successfully fed into the oxo [oxide] plant of
Ruhrchemie AG. In the meantime it has also been possible tc supply the methaniza-
tion plant of Thyssengas AG with coal gas.
Since *_he opening of the "Holten Fxperimental Plant" about 42,000 t of coal were
converted into about 75 million m'~ of coal gas during 8,000 operating hours. Eight
different domestic and foreign coal types, with different ash and volatile substance
content, including coal sludge with on ash content of about 38 percent, were used.
Al1 coal types were easily gasified wi~:h good yields. Below, we have some typical
process data:
~
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Processing rate approximately 7 t/hr coal (wf)
carbon conversion 99% (without C-recycle)
Reactor temperature 1,350 to 1,550� C
Reactor pressure 40 bar
Slurry concentration 70~
Coal-gas zfficiency 75~
Gas volume 13,000 m3/hr
130% of design).
The process water is free of organic compounds. In addition to sulfides, ammonia,
and chloride, it contains small quantities of cyanide. The waste water can be
processed without any problems using r_onventional methods.
Plans call for continued operation of the "Holten Experimental Plant," in order
primarily to test the gasification of residues from coal hydration.
Parallel to the technical development work, the economy of the process was also
examined. At the end of 1980, a preliminary project was completed for the "Ruhr
Synthesis Gas Plant" by c~irection of the federal minister of economy with the
general specifications of a fixed location and a capacity of 50 t/hr of coal charge,
corresponding to 80,000 m3/hr of synthesis gas. Here are the essential results
of the preliminary project:
The plant can be built from the engineering viewpoint;
~
Coal availability and gas utilization exist;
The synthesis gas generation costs on the basis of Ruhr region coal can compete
. with the production costs on S[heavy] heating oil if both plants are newly built;
If the licensing phase runs according to plan, the system can be completed in
1985.
The "R�hr Synthesi_s Gas Plant" project is to be included in the coal refining pro-
gram of the federal government. Lurgi pressurized gasification is the only large-
scale industrial pressurized gasification method which has been tested in many ways
and which has for several decades been used worldwide. Restrictions connected
- with the use of fine-grained and caking coal, pyrolytic constituents in the gas,
such as higher hydrocarbons and phenols, as well as the relatively low specific
gasification output were the reasons for the further development of the method
which is being pursued jointly with Ruhrgas AG and Steag AG jHard Coal Electric
Power Company] within the context of the"Ruhr 100" pro~ect (5, 6, 7~.
The essential innovations compared to the conventional Lurgi pressurized gas~ifica-
tion method are as follows:
Rise in operating pressure in gas generator to 1Q~ har to increase the specific
throughput and to increase the methane yield coupled with simultaneous reduction in
the yield of higher hydrocarbons.
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Installation of an additional gas outlet between the low-temperature carhonization
zone and the gasification zone to evacuate "clear gas" which is almost free of low-
temperature carbonization products; this results in reduced gas velocity in the
upper part of the gasifier as a result of wfiich the coal dust release is reduced.
The usable coal grain spectrum can thus be broadened to include finer grains.
The tar oils and phenols remaining in the crude gas or low-temperature carboniza-
tion gas cz~n if desired be hydrated in a thermal or catalytic crude gas cracking
process. In case of thermal cracking and high temperature, all hydrocarbons, in-
cluding methane, are reformed; we get synthesis gas. In case of cracking at low
temperatures, only the condensable hydrocarbons are cracked and the methane re-
mains preserved.
These innovations are currently being tested in engineering terms through the opera-
tion of the "Dorsten Large-Scale Experimental Plant" which daily can process 75-170
t of coal, depending upon the pressure.
