Inner Mongolia Zhengneng Chemical’s 3.6 million-ton coal grading and quality-based utilization project comes online

Ordos Huijinda Clean Solvent Oil Co., Ltd. is a private petrochemical enterprise with independent legal status, integrating research and development, production, and sales. It was established in May 2010 with a registered capital of 5 million yuan. It mainly deals in petrochemical products, process oils, special-purpose oils, and other such products. Among them, the project to produce 600,000 tons of clean solvent oil per year uses hydrogenated naphtha generated during Shenhua’s coal-to-oil process and coal tar produced by coal chemical projects in the surrounding areas as raw materials to manufacture high-value-added special eco-friendly solvent oil products. The total investment in the project is 2.3 billion yuan; construction began in 2010. The first phase has been completed, and trial production is currently underway. Once the project is officially put into operation, annual sales revenue is expected to reach 3.6 billion yuan.

In a downturn in the industry, those who can continue to operate and remain profitable will be better able to demonstrate the superiority of their technology

Has the rapid pyrolysis technology using pulverized coal as a solid heat carrier been applied industrially before? Which institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is behind this technology?

On November 26, 2015, during a winter night in northern Shaanxi, the cold wind was biting. Under the cover of heavy snow, the site where the pilot plant for the low-temperature pyrolysis of solid heat carriers using coal at a rate of 240 tons per day is being tested is brightly lit; researchers from the Circulating Fluidized Bed Laboratory at the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, have already spent three consecutive nights without sleep. Since the furnace was ignited on October 28, they braved the severe cold, worked with great determination day and night, and finally achieved stable full-load operation. This marks the first time in China that a circulating fluidized bed coal pyrolysis unit with a capacity of 100,000 tons per year has operated at full load. 　　The 240-ton/day pilot plant for the low-temperature pyrolysis of solid heat carrier coal successfully manages the energy and material exchange between the solid heat carrier combustion bed and the pyrolysis bed by employing innovative methods such as heating of solid materials, control of material circulation, and coking removal from the pyrolysis furnace, thereby achieving an organic integration of the two beds. A stable level of pyrolysis furnace feed prevents the backflow of high-temperature coal gas, thereby reducing dust generation in the pyrolysis furnace and the dust content in the oil products. 　　The pilot plant for the low-temperature pyrolysis of solid heat carrier coal at a rate of 240 tons per day had its engineering design completed in May 2014; the construction of the pilot plant was finished by the end of September. Joint testing was carried out from October to November, during which the operation rate reached 120 tons per day. The process flow at partial load levels was established, and products such as semi-coke, tar, and pyrolysis gas were obtained ； In 2015, in response to problems identified earlier, researchers carried out two rounds of improvements and rectifications. They successively conducted debugging and further modifications on key equipment and certain systems. From October to November 2015, another joint debugging was performed, ultimately resulting in stable operation at full capacity. Through this full-load commissioning operation, the key technical and operational parameters for the solid heat carrier – coal pyrolysis process were determined, and product data under full load was obtained. This has laid a solid foundation for the performance testing of the pilot plant as well as for achieving the goal of 168 hours of continuous, stable full-load operation. 　　This project is supported by the institute’s strategic pilot science and technology program titled “Key Technologies and Demonstrations for the Clean and Efficient Hierarchical Utilization of Low-grade Coal”, as well as Shenmu Jinfengyuan Clean Coal Technology Co., Ltd. During the device commissioning phase, officials from the Yulin Development and Reform Commission, Shenmu County **, Shenmu County Science and Technology Bureau, and Shenmu County Coal Chemical Industry Office visited the project site in person and gave high praise to the work carried out by the research institute.

