Alumina plate-loaded ruthenium catalyst for coal liquefaction

To prevent the plugging of a catalyst bed in a fixed bed-catalyzed coal liquefaction process, ruthenium loaded on an alumina plate catalyst is proposed. Coal slurry could pass through wide channels between plate type catalysts without leaving residue or ash. The alumina plate was prepared by anodic oxidation of an aluminum plate, and then the ruthenium was loaded onto the alumina plate from aqueous ruthenium (III) chloride solution. In the liquefaction of Tanito Harum coal with only the alumina plate in the absence of ruthenium, coal conversion of 49.4 wt% and oil yield of 29.7 wt% were obtained. The coal conversion and oil yield increased with the loading of ruthenium onto the alumina plate, and they reached maxima (conversion: 86.5 wt%, oil yield: 40.3 wt%) when 0.6 mmol of ruthenium was loaded. The ruthenium loaded on an alumina plate exhibited higher activity for coal liquefaction than ruthenium (Ru=0.6 mmol, 5 wt%) loaded on alumina powder (conversion: 69.7 wt%, oil yield: 36.9 wt%).