1' Vergesung.u~d Synthese
FISCHER-TROCSCH
54G
2 3 4 ~~scHea_ S ~ LP(, 6
Kohle Ko~levortr- oduktau TreiDsto~~e
Verqesung TROPSCH a~beitunq
reltun~ SniTMESE Ne~to1 7
n~~~f
Lhnnitroh- 8
~.1 Stn~~e
9 Nvdrilruny
AEaG1us-71E^
SNG
3 N' 9 VrOdukteuf- L~G
2 Kohlp Kohltvnrbe- ilv~rteru~9 nrAeitung Treibstoffe6
rtf Wn9 Ntiz81
Kl1t~1V5rtOr
1 0 Chemieroh- 8
S to�e
Figure 5. Coal liquefaction processes. Key: 1--Gasification and synthesis;
2--Coal; 3--Coal preparation; 4--Gasification; S--Product processing; S--Fuel;
7--Heating oil; 8--Chemical raw materials; 9--Hydration; 10--Catalyzer; 11--Steam.
In ttie case of "Ruhr 100," the coal is raised to operating pressure by means of
two alternately operated locks and via the coal distrib~stor gets into the gas
generator. Here it is first of all heated up by the gas formed in a countercurrent
and it is then dried; after that it is carbonized at low temperature and gasified
with 02/steam. The remaining coke is burned in the lower part of the gas generator
to meet the heat requirements.
- To break the coke cake open, after it has developed in the low-ter.:perature carbon-
- ization zone, we use a stirrer attached to the coal distributor with three vanes
at varying levels. The rotary grill in the lower part of the gas generator
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distributes the gasification agent uniformly over the shaft cross-section, carries
the coal filling, and transports the ash into the release lock.
- The gas leaves the gas generator via the low-temperature carbonization gas or
clear-gas outlet. Through direct injection of water, it is cooled and saturated
and si_multaneously relieved of any dust and tar mist. In subsequently connected
waste heat boilers, the gas is almost campletely cooled off along with the genera-
tion of low-pressure steamo Clear gas and low-temperature carbonization gas are
then processed together and are piped into the network of Ruhr Gas AG.
The "Dorsten Plant" becam~ operational in September 1979 and, during about 2,OOQ
operating hours, it gasified about 5,200 t of coal and about 7.5 million m3 of
converted gas were generated.
Here are the essential results from 13 different runs:
Increase in specific gas generator output by 30-60 percent, depending upon the type
of coal, compared to the gas generators operated earlier in Dorsten. In case of
snort-term operation with clear gas evacuation, it was possible almost to double
the gas generator output.
Increase in methane yield from 9 to 16 percent by volume in crude ga~ as result of
higher operating pressure.
Improvement in cold-gas efficiency by 7 percent along with definitely decreased
02 requirement.
The fine-coal share of the charge coal ter~porarily came to as much as 40% < 6 mm.
Experimental operation is for the time being continuing only with low-temperature
carbonization gas evacuation because a new concept is to be worked out for clear
gas evacuation. During the next experiments, the operating pressure will be raised
to 90 bar in order further to increase the ou;put; furthermore, the yield of liquid
hydrocarbons is to be determined as a function of the operating pressure and
agglomerated fine caal (briquettes) are to be put through.
For the purpose of the commercial utilization of "Ruhr 100" development, Ruhrkohle
Oel und Gas together with Ruhrgas AG by direction of the minister for small business
and transportation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia prepared a preliminary
- project outline which combines the construction of a gasification plant with a
- coal-fired power plant. IAR ("Ruhr Industrial Plant") is designed for a coal pro-
cessing rate of 3 million t/yr with a 3-stage construction program. De~ending upon
market requirements, the plant can turn out about 1.6 billion m3 natural gas exchange
gas (SNG) or approximately 2.3 million t methanol or both products together in a
joint production progrsm.
According to plan, the first expansion step can go into operation with one-third of
the Linal capacity in 1988, prov:'ded the licensing procedure can be taken care of
briskly. A location in the Ruhr region offer favorab?~~ prerequisites for the con-
struction of the plant. The investment requirement for the first phase is ahout
- llM 1 billion. The project was proposed by Ruhrkohle AG/Ruhrgas AG for inclusion in
the federal government's coal refinement progra~n.
