4. Overall performance of the liquefaction process

4.1 Yields and product qualities

After integrating the upgrading processes, the overall average performance of the two liquefaction routes is summarized in (table 11 ).

The overall yield of recoverable products is higher with the direct route (around 3.5 barrels/ton of maf coal) than with the indirect route (2.5 to 3 barrels per ton of maf coal, depending on the utility scheme), since hydrogen is produced from coal in both cases.

The naphtha cut obtained by the direct route is highly naphthenic in nature, making it a feedstock of choice for a catalytic reformer (for the heavy fraction), while the light fraction can be processed in an isomerization unit. Both of these refining...