Coal-Diesel Synfuel Fischer-Tropsch

[tommac95]

7/5/'06 NYTs business section article by Mathew Wald pretty good:
Search for New Oil Sources Leads to Processed Coal ; Incomplete link follows:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/05/business/05coalfuel.html

Quote:
"Measured in the standard energy unit of a million British thermal units, or B.T.U.'s, coal sells for $1 or so, natural gas around $7. Diesel fuel is around $23."

It presently costs about $25 to transform coal to a barrel of fuel oil/diesel/jet-fuel.

[More Power]

After a failed attempt to enlist support/cooperation from domestic oil companies, MT's governor began negotiating with international concerns to build one or more coal liquifaction plants here in Montana - to produce petroleum. The gov cited the same economics you did in the local articles I've read on the subject. Makes sense to me.... Most of the coal deposits within Montana are found in the eastern third of the state - which contain vast amounts of coal.

Jim

[ronniejoe]

Back in the 80's, GM had a Cadillac running around with an Allison gas turbine in it that burned powdered coal. I saw the car behind Plant 8 in Indianapolis once. It worked, but not very well. The entire trunk was filled with a big collapsable coal tank.

Many industrial turbines run on dry fuel (read coal dust), but there is a lot of pre-treatment required on the engine.

If someone could come up with a way to overcome some of the technical hurdles, liquified coal could be a good fuel.