Researchers Produce Syncrude from Coal

West Virginia University Department of Chemical Engineering researchers recently produced more than 5,000 pounds of coal-derived synthetic crude (Syncrude) using Lower Kittanning coal from the Kingwood mine in Preston County, West Virginia. The Syncrude was shipped to Koppers, Inc., to be refined to produce binder pitch (a product used by GrafTech Ltd. in the manufacture of artificial graphite electrodes for arc furnaces), as well as a coal solvent.

Low-cost, clean transportation fuels including gasoline and diesel fuel can also be made by a variant of the WVU process.

Department of Chemical Engineering researchers with 11 drums of synthetic crude they produced using coal feedstocks, for a project sponsored by the Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory. Left to right are Dave Smith, Zack Schwertfeger, Manoj Katakdaunde, Morgan Summers, Mike Bergen, Al Stiller, Liviu Magean, Anthony Olajide, Abbas Assadi, Benson Njoroge, and Elliot Kennel. Not shown are Abhijit Bhagavatula, Lloyd Ford, Jeremy Frye, Josh Maybury, Adrienne McGraw, Gabriella Perhinschi, Chris Yurchik and John Zondlo.

06/21/2007