[By Shen Xiaobo] Recently, with the release of the **Energy Administration’s Action Plan for the Clean and Efficient Utilization of Coal (2015–2020)**, the importance of classifying coal based on its quality has increased significantly. In previous similar plans, such classification was only mentioned briefly as a symbolic element; however, this action plan dedicates a significant section to it and provides a timeline for implementing such classification: by 2017, breakthroughs are expected in the key technologies for upgrading low-quality coal； In 2020, a number of demonstration projects for upgrading quality at the million-ton level were established. What is the classification of coal by quality and grade? The concept of classifying coal by quality is very sound; coal contains volatile substances such as tar and gas. In the past, industries like coal-powered power generation and coal chemical manufacturing used coal by simply burning it (or gasifying it). Coal classification and quality separation involve extracting valuable products such as tar and gas from it, and then making use of the remaining semi-coke. Quality separation refers, in terms of coal composition, to separating the various components present in coal so that they can be utilized separately. Classification refers to the coal processing sequence: first, pyrolysis is used to extract tar and gas, and then the semi-coke is burned to generate electricity or gasified as a raw material for chemical industries. The current methods of producing coke through high-temperature pyrolysis of coal, and producing semi-coke through low- to medium-temperature carbonization of coal, also seem to involve a classification based on coal quality, as both processes generate tar and gas as by-products (with varying proportions depending on the temperature). However, these two industrial approaches differ from the concept of classifying coal by quality that is currently being promoted. Coal-based coke and coal-based semi-coke: the main products intended from these two forms are coke and semi-coke respectively, with tar and gas being by-products. In the past, when the demand for coke and semi-coke was high, these by-products were discarded; however, in recent years, due to overcapacity in the production of coke and semi-coke, more attention has been paid to making use of these by-products. The differentiation and grading of coal differ from these two in that the target main products are different. The coal sorting and grading project was initially aimed at producing tar and gas, with the remaining semi-coke being a by-product. Due to the different focuses of the main products, although similar technical approaches are used, there are significant differences in the specific details. The goal of producing coal-based coke and blue carbon is to maximize the output of coke and blue carbon, whereas the goal of sorting and grading coal is to maximize the production of tar and gas. I. What key technologies need to be overcome? The Energy Bureau’s action plan states that in 2017, breakthroughs were achieved in the key technologies for upgrading low-grade coal. What are the key technologies? The current mainstream approach in the industry is medium- and low-temperature carbonization, as this method allows for the production of more tar and gas (higher temperatures cause some of these substances to decompose). In the past, the production of semi-coke from coal involved medium- and low-temperature carbonization processes. Vertical furnaces were commonly used, which required lump coal as feedstock; the annual processing capacity was 100,000 tons. This current state of the technology presents two problems. I. Currently, coal mining in China is becoming more large-scale, resulting in an increasing rate of coal pulverization. Vertical furnaces require lump coal, and the disposal of the excess pulverized coal has become a problem. II. Coal is classified based on its grade and quality; the main products derived from it are tar and gas. However, coal is primarily composed of carbon. To achieve large-scale production of tar and gas, it is necessary to increase the overall scale of coal processing. Currently, the scale is in the tens of millions of tons. If vertical furnaces are used, one project would require 100 such furnaces, which increases the difficulties associated with management and operation. Therefore, the current focus within the industry is on large-scale pyrolysis technology for coal dust. As outlined in the action plan of the Energy Bureau, efforts are being made to carry out demonstration projects for the large-scale, differentiated utilization of coal, with the main goal of producing gas and oil through medium- and low-temperature dry distillation of millions of tons of raw coal per year in a single system. However, the entire industry faces the same difficult challenges when working on this technology: after low-temperature pyrolysis of coal powder, the coal powder tends to mix with coal tar, which can stick to the furnace walls and cause blockages, thereby affecting the device’s ability to operate at full capacity over extended periods of time. II. The dust content in the produced tar exceeds 20%, rendering it devoid of commercial value. II. Is the scale of investment really small? The production of semi-coke from coal is mainly concentrated in the Yulin area of Shaanxi. Due to the high oil content in the local coal, a considerable amount of tar is produced, which once