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A significant task, oriented toward the future, has heen assigned to Rutirkohle
Oel und Gas in the utilizaiion of nuclear process heat for coal refining.
In the case of the PNP ("Prototype Plant for Nuclear Process ~leat") project, the
share of coal (about 40 percent) is to be replaced through energy supply from a
nuclear reactor which, in autothermal gasification processes, is used for the
generation of reaction heat.
RuhrkoYile AG and Rheinische Braunkohlenwerke AG in 1978 establi~hed a planning
company for the planning, construction, and operation of a 500-MWth Y.TR proto-
- type plant. The development work for the hard coal gasification segment was done
by Bergbau-Forschung GmbH. The overall project is being promoted considerably by -
the BMT [Federal ~Iinistry for Research and Technology] and t'he MWMV/NRW [Ministry
for Small Business and Transpartation ][North Rhine-Westphalia].
Coal Liquefaction
The two basic methods for the liquefaction of coal are illustrated in Figure 5.
In the case of the synthesis method according to Fischer-Tropsch, synthesis gas
(H2, CO) is generated through gasification of coal kith OZ!steam and from that
synthesis gas it is possible to build up liquid hydrocarbons through catalytic
steps.
_ In the case of direct hydration according t~ Bergis-Pier, hydrogen is deposited
against the "high-molecular coal"in the presence of catalyst. We get smaller,
- hydrogen-richer~molecule bonds [molecular compounds]. As a function of the quanti-
ty of deposited hydrocarbon, influenced by the reaction condi.tions (p, T),we get
coal-oil with differing boiling point.
Another possible method in direct hydration is the treatment of coal under pressure
with a hydrogen-yielding solvent according to Pott-Broche. The coal is depolymeriz-
ed here and nascent hydrogen from the solvent is deposited against the coal.
These coal liquefaction methods were developed in Germany and were used on a large-
scale industrial basis during the thirties and forties. The Fischer-Propsch method,
compared to direct hydration--related t~ the output of fuel and heating oil--
uses more energy and is mostly more expensive. Ruhrkohle AG decided in favor of
the further development of the method of direct hydration and during the second half
of the seventies participated in four different development undertakings which world-
wide are considered the most important.
If we compare the main process plants in these projects to nach other then we clearly
- see the e~;tensive agreement in the process invo].ved in the following technologies
to be developed: "German t:~hnology" (DT), "H-Coal" (HRI), "Exxon Donor Solvent"
(EDS), and "Solvent Refined Coal" (SRC-II).
In the case of German technology (Bottrop Project~, the charge coal is mashed, after
addition of a catalyzer (iron oxide) with oil generated during the process and is
hydrated after the supply of hydrogen at 300 bar and 475� C. During the subsequent
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separation of the products, we essentially get iiquid gas, as we~l as light and
medium oil. The liquid products can be further processed through refining and re-
forming so that we may get gasoline and heating oil. The hydration hydrogen needed
is ge~ierated due to the gasif ication of the vacuum residue.
According to the H-Coal m~thod (HRI--Catlettsburg Project), the coal is mashed to-
gether with cycle oil and, after the addition of h~drogen, it is hydrated at 185
bar and 450� C in the presence of a higher-grade catalyst (cobalt oxide, molybdenum
oxide). As products, we get--depending upon the method used--distillates (Syncrude)
or a mixture of distillable and nondistillable components (fuel oil). 'The liquid
products can be processed into gasoline and heating oil through refining, re-
forming, and hydrocracking. The hydration hydrogen nee~ed is again generated
through gasification of the hydration residue.
The Exxon Donor Solvent method (EDS--Baytown Proj~~ct) works without the addition of
catalyst in the ~lurry [semisolidj ph~se. The coal is mashed with hydrogen-releasing
solvent and is hydrated with addition of molecular hydrogen at 140 bar and 425-480� C.
