Production of jet fuels from coal-derived liquids

The US Air Force is evaluating various feedstock sources of endothermic fuels. The technical feasibility of producing endothermic fuel from the naphtha by-product from Great Plains Gasification Plant in Beulah, North Dakota was evaluated. The capital and operating costs of deriving the fuel from coal naphtha were also estimated. The coal naphtha from Great Plains was successfully processed to remove sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen contaminants (UOP HD Unibon{reg sign} Hydrotreating) and then to saturate aromatic molecules (UOP AH Unibon{reg sign}). The AH Unibon product was fractionated to yield endothermic fuel candidates with less than 5% aromatics. The major cycloparaffins in the AH Unibon product were cyclohexane and methylcyclohexane. The production of endothermic fuel from the naphtha by-product stream was estimated to be cost competitive with existing technology. 17 figs., 23 tabs.