Coal liquefaction process and apparatus therefor

A coal liquefaction apparatus which comprises a slurry mixing tank, a preheater, a hydrogenation reactor, and a gas-liquid-solid separator or separators in series and a gas-liquid separator and at least one solid-liquid separator are interposed between the hydrogenation reactor and a dehydrogenation cyclopolycondensation reactor which is positioned upstream of the final gas-liquid-solid separator. The coal liquefaction process comprises the steps of heat treating a slurry prepared by mixing coal fines with a hydrocarbon based solvent having a boiling point greater than 150 DEG C. in the presence of hydrogen at a temperature of 300 DEG to 500 DEG C. and a pressure of 50 to 700 atms, thereby forming a gas-liquid-solid mixture; separating and removing solids from said gas-liquid-solid mixture as a reaction product; separating and removing a residuum liquid fraction from said mixture; and heat treating said residuum liquid fraction in the presence of hydrogen at a low partial pressure at a temperature of 300 DEG to 500 DEG C. and a pressure of 50 to 700 atms.