made it possible to develop a version of \"coal-to-oil\" production in Yulin. Its biggest claimed advantage is the small scale of investment. Compared to coal-to-oil production, the main equipment for coal-to-lantern carbon production is a vertical furnace; if breakthroughs are achieved in coal pyrolysis technology, the main equipment will be pyrolysis units with a capacity of millions of tons. In that case, the investment required would be one order of magnitude lower than that for projects involving direct or indirect coal liquefaction. However, there are many other necessary investments for the classification and grading of coal. For methane that is separated in this way, it is highly likely that there are no pipeline networks in the vicinity; therefore it must be liquefied into LNG for transportation, which requires corresponding liquefaction facilities. The separated tar has a low price, and it requires additional processing equipment to produce diesel, naphtha, etc. The most critical issue is the disposal of the semi-coke at the end. The volume of semi-coke accounts for over 70% of the coal that has been sorted by quality. The fate of this portion of semi-coke is a key issue in the classification and grading of coal. One approach in the industry is to process it into coal for sale, but given the current overcapacity in coal production and poor market conditions, the feasibility of this approach needs to be evaluated. In accordance with the Energy Bureau’s action plan: encourage the integrated development of coal, chemical industry, power generation, and heating, while enhancing the coupling and integration among various systems. Promote the integrated development among coal chemical industries and sectors such as power generation, oil and gas chemicals, steel, and building materials in areas that meet the requirements. There are two options: one is to add a pulverized coal pyrolysis unit at the front end of existing coal chemical and coal power processes ； Second, after the pyrolysis of coal dust, the semi-coke is used in coal-fired power generation, coal chemical industry, and other applications. If the latter is chosen, the associated investments in coal-fired power and coal chemical industries are not comparable to those required for pulverized coal pyrolysis units, resulting in a significant increase in total investment. III. Are all low-rank coals suitable? The main products of coal classification and grading are the production of tar and gas; compared to coal, these two products are of higher value. From an economic perspective, the more tar and gas that are produced, the better the economic efficiency. In reality, the focus on grading coal by quality is largely centered on tar; therefore, the oil content of the coal itself becomes a key factor in determining its grade. Currently, the regions in China where coal has a relatively high oil content are mainly located in the “Golden Triangle” area at the junction of Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi provinces. Shenmu County lies within this region; here, the average oil content in coal reaches 12%. Yang Zhanbiao explained that using the processes developed by FuYou Technology, it is possible to extract 10% of the oil contained in the coal. Outside the Golden Triangle, the most well-known area is the Naomaohu region in Hami, Xinjiang, where the oil content in coal can average 15%; additionally, some lignite in the eastern Mongolian region has an oil content of 6–8%. The economic viability of coal fractionation and grading ultimately depends on the output of high-value products. Only when the production of tar and coal gas reaches a certain proportion can the entire project be economically feasible. Before investing in the construction of projects for coal quality classification and grading, it is crucial to determine the oil content in the coal and conduct a preliminary economic assessment. V. Environmental issues: The production of semi-coke from coal relies on vertical furnaces, with small enterprises being the main players; as a result, sewage flows abundantly in Yulin. However, if coal is to be processed according to different quality levels, environmental protection issues must be addressed rigorously. First, currently, environmental policies are becoming stricter both in terms of standards and implementation; it is increasingly difficult to get away with violations as one could in the past. Second is the classification of coal by quality and grade; the volumes involved are in the tens of millions of tons, which represents an order of magnitude increase compared to the amount of coal used to produce semi-coke previously. Environmental problems will arise, and the pollution will be severe. There are two stages in medium and low-temperature dry distillation that generate large amounts of wastewater. First is the cooling of the semi-coke at the backend; the wet quenching process is commonly used in this industry, and the water resulting from cooling becomes wastewater. Secondly, the separated waste gas (gaseous tar, methane, etc.) is subjected to an ammonia water quenching process to produce wastewater. The handling of these two aspects is also under discussion within the industry; some approaches involve front-end treatment, such as replacing ammonia water with oil washing to address wastewater at its source. Or backend supporting processing and setup. At present, all of these still require inspection by industrial equipment.

