Synthetic-fuel production using Texas lignite and a very-high-temperature gas-cooled reactor for process heat and electrical power generation

This report presents two alternatives to increased reliance on foreign energy sources; each method utilizes the abundant domestic resources of coal, uranium, and thorium. Two approaches are studied in this report. First, the gasification and liquefaction of coal are accomplished with Lurgi gasifiers and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. A 50,000 barrel per day facility, consuming 15 million tons of lignite coal per year, is used. Second, a nuclear-assisted coal conversion approach is studied using a very high temperature gas-cooled reactor with a modified Lurgi gasifier and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. This is a preliminary report presenting background data and a means of comparison for the two approaches considered