Catalytic hydroconversion of extraction portion from coal tar residue to clean liquid fuel over a Ni based ZSM-5/PC derived from coal gasification fine slag

The efficient utilization of industrial solid waste not only reduces environmental pollution, but also increases economic benefit. In this study, a Ni-based ZSM-5 zeolite/porous carbon composite (Ni10%@ZSM-5/PC) was prepared from coal gasification fine slag and used for upgrading petroleum ether-extractable portion (PEEP) from coal tar residue. PEEP yield is 70.1%. According to the detection with a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer, PEEP consists of O-containing organic compounds (37.0%), arenes (32.0%), chain alkanes (27.2%), alkenes (1.8%), N-containing organic compounds (0.8%), and S-containing organic compounds (1.0%). The catalytic hydroconversion (CHC) of PEEP was carried out under 5 MPa initial hydrogen pressure at 160 °C for 24 h . The hydroconverted PEEP is mainly composed of chain alkanes (45.1 %), cyclanes (33.7 %), hydroarenes (16.9 %), and alkenes (4.4 %). The strong Brønsted acid sites and uniformly dispersed Ni nanoparticles (NNPs) in Ni10%@ZSM-5/PC play important roles in aromatic ring (AR) hydrogenation and heteroatom removal. According to the CHC of benzyloxybenzene (BOB), Ni10%@ZSM-5/PC could activate H2 to diatomic active hydrogen (H···H)by NNPs and release H+, leading >C-O- cleavage and AR hydrogenation. •A Ni based ZSM-5/PC composite material can be prepared from CGFS.•Ni10 %@ZSM-5/PC has excellent hydroconversion activity under mild conditions.•The synergic transfer of H···H and H+ can effectively hydrogenate ARs and cleave the >C-O- bridged bonds.•After CHC, cyclanes and CAs are dominating in PEEPC, the relative content of CAs increased by 17.9 %.