Li Weiming: Accelerate the graded and quality-based utilization of coal to effectively drive a revolution in China’s energy production. Date: 2016-5-27 Source: Guoyanwang. As a resource, coal itself is not inherently \"dirty\" or \"clean\". Both theory and practice have shown that unscientific methods of coal utilization are a major cause of current energy and environmental problems. Given China’s energy and resource endowments as well as the current status of their development and utilization, achieving the clean and efficient use of coal is an inevitable choice for advancing China’s energy revolution strategy. 　　In recent years, in order to effectively alleviate the pressures on resources and the environment, particularly to improve air pollution control, the graded and quality-based utilization of coal has begun to attract attention as an important approach to enhancing the clean and efficient use of coal. On June 27, 2014, in order to implement the decisions made at the sixth meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Leadership Group as well as the first meeting of the new **Energy Committee, the General Office of the State Council issued the Energy Development Strategic Action Plan (2014–2020), which explicitly called for \"active promotion of the hierarchical and differentiated utilization of coal.\" In May 2015, the **Energy Administration issued the Action Plan for Clean and Efficient Utilization of Coal (2015–2020), once again calling for \"efforts to promote the hierarchical and differentiated utilization of coal based on its quality.\" With the introduction of these documents and the increasing emphasis placed on this issue, positive progress has been made in the classified and quality-based utilization of coal in China in recent years. However, various challenges remain in terms of conceptual understanding, supporting technologies, standard setting, and policy support, all of which severely hinder the implementation of China’s strategies for the clean and efficient use of coal as well as its energy revolution strategy. It is therefore urgent to accelerate the advancement of classified and quality-based coal utilization by incorporating it into higher-level planning, establishing industry standards, encouraging industrial demonstrations, providing stronger policy support, and enhancing inter-departmental coordination. 　　I. The graded and differentiated utilization of coal is an important approach to realizing China’s strategies for the clean and efficient use of coal as well as for a revolution in energy production. This approach takes advantage of the different properties and transformation characteristics of various components in coal, using it both as a raw material and as a fuel. It represents a new type of energy utilization system that integrates processes such as coal pyrolysis (dry distillation), coal-fired power generation, coal gasification, gas utilization, and the advanced processing of coal tar. Unlike other methods of clean and efficient coal utilization, the graded and quality-based utilization of coal falls under source control. Its low-temperature pyrolysis process is primarily a physical one, with the pyrolysis products being low-cost clean coal, coal gas, and tar products. According to the “Strategic Research on the Clean, Efficient and Sustainable Development and Utilization of Coal in China” (2014), which was completed over a period of two years by 30 academicians, more than 400 experts, and 95 organizations under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, “Coal hierarchical conversion technologies—characterized primarily by the partial pyrolysis and gasification of coal to produce high-grade oil products, clean coal power generation, and comprehensive utilization of ash and slag—offer advantages over existing coal combustion and coal gasification technologies in terms of energy consumption, environmental protection, and economic viability. These technologies can significantly improve coal utilization efficiency, environmental benefits, and economic performance; they hold great promise for transforming current coal utilization patterns and facilitating the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries.” ” 　　Firstly, it helps to reduce pollutant emissions and save energy and resources. At present, decentralized coal use in small and medium-sized industrial boilers, furnaces, heating appliances, and cooking stoves accounts for 20% of China’s coal consumption. These systems are widespread but lack concentration, and there are no effective measures to control pollutants; as a result, they emit nearly 10 million tons of sulfur dioxide per year (on par with the power industry) and over 3.2 million tons of nitrogen oxides (second only to the power industry and motor vehicles). This represents an urgent challenge for China in terms of energy conservation and emission reduction. Replacing the scattered coal use in densely populated areas with gas that can be utilized at different levels can effectively alleviate the issue of insufficient natural gas supply during the current transition from coal to gas in cities ； Replacing scattered coal burning in areas without high population densities with cleanly utilized coal can not only reduce the amount of coal used for such burning as well as pollutant emissions, but also does not increase costs. Based on the annual consumption of 42.24 million tons of coal for domestic use in rural areas of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, if all of this coal were replaced by clean coal that can be utilized at different levels, and if the 1.84 million tons of natural gas and 3.14 million tons of fuel oil generated during this process were used to replace coal used in urban areas, it would be possible to reduce emissions by 126,600 tons of sulfur dioxide, 8,200 tons of nitrogen oxides, 87,200 tons of particulate matter, and 11.0766 million tons of carbon dioxide. Replacing coal used in power plants