Core Insights - The successful operation of a pilot plant for hydrogenation of high-temperature coal tar marks a new pathway for coal-to-liquid fuel production [1][2] - The developed technology addresses the bottlenecks in deep refining of high-temperature coal tar and the development of high-end chemical products, filling a gap in the domestic market for producing high-density, low-freezing-point liquid fuels from coal tar [1] Group 1: Technology Development - The technology took seven years to develop, progressing from laboratory research to a pilot scale of 100 tons, including catalyst development, process optimization, and product testing [2] - A collaboration with enterprises led to the establishment of a 1,000-ton pilot evaluation facility, which successfully operated on the first attempt using refined wash oil as raw material [2] Group 2: Product Characteristics - The products produced from the pilot plant have a density exceeding 0.83 g/cm³ and a freezing point below -60°C, making them suitable for use as transportation fuels and blending components [2] Group 3: Technical Challenges - High-temperature coal tar, a byproduct of coking, presents challenges due to its high density, viscosity, and boiling point, along with impurities such as nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen, which complicate hydrogenation processes [1] - The research team focused on removing impurities from high-temperature coal tar, enhancing catalyst resistance to coking, and innovating reactor designs to achieve deep conversion of low-quality raw materials into high-quality, clean coal-based liquid fuels [1]

Core Viewpoint - The development of a new hydrogenation process by the Qingdao Institute of Energy, which successfully addresses the bottlenecks in the integrated refining and chemical production of high-temperature coal tar, opens new pathways for coal-to-liquid fuel production [2][4]. Group 1: Technology Development - The newly developed serial hydrogenation process technology overcomes the challenges in deep refining of high-temperature coal tar and the development of high-end chemical products, filling a gap in the domestic production of high-density, low-freezing-point liquid fuels from coal tar [4]. - The technology took seven years to develop, progressing from laboratory research to a pilot scale of 100 tons, with initial catalyst development, process optimization, and product testing completed [5]. Group 2: Technical Specifications - The pilot plant successfully operated on its first attempt, producing liquid fuel with a density exceeding 0.83 g/cm³ and a freezing point below -60°C, making it suitable for transportation fuel and blending components [5]. - The process utilizes non-precious metal catalysts for hydrogenation pretreatment, hydrogenation refining, and selective hydrogenation cracking, enabling the deep conversion of low-quality raw materials rich in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into high-quality, clean coal-based liquid fuels [4].