The reaction products are then separated. The solvent, obtained thr.ough distilla-~
tion is hydr.ated for renewed use catalytically in the solid-bed reactor. The
solid-containing residue can be processed into liquid products, gas, and coke
through coking (flexicoking) or it caYi be converted into hydrogett needed for
hydration through gasification. The liquid products obtained can here again be
processed into gasoline and heating oil through refining, reforming and hydrocrack-
ing.
In the case of the Solvent Refined Coal Method (SRC-TI--Morgantown Project), the
sulfur-rich charge coal is mashed with returned mash which has reacted, that is to
say, without addition of outside catalyst, and with oil generated in the process,
and it is hydrated with hydrogen at 130-150 bar and 450-465� C. During the separa-
tion of the products, we essentially get SRC-II coal-oil, crude naphtha, and light
hydrocarbons. For the generation of gasoline or heating oil, we need refining,
hyd~ocracking, and reforming of these liquid.products. The necessary hydration
hydrogen is generated through gasification of the vacuum residue. In the following
we will describe the development of the individual products and the current state
of the art.
~ On the basis of results from earlier IG [trust] coal hydration plants, which BASF
[Baden Aniline and Soda Factory] was kind enough to make available, it was possible,
in cooperation with the "veteran hydration experts" (Dr. Ambros, Dr Kroenig,
Dr Raichla, Dr Jaekh), to develop the concept of the "German technology" (8). The
latter differs from earlier IG ~rethods in some essential features, such as, for
example, reduction in the processing pressure from 700 down to 300 bar, coal-oil
separation through distillation and gasi.fication of hydration residue, including
the asphaltenes for H2 production. At simultaneously improved heat recovery,we
can expect an increase in the specific coal ~rocessing voZume by about SO percent
and a rise in the thermal efficiency by 25 percent (9).
The experimental backup support for this concept was first handled by Bergbau-
rorschung GmbH through the construction and operation of a continually working
= pilot plant. The results from experimental operation were fed into the preliminary
project for the construction of a large-scale experimental plant carried out
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parallel by Ruhrkhole Oel und Gas in 1976-1977. After completion of the preliminary
- project, the decis ion was made at the end of 1977 to build and operate the Bottrop
Coal-Oil Plant (10). The Bottrop location offered advantages because it was pos-
sible to establish a low-cost supply and waste removal setup with the adjoining
. Prosper Coking Plant. Construction began in 1979; the plant was completed in terms
of machinery two y ears later. The various plant divisions have been placed in
operation in succession since Februa~y 1981. The hydration of the first coal
shipment is expected for the third quarter of 1981.
The project is connected with an experimental program for the further processing
of coal-oil. On the basis of different composition of mineral-oil and coal-base
oils, it is necess ary to develop special processing methods. The low sulfur content,
thn relatively high nitrogen content, and the oxygen content, which is practically
- entirely missing in mineral oil, are characteristic of coal-oil. The high density
and the low hydrogen content are also specifi~ for coal-oil.
On the grounds of Veba Oel AG in Scholven, a trial plant was built for this
development work; the suitability of coal-oil as preliminary product for fuel and
heating oil produc tion as well as chemical raw materials is being examined in that
trial plant. The coal-oil is first of all broken down through distillation into
easily-boiling, me dium-boiling, and slow-boiling fractions and the individual
fractions are then processed further separately. Light-weight and medium-weight
oil are subj ected to cold hydration with subsequent refining. The refined medium-
weight oil can be used as admixing component for EL heating oil [extra light?].
Additional possib i lities are the hydration of inedium oil under higher pressure into
_ diesel fuel or hy d rocracking of inedium oil into gasoline. Heavy ail is refined and
is cracked into gasoline and medium distillates through tiydrocracking.
The entire projec t is being carried out by Ruhrkohle AG and Veba Oel AG. The total
expenditure for the undertaking, which is being considerably promoted by the min-
ister of economy, small business, and transportation of the state of North Rhine-
Westphalia, comes to about DM 400 million.
The H-Coal Pilot P lant at Catlettsburg, in the United States, is designed f~r a
coal processing rate of 200 or 600 t/d, depending upon the process used.
