Chemicals from Coal

Abstract

Much that is relevant to this subject has been discussed in other chapters, notably Chapters 7–9 on carbonisation, gasification and liquefaction. The main feedstocks for the chemicals industry at present are natural gas, liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) and light petroleum distillates, especially naphtha. Direct substitutes for all these can be made from coal, as indicated elsewhere; it would, in fact, be possible merely to follow this line and to produce these same feedstocks from coal. However, since a major switch in primary feedstock towards coal seems inevitable, ultimately, opportunity should clearly be taken to review and re-optimise the whole organisation through the chain of primary chemical feedstock, intermediates and derivatives. Therefore, information discussed elsewhere is recapitulated here from the chemical industry point of view. It may be that there will be greater diversity in future between coal conversion processes for chemicals and light liquid fuels. It should also be borne in mind that hybrid feedstocks will probably be fairly common, especially in the early stages of the transition; a particular possibility might be the use of coal-derived hydrogen in petroleum refining or in petrochemicals manufacture.