with cleaner coal for hierarchical utilization reduces the moisture content of the coal fed into the furnace and increases its calorific value, thereby boosting power generation efficiency by 2–5 percentage points. Based on the approximately 1.4 billion tons of low-grade coal used for power generation in 2014, if all of this coal were subjected to pyrolysis and grading before being used for power generation, it would result in a reduction of 2.1 million tons of sulfur dioxide, 1.24 million tons of nitrogen oxides, and 410,000 tons of particulate matter. These reductions would account for 7.34%, 5.72%, and 3.15% of the national totals, respectively. Furthermore, the physical process of coal pyrolysis not only requires very little water but also generates a certain amount of moisture (due to the water content in coal). Secondly, it helps to drive the transformation and upgrading of the coal industry. By adopting a new approach to coal utilization that involves hierarchical and differentiated use, and by constructing coal-oil-gas-electricity combined production projects in large-scale coal and thermal power bases across the country, it is possible to change the industrial structure in which coal is used solely for power generation. This will enable the development of strategic emerging industrial chains for the clean and efficient use of coal, thereby increasing the effective demand for coal and creating new drivers of economic growth. Specifically, clean coal has had its volatile light components as well as impurities such as oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and phosphorus removed, resulting in an increased calorific value and greater cleanliness. It can replace bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, and lean coal, and is widely used in power generation, blast furnace injection, domestic applications, the chemical industry, and other fields ； Gas can be used as a raw material for hydrogen production, natural gas production, and chemical manufacturing; it can also be burned directly to generate electricity after desulfurization and denitrification ； Coal tar can be used to extract dozens or even hundreds of fine chemical products such as benzene, phenol, and pyridine; it can also be hydrogenated to produce clean liquid fuels such as diesel and naphtha. This is of great significance for achieving the transformation and upgrading of the coal industry and resolving the overcapacity crisis. 　　Once again, it helps to increase the supply of oil and gas. More than 55% of the nearly 4 billion tons of coal consumed in our country each year contains significant amounts of oil and gas components. If all of this coal were utilized through hierarchical processing, it would equate to an additional 143 million tons of fuel oil and 84 million tons of liquefied natural gas available. Just the fuel oil alone would account for half of China’s annual oil imports. China has identified 875.832 billion tons of coal reserves suitable for hierarchical and differentiated utilization, of which approximately 65.7 billion tons contain oil products and 51 trillion cubic meters of natural gas – amounts equivalent to 20 times the proven recoverable oil reserves and 11 times the proven recoverable natural gas reserves (data from the China Coal Industry Association, 2014). Developing the graded and quality-based utilization of coal can, to a certain extent, alleviate China’s high dependence on foreign oil and gas resources, and it is of great significance for enhancing the country’s energy security. 　　II. Positive progress has been made in the classified and quality-based utilization of coal in China in recent years. Coal pyrolysis is the pioneering technology for the classified and quality-based utilization of coal. Based on the requirements of coal particle size for pyrolysis, it can be divided into lump coal pyrolysis technology and pulverized coal pyrolysis technology. In China, vertical furnaces are used for the pyrolysis of lump coal; this technology is mature and is employed on a certain scale in places such as Yulin in Shanxi and Wuhai in Inner Mongolia, with a production capacity of nearly 50 million tons per year. However, the technology is relatively outdated, with the production capacity of each individual unit being less than 100,000 tons per year. Moreover, measures for controlling pollutants are insufficient, resulting in significant environmental impacts. At the same time, with the widespread use of large-scale mechanized coal mining in our country, the proportion of lump coal produced in coal mines is becoming increasingly small (less than 20%). While traditional lump coal pyrolysis faces development bottlenecks, breakthroughs have been achieved in pulverized coal pyrolysis technology. China began researching coal pulverize pyrolysis technology in the 1950s. With the support of programs such as “863” and “973”, various technologies for the pyrolysis of coal have been developed: Zhejiang University’s technology for the hierarchical conversion of coal using a circulating fluidized bed, Dalian University of Technology’s solid heat carrier (DG) process, Beijing Collinsda Technology Co., Ltd.’s technology for improving the quality of coal through belt furnaces, the Clean Coal Technology (LCC) process developed through cooperation between Datang Huayin Power Co., Ltd. and China Wuhuan Engineering Corporation, Beijing Shenwu Environmental Energy Technology Group Co., Ltd.’s regenerative heat carrier-free rotary bed distillation technology, Shenhua’s modular solid heat carrier technology, and Guangdong Zhaoqing Shunxin Coal Chemical Technology Co., Ltd.’s technology for the thermal catalytic decomposition of lignite. All of these technologies for the utilization of coal pulverize pyrolysis have now reached the pilot stage, and significant challenges in this field have been overcome to varying degrees. It should be noted that these technologies have failed to achieve large-scale industrialization, largely because coal powder and tar mix easily and stick to the walls of the pyrolysis furnace, causing blockages. 　　