Cat-HTR Process

The Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor

IER has developed a proprietary lignite beneficiation technology, the Catalytic Hydrothermal Reactor (or ‘Cat-HTR’) Process. This technology enables the chemical transformation of lignite into a high energy-density synthetic crude oil (or 'syncrude') and a high-grade micronised coal.

Reducing Oxygen, Increasing Energy

Lignite (brown coal) is a very "young" coal that has high levels of oxygen in its polymeric structure. This oxygen represents dead weight that reduces the energy density. The aim of IER's Cat-HTR Process is to remove oxygen and, therefore, increase the energy density of the lignite feedstock.

Water: The Agent of Change

The basic goal of IER's technology is to reduce the oxygen content of lignite, and thereby increase its energy content. Instead of using the more traditional approach to the liquefaction of lignite, namely pyrolysis or gasification, IER uses highly compressed steam (water), in the presence of a catalyst, to selectively remove the chemically-bound oxygen in lignite's polymeric structure. Therefore, IER is able to turn the main disadvantage of lignite – its high water content – into an advantage.

What Does the Process Produce?

By using high-pressure steam, in the presence of a catalyst, IER's Cat-HTR Process partially liquefies low-energy density lignite, transforming it into an oily coal slurry (see picture to the right), which can be simply processed into a high-grade synthetic crude oil (or 'syncrude') and a high-grade micronised coal. Independent analysis has found that:

1. IER's micronised coal is at least comparable to medium-volatility pulverised coal injection (or ‘PCI’) coal (a metallurgical coal), and that
2. IER's synthetic crude oil can be processed into various transportation fuels, under near standard refinery conditions.