S!ayer on Nostr: Sasol uses a coal-to-liquids (CTL) process, primarily at its Secunda plant in South ...

Sasol uses a coal-to-liquids (CTL) process, primarily at its Secunda plant in South Africa, to transform low-grade coal into synthetic fuel and chemicals. The process employs the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) method, which involves gasifying coal to produce syngas (\(H_{2}\) and \(CO\)) and converting it into liquid hydrocarbons.

Core Process Steps:Gasification (Coal to Syngas): Crushed coal is reacted with oxygen and steam at high temperatures (\(1,300^\circ\text{C}\)) to produce synthesis gas (syngas).Gas Purification: The syngas is cleaned to remove impurities like sulfur, ammonia, and tar.Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis: The purified syngas is passed over iron-based catalysts in Fischer-Tropsch reactors. This converts the syngas into liquid crude oil substitutes, producing synthetic fuel (petrol and diesel) and various chemicals.