Mercedes Mullins
The production of diesel fuel from coal is an attractive alternative to traditional fuel sources, as diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines. While diesel fuel is typically derived from crude oil, recent developments in catalytic processes have enabled the synthesis of diesel fuel from coal, reducing the dependence on foreign oil. This process, known as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, has been used since the 1920s and involves converting coal and other carbon sources into synthetic liquid fuels. With rising oil costs and concerns over sustainability, the conversion of coal into diesel fuel presents a viable option for diversifying fuel supply and improving energy security.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is diesel fuel made from coal? | No, diesel fuel is derived from crude oil, which is extracted from the ground through wells and offshore rigs. However, there are processes that can convert coal into diesel fuel. |
| Diesel fuel alternatives | Biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel are alternatives that are not derived from petroleum. |
| Diesel fuel history | Diesel fuel displaced coal and fuel oil for steam-powered vehicles in the latter half of the 20th century. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the compression ignition reciprocating engine, first designed his engine to use coal dust as fuel. |
| Coal-to-diesel processes | Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, hydrocracking, and gasification are processes that can convert coal into diesel fuel. |
| Advantages of coal-to-diesel | Reducing foreign dependence on oil, utilizing domestic coal resources, and potentially decreasing carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations. |
| Challenges and considerations | The cost of producing diesel fuel from coal has historically been prohibitive compared to oil. Additionally, some coal-to-diesel processes produce a mixture of hydrocarbons, many of which may not be useful as fuel. |
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What You'll Learn
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process involves three main steps: synthesis gas (syngas) generation, FT synthesis, and refining of the synthetic crude (syncrude). In the first step, solid coal is converted into gases, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and alkanes, through a process called gasification. The resulting syngas is then reacted in the presence of metal catalysts, typically transition metals such as iron, cobalt, nickel, or ruthenium, at temperatures ranging from 150-300°C for the low-temperature FT process and 310-340°C for the high-temperature FT process. The choice of catalyst depends on the desired product and the quality of the feedstock. For example, cobalt catalysts are preferred for natural gas-derived syngas, while iron catalysts are more suitable for lower-quality feedstocks like coal.
The FT process is highly exothermic, and the reactors are designed to remove excess heat. The reaction products are then fractionated into diesel, naphtha, and other light ends, depending on the desired product mix.
The FT process has been used for many years to produce synthetic fuels, with one of the largest implementations being a Shell facility in Bintulu, Malaysia, which converts natural gas into low-sulfur diesel fuels. In the United States and India, some coal-producing states have invested in FT plants to convert waste coal into low-sulfur diesel fuel. During World War II, Germany used the FT process to convert coal into fuel for its military vehicles, and South Africa utilized it during the apartheid era to supply its hydrocarbon fuel needs.
The FT process has several advantages, including the ability to produce clean-burning diesel that emits fewer particulates and less carbon monoxide than conventional diesel fuels. With the increasing cost of oil and concerns over dependence on foreign petroleum, coal-derived diesel is becoming an attractive alternative. However, one challenge with the FT process is that it produces a mixture of hydrocarbons, many of which may not be useful as fuel. Additionally, the process has historically been considered too expensive to compete with oil.
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Hydrocarbons and alcohols
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel specifically designed for use in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines, and diesel fuel was standardised in the latter half of the 20th century, displacing coal and fuel oil for steam-powered vehicles.
Historically, diesel engines ran on cheap fuel oils, distilled from petroleum in the US and from coal-tar creosote oil in Europe. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, first tested crude oil, but soon replaced it with petrol and kerosene. He also experimented with lamp oil, shale oil, coal tar creosote, paraffin oil, gasoline, and fuel oil.
Today, the most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. However, alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are becoming more popular.
One alternative method of producing diesel fuel is through the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis, a chemical technique that has been used since the 1920s to react carbon monoxide and hydrogen to make hydrocarbons. This process, which involves heating coal, was used by Germany during World War II to convert coal to fuel for its military vehicles. However, the F-T process has generally been too expensive to compete with oil and produces a mixture of hydrocarbons, many of which are not useful as fuel.
Recently, chemists have invented a new catalytic process that could increase the yield of a clean form of diesel made from coal. This process uses a pair of catalysts to improve the yield of diesel fuel from F-T synthesis. The diesel formed by these new catalysts does not include aromatics, so it burns much cleaner, which could lead to more vehicles adopting diesel engines.
On the other hand, hydrocarbons are compounds consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They can be broken down through a process called hydrocracking to produce lower molecular weight materials suitable for fuel use. The Fischer-Tropsch method mentioned earlier is one example of hydrocarbon synthesis, where carbon monoxide and hydrogen are combined to create hydrocarbons.
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Diesel engines
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. Diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine where fuel ignition occurs without a spark due to the compression of inlet air and subsequent fuel injection. Diesel fuel is typically derived from crude oil, which is extracted from the ground and refined into various petroleum products, including gasoline, kerosene, and diesel. However, historically and in certain regions, diesel engines have been known to operate on alternative fuels such as coal-tar creosote oil and shale oil.