In 2014, breakthroughs were achieved in the research on low-temperature pyrolysis and selective utilization of low-rank coal using a rotating bed technology by Henan Longcheng Group, solving the technical challenges associated with coal powder pyrolysis. Through multi-tube combustion heating technology and dynamic heat exchange between materials and multiple combustion tubes, hierarchical gas heating and intelligent, precise temperature control are achieved ； Through an efficient cyclone-special membrane combined separation process, the recovery of solid particles larger than 4 microns and the separation of oil and gas were achieved, addressing the issues of uneven heating of coal material and slow heat transfer in such material ； The problems of oil and gas leakage and air intrusion have been solved through high-temperature rotary dynamic sealing technology. At the same time, through special extraction processes and extractants, the synergistic extraction of oil and phenols is achieved, enabling the pyrolysis wastewater to meet the standards for biochemical treatment. Combined with established biochemical treatment technologies, this approach facilitates recycling and near-zero emissions. According to on-site calibration by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, production lines built using this technology, with a single system capable of processing millions of tons of raw coal per year, have been able to operate stably over long periods of time. The yield of clean coal is 71.53%, the yield of coal tar is 11.05%, and the yield of gas is 9.87%; the energy efficiency reaches 90.70% ； The coal grading, quality-based clean and efficient utilization project with a total capacity of 10 million tons per year has been initially completed, serving as an excellent model for the development of such practices in China. 　　Furthermore, in terms of investment costs for technology and equipment, compared to major coal chemical projects, the investment-return ratio and economic efficiency of graded and quality-specific utilization of coal are higher. The costs associated with technology and equipment for coal-to-gas and coal-to-oil production account for over 80% of the total investment, while in projects focused on the graded and differentiated utilization of coal, such technologies and equipment constitute 68% of the costs. Moreover, the key equipment used in these projects is domestically produced. Compared to coal chemical projects that require investments of over 10 billion yuan, these projects have lower costs and potential for further cost reduction, giving them a clear economic advantage. Taking Longcheng Group’s low-grade coal rotary bed low-temperature pyrolysis technology for the selective utilization of coal products as an example, research shows that the cost of producing refined oil is 1,944.64 yuan per ton, which is less than half of the cost associated with direct coal liquefaction; the cost of producing LNG is 1.48 yuan per cubic meter, which is two-thirds of the cost of producing gas from coal ； Its investment intensity is only 70 million yuan per 10,000 tons of oil products, whereas the investment intensities for Shenhua and Yitai’s coal-to-oil projects are 139 million yuan and 175 million yuan per 10,000 tons of oil products respectively. There is very limited understanding among various sectors of society regarding the concept and importance of graded and differentiated utilization of coal; most people outside the industry are not even aware of this concept. Even those within the industry generally hold views that date back to the 1960s and 1970s, and many are unaware of the fundamental changes that have taken place in this area in recent years. III. The graded and quality-based utilization of coal still faces many challenges, and there is an urgent need to improve awareness and understanding. Although the graded and quality-based utilization of coal has received **attention at present, its definition remains quite vague; there is no specific plan for it (only a brief description in the \"Action Plan for Clean and Efficient Coal Utilization (2015–2020)\"). It has not yet been determined how to proceed with further actions, and it lags significantly behind other **approaches. As early as the 1930s, Germany began researching and applying technologies for the graded and differentiated utilization of coal, and established factories to successfully extract coal tar, which was then processed into firewood and gasoline, becoming an important source of petroleum products for Germany during World War II. In its report on the \"Coal Technology Strategy for the 21st Century,\" Japan’s Ministry of International Trade and Industry specifically mentioned high-value-added technologies for improving fuel efficiency, regarding the production of gas, fuel, and high-value chemicals through low-temperature rapid carbonization as an important area of research. The U.S. Department of Energy has also included the extraction of high-quality liquid fuels and chemicals from coal as an important component of its \"Energy Outlook 21\" plan. At the same time, awareness within all sectors of society regarding the concept and particularly the importance of graded and differentiated utilization of coal is very limited. Most people outside the industry are not even aware of this concept; even those within the industry generally hold views that date back to the 1960s and 1970s, with many still unaware of the fundamental changes that have taken place in this area in recent years. Some systematic supporting technologies still need to be developed. At present, some systematic supporting technologies for the classified and high-quality utilization of coal need further resolution and improvement. Firstly, whether the pyrolysis unit can be scaled up is an important factor affecting the economic