Part 2 CCT Overview
Multi-purpose Coal Utilization Technologies (Liquefaction Technologies)

4A1. Coal Liquefaction Technology Development in Japan
Technology overview

1. Background of coal liquefaction technology development
Since the Industrial Revolution, coal has been an important

History of NEDOL Processsource of energy. Coal consumption surpassed that of firewood

YearPublications, events, landmarks, etc.
Three liquefaction
processes

and charcoal for the first time in the latter half of the nineteenth
century, making coal a major source of energy. In Japan, coal1979

Sunshine Project started (July 1974)
Research on three liquefaction processes begins.

also became a primary energy source in the twentieth century. In1980(1) Solvent Extraction Process (2) Direct Hydrogenation Process (3) Solvolysis Process

the 1960s, however, coal’s preeminence gradually faded as it was1981

NEDO established (Oct. 1, 1980), Coal Technology Development Officeassumes responsibility for three liquefaction processes.

replaced by easier-to-use oil. It was after the oil crises of 19731982

and 1978 that coal was thought of highly once again. With the oil1983

crises as a turning point, the development of oil-alternative

1984

energy, particularly coal utilization technology, came into the1985

spotlight amid calls for a diversification of energy sources. During

First interim report (the same as the Joint Council report mentioned below)(Aug. 1983) Unification of three liquefaction processes recommended.
NEDO begins conceptual pilot plant planning (three processes and a proposal for their unification)
Conceptual designof 250 t/dUnification of three processes/development of NEDOL Process-NCOL established (Oct. 1, 1984)

250 t/d design

PDU-based (1 t/d of Sumitomo Metals-Hasaki)
PSU-based research (design)started (1 t/d of Nippon Steel-Kimitsu)(around 1985).
PSU operation research commenced (1987).

1986

that time, the liquefaction of coal, which had been positioned as

Basic concept
Conceptual design
preparation

1987

the strongest oil-alternative energy contender because of huge
1988

coal reserves, was undergoing development in many countries.
1989

Research in Germany and the United States involved pilot plants

150 t/d pilot plant started.

(Downscaled from 250 t/d to 150 t/d.)

150 t/d design

1990

with the capacity to treat hundreds of tons of coal per day. In

1991

Japan as well, development of coal liquefaction technology was1992being promoted under the Sunshine Project mainly by the New
Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization

1993(NEDO). Despite being a decade or so behind Germany and the1994

United States, slow but steady development progress in Japan1995

led to the successful completion of a 150 t/d-scale pilot plant for1996

the liquefaction of bituminous coal in 1998. This drew Japan1997

equal with Germany and the United States and also established1998

Construction

Review of total project costs toward reduction(April 1991, agreed upon at operation meeting.)-Kashima Establishment opened (Oct. 1, 1991).
-Ground-breaking ceremony for pilot plant held (Nov. 25, 1991),NEDO s Coal Technology Development Office reorganized into CCTC (Oct. 1992).
Total project costs reconsidered to be clearly defined(Nov. 1992). Set at 68.8 billion yen.
New Sunshine Project begins (1993)

Operation

Recommendations to the 48th Subcommittee Meeting for Coal Conversion (March 1995)
Period of research extended for completion (March 31, 1999)-Research Center inaugurated (June 24, 1995)-Ground-breaking ceremony for pilot plant (July 10, 1996)-Coal trial run (Nov. 26-29 1996, Feb. 25-27 1997)-Coal trial run-1 (March 26, 1997)-Coal trial run-7 (Sept. 9, 1998)

state-of-the-art coal liquefaction technology. Coal-producing
countries, such as China and Indonesia, have also expressed

1999

strong interest in the commercialization of coal liquefaction

2000

Cleaning,etc.
Research on dismantlement
Removaltechnology, with high expectations for its future development.

2001

Total coal feeding time of 6,062 hours or 262 days (excluding trial runs)
Longest coal feeding continuous run time (1,921 hours)-Operation completion ceremony held on Sept. 29, 1998.
-Pilot plant operation completion report meeting held(Dec. 1, 1998) at Gakushi Kaikan hall.
-Pilot plant operation research completed (March 31, 2000).