The use of diesel fuel in engines offers advantages such as improved fuel efficiency compared to gasoline engines. Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the compression ignition reciprocating engine, initially explored the use of coal dust as fuel. However, due to the unavailability of fine, high-quality coal dust, he shifted his focus to liquid petroleum products. Despite these early experiments, diesel engines were not originally designed or intended to function on coal dust.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in using coal as an alternative feedstock for diesel fuel production. This is partly driven by volatile oil prices and concerns over dependence on foreign petroleum sources. Chemists have developed new catalytic processes, such as Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis, to convert coal into a cleaner form of diesel fuel. F-T synthesis has been used since the 1920s and involves reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen to produce hydrocarbons. While this method was previously costly and fell out of favour compared to oil, advancements in catalyst systems and the abundance of coal reserves in certain countries have renewed its potential.
The process of converting coal into diesel fuel through F-T synthesis offers several benefits. Firstly, it results in the production of ultra-clean liquid fuels with lower emissions compared to conventional gasoline and diesel. This is achieved by removing impurities such as sulfur and mercury during the gasification process. Additionally, the use of coal-derived diesel fuel can significantly reduce a country's reliance on foreign oil sources, enhancing energy security.
While the idea of using coal to produce diesel fuel is not new, ongoing research and advancements in technology are making it a more viable option. The development of more efficient and cost-effective methods for converting coal to diesel could potentially revolutionize the energy landscape, particularly in countries with abundant coal reserves. However, it is essential to carefully consider the environmental implications and ensure that any coal-derived diesel fuel meets the necessary standards for emissions and sustainability.
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Diesel fuel specifications
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, but alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are becoming more common.
Diesel fuel has many colloquial names, but is most commonly simply referred to as "diesel". In the United Kingdom, diesel fuel for road use is sometimes called "white diesel" to differentiate it from a reduced-tax agricultural product. Diesel fuel sold in the European Union and other European countries must meet the EN 590 standard. This standard defines the physical and chemical properties that the diesel fuel must have, including the cetane number, density, flashpoint, sulphur content, and biodiesel content. The cetane number is a principal measure of diesel fuel quality, indicating how readily the fuel ignites when sprayed into hot compressed air. EN 590 standard diesel fuel has a minimum cetane number of 51.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates diesel fuel to reduce harmful emissions. Beginning in 2006, the EPA phased in more stringent regulations to lower the amount of sulfur in diesel fuel to 15 parts per million (ppm). This type of diesel fuel is known as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). Before EPA regulation, diesel fuel contained as much as 5,000 ppm of sulfur.
Biodiesel is produced through transesterification processes that convert vegetable oil and methanol into biodiesel, with undesirable byproducts like glycerine and water removed. Biodiesel can be used pure in engines where the manufacturer approves, but it is more often used as a mix with diesel fuel. In the US, diesel is stored in yellow containers, while in the UK, it is normally stored in black containers.
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Diesel fuel distillation
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. These engines are a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition occurs due to the compression of inlet air and the injection of fuel. Diesel fuel is a high-volume product of oil refineries and is standardised in many countries.
The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. Petroleum diesel is produced by fractional distillation of crude oil between 200 and 350 °C at atmospheric pressure. This results in a mixture of carbon chains typically containing 9-25 carbon atoms per molecule. This fraction undergoes hydrodesulfurization, and other sources of diesel fuel are often blended in to ensure sufficient supply and quality.
The distillation process involves heating the crude oil to high temperatures to allow the various compounds within it to reach their respective boiling points. As the temperature increases, the compounds with higher boiling points begin to turn into liquids, with asphalt or bitumen forming at the bottom of the distillation tower. As the vapour rises, shorter hydrocarbon chains liquefy, and fuel oil is formed when the vapour cools below 370 °C. As the temperature continues to rise to between 200 and 350 °C, diesel fuel begins to emerge. The vapour is collected on distillation plates and siphoned into a diesel holding tank.
While petroleum-derived diesel, or petrodiesel, is the most common type, alternative sources that are not derived from petroleum are also available and increasingly adopted. These include biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL) diesel, and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel.
In the past, before the standardisation of diesel fuel, diesel engines ran on cheap fuel oils. In the United States, these oils were distilled from petroleum, while in Europe, coal-tar creosote oil was used. Additionally, some diesel engines used mixtures of fuels, such as petrol, kerosene, rapeseed oil, or lubricating oil, which were cheaper due to the lack of taxation.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, diesel fuel can be made from coal. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is a liquefaction technology used to convert coal to fuel. This method has been used since the 1920s.
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis involves reacting carbon monoxide and hydrogen to make hydrocarbons. The mixture of gases is produced by heating coal.
Coal-derived diesel burns cleaner than conventional diesel, as it does not include aromatics. It also reduces a country's dependence on foreign oil.
Diesel fuel is typically derived from crude oil, which is extracted from the ground and sent to refineries to be turned into diesel. Hydrocracking is another process used to break down hydrocarbons with high molecular weights into lower molecular weight materials suitable for diesel fuel.