- The U.S. Department of Energy, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Ashland Synthetic
Fuels Inc, and Mob il Oil, Conoco, and Standard Oil, as well as the Electric Power
Institute,and Ruhrkohle AG are involved in the project tugether with Veba Oel AG.
The H-Coal method is based on the development of the ebullated-bed reactor for the
refining of heavy, highly sulfur-containing crude oils and residue oils. It was
used �or the first time in 1964 for rhe catalytic hydration of coal. After many
long years of dev elopment work on a laboratory and trial-plant scale, engineering
work was started on the Catlettsburg pilot plant in 1975. The plant was placed
in operation at the end of May 1980. The project costs amount to about $300
million. The German share is being contributed by the minister of economy, small
business and transportation of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in the context
of the Bottrop Co al-Oil Plant project.
Two operating Methods are to be tested in the plant: the generation of distillates
- ("Syncrude") at a coal processing rate of 200 t/d and a coal-oil yield of about
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80 t/d and the generation of a mixture of distillable and nondistillable coal-oil
(fuel oil) with a coal processing rate of 600 t/d and a coal-oil yield of 220 t/d.
After init~.al difficulties, the plant in 1980 achieved about 400 operating hours at
- SQ percent maximum operating rate, using the Syncrude Method. After comprehensive
repair and refitting work, the plant was operated successfully in 1981. During the
first half of 1981, about 7,000 t oY coal were processed during 45 days of opera-
_ tion. The preliminary experimental results confirm expectations regarding process
- development. Experimental planning for I981-1982 calls for another two test runs
using the Syncrude Method. An easr.ern American coal (Illinois No 6) and western
American coal type (Wyodak) are to be tested. Test runs using the fuel-oil method
- are being suspended for the timebeing because the sales plans for the H-Coal method
are within the Syncrude range.
Since the beginning of 1979, Ruhrkohle AG has been par.ticipating in the"200-t1d
Baytown Coal-Oil" project. With Exxon as project manager, the U.S. Department of
Energy, of Electric Power Research Institute, the Japan Coal Lique�action Develop-
ment Comp, Philips Coal Com., Arco Coal Comp., Ruhrkohle AG, and AGIP
[National Italian Oil Company]are partners in this project.
The engineering work was begun in 1974 and construction work for the Baytown plant
was started in 1978. The plant was opened in the middle of 1980.
The cost of the project comes to about $370 million; the RAG [Ruhrkohle AG] share
is essentially promoted through the federal minister of research and technology.
In 1980-1981, the plant was able to process about 40,000 t of coal during about
4,000 opera:ing hours; the availability came to about 72 percent. The longest
experimental run lasted about 5 weeks with an average processing output of ahout
6~ percent of nominal output. In June 1981, the plant was converted in order to
test a variation in the operating method, that is, the return of residues. The .
experiments run with so far with Illinois Coal No 6 were completed in May 1981.
The continuing experimental program until 1982 calls for the use of Wyodak and Big-
Brown Coal.
Ruk~rkohle AG has since 1974 been involved in planning the 6,OOU t/d SRC demonstra-
tion plant in Morgantown as a partner of Gulf Oil Company. In 1979, an agreement
- was concluded between the U.S. Department of Energy and the. federal tninister of
research and technology concerning 25 perce~t German participation in the project.
A government treaty between the United States and Japan on 25-nercent Japanese
part-icipation followed in 1980.
Because of the tight financial situation in the United States and in the FRG,
the project's financing was again reviewed by the government in both countries in
1981. Because the project costs, which had been estimated at about $1.4 billion,
cannot be taken care of due to buciget cuts at this time, the three participating
governments in June 1981 agreed to terminate the pro3ect.
1'articipation in the various hydration projects provide Ruhrkohle Oel und Gas with
a valuable increase in this field. Cooperation in development undertakings at
= the same time also permits a w?11-justified comparison of the individual methods
from engineering and economic aspects.