efficiency, environmental sustainability, and safety of the classified and quality-specific utilization of coal. Coal is primarily composed of carbon; to produce large quantities of tar and gas, it is necessary to increase the overall scale of production. Although the technology for the separate utilization of products from low-temperature dry distillation in rotary beds has led to the development of million-ton-scale dry distillation units and their industrial application, there is still room for further scale-up. Secondly, how to establish an organic connection and systematic integration between the clean coal produced through coal pyrolysis and industries such as steel manufacturing, building materials production, power generation, domestic use, and the chemical industry is not only a key factor affecting the economic, social, and environmental benefits of the graded and high-quality utilization of coal, but it also represents a technical challenge. The clean coal produced by pyrolysis features a high grindability index (increased by 10%–15%), low levels of harmful elements, high calorific value, and moderate volatile matter content. It can replace bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, and lean coal, and is widely used in power generation, blast furnace feeding, domestic applications, the chemical industry, and other fields. Since existing coals used in steelmaking blast furnaces – such as coking coal, thermal coal, domestic bulk coal, and coal for chemical industries – all come with strict quality standards, clean coal requires process control to regulate parameters such as volatiles and calorific value in order to meet customer requirements. Therefore, at present, clean coal is widely used in the ferroalloy, calcium carbide, and steel manufacturing industries on an industrial scale. However, its use in power generation, as a substitute for bituminous coal in domestic applications, and in related chemical processes is still in the initial exploration stage and not yet mature. Thirdly, the tar produced by pyrolysis has a complex composition, containing over 1,000 types of organic compounds, mainly aromatic compounds; there are fewer alkanes and olefins, along with a small amount of compounds containing oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. At present, the technologies for improving the quality of tar in industry are not yet mature, and efforts are still needed to develop methods for extracting high-value components from coal tar. There is a lack of scientific quality standards for clean coal. Raw coal undergoes low-temperature pyrolysis, which reduces its volatiles and removes certain harmful elements such as sulfur, nitrogen, and heavy metals; it can thus be used as a clean fuel for domestic use, especially suitable for making briquettes for household use. The \"Agreement on the Clean Utilization of Solid Coal\" signed in June 2014 by the **Energy Bureau and the provinces/municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, along with relevant energy enterprises, stipulated that by the end of 2017, fully enclosed coal blending centers at the county (district) level should be established, as well as a clean coal supply network covering all towns and villages; moreover, the proportion of high-quality, low-sulfur solid coal and clean briquettes used in domestic coal consumption was to exceed 90%. However, due to the lack of current quality standards for clean coal, the clean coal produced through classified and quality-based utilization has not been included in the supply plans in various regions ； At the same time, due to the generally small scale of individual manufacturers and the easy inclusion of small amounts of tar during the production process, the use of some clean coal generates irritating gases, resulting in uneven quality of clean coal products and the substitution of inferior products for high-quality ones. Of course, apart from civilian use, clean coal used for decentralized combustion, power generation, and the chemical industry also requires corresponding quality standards; however, scientific quality standards are currently lacking, which makes it easy for inferior quality products to displace higher-quality ones. Policy support is clearly insufficient. The research, development, application, and promotion of technologies for the graded and quality-based utilization of coal is a systematic endeavor that spans multiple industries, fields, and departments, involving sectors such as coal mining, oil and gas chemistry, and power generation. Due to China’s long-standing sectoral divisions, currently, both management personnel and technical experts in the power and chemical industries do not have a comprehensive or systematic understanding of these technologies for graded and quality-based coal utilization, and no concerted effort has yet been made in this regard. At the same time, although **relevant authorities have included in their policy plans or action plans the call to encourage the demonstration and promotion of the graded and quality-based utilization of coal, since this technology is a new method of coal utilization that has only been developed in recent years, there is still no set of specific, systematic, and comprehensive policies to support such technologies through demonstration and industrial incentives. While there are demonstration projects for modern coal chemical processes such as coal-to-oil and coal-to-gas production, there are still no such demonstrations for the graded and quality-based utilization of coal. Additionally, the limited supply in the clean coal market and the constraints on its dissemination greatly hinder the application and spread of this technology. IV. Recommendations for promoting the scientific development of graded and quality-based utilization of coal. First, it is necessary to change mindsets and attach great importance to this issue, by including graded and quality-based utilization of coal in the **13th