2. History of coal liquefaction technology development in Japan
2.1 Dawning of coal liquefaction technology development

Process was introduced into Japan upon its announcement in

Between around 1920 and 1930, the South Manchurian Railway

Germany in 1935 and, in 1937, the construction of a plant

Co., Ltd. started basic research on coal liquefaction using thecommenced in Miike. This oil synthesis plant was completed in

Bergius Process, and around 1935 initiated operation of a bench-1940, with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons of coalscale PDU (process development unit) plant. Based on thisoil. Under the backdrop of war, production of synthetic oil wasresearch, a plant with annual production capacity of 20,000 tons

continued until the end of World War II.

of coal oil was built at the Wushun coal mine, China, and

2.2 Post-war research on coal liquefaction

operated until 1943. In the meantime, Korean Artificial Petroleum

Immediately after the war, the U.S. Armed Forces Headquarters

Co., Ltd. succeeded, between 1938 and 1943, in the continuous

banned coal liquefaction research, alleging that it was militaryoperation of a direct coal liquefaction plant capable of treating

research. In 1955, coal liquefaction research was resumed at

100 t/d of coal at its Agochi factory. The production of coal oil atnational laboratories and universities. This was not, however,both of the above-mentioned plants was suspended at theresearch on coal oil production but the production of chemicals

request of the military so that the plants could be used for thefrom the high-pressure hydrocracking of coal. This researchhydrogenation of heavy oil or to produce methanol. Around 1930,continued until around 1975. The Sunshine Project was

besides the direct coal liquefaction method (Bergius Process), a

inaugurated in 1974 on the heels of the first oil crisis,

second process, the Fischer-Tropsch Process, was used as anencouraging efforts to devise liquefaction technology unique toindirect coal liquefaction method to study coal liquefaction

Japan as part of an oil-alternative energy development program.

technology and to produce synthetic oil. The Fischer-Tropsch

Under the Sunshine Project, technological development was57

Clean Coal Technologies in Japan

undertaken for three coal liquefaction processes, (Solvolysis,

2.4 Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development

Solvent Extraction, and Direct Hydrogenation), to liquefy(NEDOL Process)bituminous coal. The R&D of brown coal liquefaction processes

Bituminous coal liquefaction technology development isbegan at the end of 1980.

described in [4A-2].

2.3 Amalgamation of three coal

2.5 Brown coal liquefaction technology development (BCLliquefaction processes

Process)

With the oil crises as an impetus, coal liquefaction technology

Brown coal liquefaction technology development is described indevelopment was incorporated for further promotion into the[4A-3].

Sunshine Project based on Japan’s international obligations andthe need for a large, stable supply of liquid fuel, the diversificationof energy sources and the development of oil-alternative energy.
In 1983, NEDO (New Energy Development Organization, now
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)assembled the R&D results thus far obtained from the threebituminous coal liquefaction processes as follows:(1) Results of Direct Hydrogenation Process: Under certain
reaction conditions, the better the catalyst function, the higher theliquid yield rate.
(2) Results of Solvent Extraction Process: Hydrogen offersliquefaction under mild conditions.
(3) Results of Solvolysis Liquefaction Process: To focus on theacquisition of light oil, it is effective to thicken the circulation
solvent. These three processes were amalgamated on thestrength of their features into the NEDOL Process.

(Catalyst)
Coal
Liquefaction reaction
Solvent

Separation

Coal oil
Solvent

450OC,150atm
Hydrogen
Solvent hydrogen(Medium to a slightly heavy)

Ni-Mo catalyst

Coal
Liquefaction reaction
Solvent

Separation

Coal oil
Solvent

450OC,250atm
Hydrogen

CoalSolvent

Ni-Mo catalyst
Degree ofdissolution

SRC(Ultra-heavy oil)
450OC150atm

Deashing

Liquefaction
reaction

SeparationAsh Hydrogen
400OC,150atm

Coal oil
Solvent

Solvent hardening technology

Solvolysis System (PDU)

NEDOL Process
High-performance catalyst (Fe)Coal
Liquefaction reaction

Separation

Solvent

Coal oil
Solvent

450OC,170atm
HydrogenHigh-performance catalyst technology

Direct Hydrogenation System (PDU)
High-performance catalyst (Fe)Solvent hydrogenation technology

Solvent Extraction System (PDU)

Ni-Mo catalyst

Solvent hydrogen(Heavy)
Hydrogen[Referential] EOS Process (U.S.)

Coal

Ni-Mo catalyst

450OC, 140atm
Liquefaction reaction

Separation

Solvent, hydrogen

Solvent

Solvent
Hydrogen

Bottom recycle

HydrogenFig. 1 Basic philosophy of NEDOL Process

References

1) Sadao Wasaka: "Bulletin of The Japan Institute of Energy," 78 (798), 1999.
2) "Development of Coal Liquefaction Technology - A Bridge for Commercialization," Nippon Coal Oil Co., Ltd.
3) Haruhiko Yoshida: "Coal Liquefaction Pilot Plant," New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization.
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Coal oil