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German tecl~nolugy remaitis the main point in procees development. The operating
- results of the Bottrop coal-oil plant are to constitute the basis for the next step
to the sale of this technology. A preliminary project for an industrial plan was
prepared by direction of the minister of economy, small business, and transporta-
tion of NRW in 1979-1980. This preliminary project investigates the technical
- feasibility, site and environmental protection problems, cYaarge coal availability,
product sales possibilities, practical implementation, timetable, and economic
aspects.
The size of the plant was designed for a coal processing volume of about 6 million
t/yr in hydration. The expansion scale compared to the 200-t/d plant in Bottrop
is in the technically feasible and meaningful range because the planr. has been
designed in the form of four phases to be erected, one arter the other, in terms
of time.
In the final phase, such a plant can produce about 1 million t/yr of naphtha, about
2 million t/yr of inedium o~l, and about 0.6 million t/yr of LPG. Naphtha can be
used as reformer feed for the fuel sector or as chemical raw material for the
production of BTX-aromatics. Medium oil can be considered as substitute for
p~troleum-base heating oil.
Another step toward large-scale industrial use of the German technology is being
taken together with a German consortium which, in the context of a feasibility
study, is examining the technical and economic possibilities for the construction
of a fuel plant in Australia with an output capacity of about 3 million t/yr.
The plant concept, depending upon the location, provides for a combination of
coal hydration and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Carburetor fuel and diesel fuel are
to be turned out as products. The planning work will be completed in October 1981.
Fluidized-Bed Furnaces
For the heat market, direct coal combustion in heating plants and thermal power
plants, as well as industrial process heat generation, are increasingly gaining
" significance.
The stepped-up expansion of di~trict heat supply with generating plants near to the
consumer and correspondingly favorable distribution costs calls for heat generators
with low emission because of the fact that residential areas are mostly heavily
- contaminated with high immisions even before that.
WSF (Fluidized-bed furnace) is suitahle for heat generation in the above-mentioned
sectors on account of its particularly high degree of enviromnentally safe opera-
tion and the fact that it is so "undemanding" compared to the fuel quality used.
Under the "environmentally safe power plant technology for coal power plants"
programs, promoted by the federal minister of research and technology, Ruhrkohle AG
took over the job of developing and testing atmospheric WSF in two demonstration
plants.
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Since 1977, the following WSI' pro~ects are being carried out: 35-MWth WSF plant
at "Flingern" and 6-MWth plant at"Koenig Ludwig." In terms of capacity and engineer-
ing design, both plants were intended for certain application ranges: the 6-MWth
planthas typical small boiler for process heat generation in the industrial sector
and for decentralized heat supply in the community sector, the 35-NbJth has steam
generator unit for larg~r heating plants and thermal power plants.
r
The opera*ion of two demonstration plants facilitates the simultaneous testing of
various technical concepts, for example, for fuel charging (mechanical, pneumatic)
and the boiler principle (natural cycle, forced cycle).
Both plants were commissioned during the third quarter of 1979. Here are the
consumption and production figures as of the end of April 1981.
Flingern Koenig Ludwig
- Steam generation 105,000 t 29,500 t
Coal consumption 14,5G0 t 3,800 t
Operating hours 4,300 t 4,600 t
After successful completion of experimental operation, the Flingern plant was closed
down of 30 April 1981.
Concerning har~,tul substance emission, the experimental operation of both plants
_ yielded absolutely posi.tive results and thus proved that WSF is environmentally
safe to a high degree:
In the course of extensive series of experiments for desulfuration, the S02 content
in the flue gas was determined as a function of tiie type of coal, the operating
conditions, especially the temperature, and the ratio between lime added and the
sulfur content of the charge coal; at an optimum temperature of about 8311� C,
favorable desulfuration degrees o~ 75-85 degrees were achieved at Ca/S ratio of
- 2.0-2.6.
The NOX emission was determined for various operating parameters as a function of
the N content of the charge core; NOX contents of