Effect of n-hexane extraction on the formation of light aromatics from coal pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading.

In order to investigate the effect of aliphatics in coal on the formation of light aromatics (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and naphthalene, called BTEXN) from coal pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading using on-line Py-GC/MS, n-hexane was used to extract Shengli lignite (SL) and Pingshuo bituminous coal (PS). The extracts of the two coals (SLE and PSE) were analyzed by GC × GC-MS. Results show that aliphatics account for 85% of SLE and 68% of PSE. It brings about that the total yields of BTEXN from SL residue and PS residue pyrolysis are decreased by 29% and 18% compared with raw coals. This is because the aliphatics could provide small-molecule free radicals to stabilize the light aromatic cracking fragments and promote the formation of BTEXN during pyrolysis. The amounts of the alkyl benzene series, phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from pyrolysis gaseous tar are significantly increased after extraction and they will undergo catalytic cracking to form BTEXN over USY zeolite, resulting in that the total yield of BTEXN from residue is almost same as that from raw coal during catalytic upgrading. • N-hexane extraction effected the formation of light aromatics from coal pyrolysis. • Extract mainly contained aliphatics that promoted aromatics formation from pyrolysis. • Extraction made pyrolysis products like alkyl benzenes, phenols and PAHs increased. • Residue coal had a high yield of BTEXN after catalytic upgrading over USY zeolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]