Five-Year Plan for Energy** and formulating specific plans for it. **The department must fully recognize that accelerating the graded and quality-based utilization of coal is an important approach to achieving clean and efficient use of coal, as well as to effectively driving a revolution in energy production in our country. In light of this, it is recommended that the graded and quality-based utilization of coal be included in the **13th Five-Year Plan for Energy Development**. Based on factors such as technological development, regional coal resource conditions, market capacity, water resource carrying capacity, and ecological environment capacity, plans and action plans for the graded and differentiated utilization of coal are formulated to determine the appropriate regions and scale for such utilization. Efforts are made to establish standards for the technologies and equipment needed for graded and differentiated coal utilization, and evaluation mechanisms for these technologies and equipment are developed. A catalog of advanced technologies and equipment is also released to the public in a timely manner. At the same time, it is necessary to make full use of various media to strengthen publicity, raise public awareness, and promote the high-standard and high-level development of the graded and quality-based utilization of coal. Second, efforts should be accelerated to advance research and development on key systematic technologies for the graded and quality-based utilization of coal, as well as related demonstration projects. The technology for grading and differentiated utilization of coal should be included as a priority project within the key research and development plans for the **13th Five-Year Plan**, with efforts directed toward optimizing the processes involved in pyrolysis units and finalizing the design of such equipment, as well as toward developing technologies such as the integration of pyrolysis with coal-fired boiler power generation, hydrogen production from coal tar, and the co-production of LNG from syngas. Encourage and accelerate the development of industrial demonstration projects as well as large-scale utilization for the graded and differentiated use of coal. Support the use of mature pyrolysis technologies to establish a number of demonstration projects for such graded and differentiated coal utilization in the planned coal and thermal power bases, promote the integrated development of coal processing, chemical production, power generation, and heat supply, and achieve graded and differentiated utilization, integration of energy and chemical processes, as well as combined production” ； Once the project is operating stably and has passed the acceptance at the ** level, it will be promoted and implemented across the country in a planned and step-by-step manner. Third, it is necessary to study and establish quality standards for clean coal as a substitute for coal burned directly, as well as specific plans for integrating it into the clean coal supply network in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. To improve the effectiveness of using clean coal as a substitute for coal burned directly, and to prevent substandard products from being used, clean coal intended for this purpose must meet certain quality standards. It is recommended to refer to the relevant specifications for domestic anthracite, and establish quality standards for clean coal (clean coal briquettes) based on parameters such as volatile matter, sulfur content, ash content, and tar content. At the same time, accelerate the evaluation of the feasibility of establishing a demonstration base for large-scale production of clean coal through low-temperature carbonization, based on the Shenfu coalfield, as well as a consumption demonstration base in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Develop specific plans for integrating the clean coal and clean coal briquettes produced by technologies for the graded and quality-based utilization of coal into the clean coal supply network in this region, in order to promote the replacement of coal used for domestic heating there. Furthermore, it is recommended to connect clean coal suppliers with large coal consumers in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, such as power plants, steel mills, and fertilizer factories, as well as with the clean coal supply network. Encouragement should be given to the establishment of long-term customized supply mechanisms: large consumers can specify their requirements regarding the quality of clean coal, and suppliers will produce it according to these specifications, thereby ensuring that the clean coal is suitable for use in relevant equipment. This approach helps to minimize losses during intermediate processes, improve overall efficiency, and reduce pollutant emissions. Fourth, relevant management mechanisms and fiscal and tax support systems should be improved. To encourage and promote technologies for the graded and quality-based utilization of coal, it is necessary for multiple departments such as those responsible for development and reform, energy, industry and information technology, and environmental protection to work together in a coordinated manner. To this end, inter-departmental coordination systems and collaborative management mechanisms should be established; each relevant department shall, in accordance with its responsibilities, coordinate its efforts to accelerate the improvement of various frameworks such as resource management, industrial planning, policy standards, and technical equipment support that are conducive to the graded and quality-based utilization of coal. At the same time, fiscal and tax policies related to the graded and quality-based utilization of coal should be established; for example, a new category titled “Equipment and industrialization projects related to the graded and quality-based utilization of coal” should be added to the \"List of Enterprise Income Tax Incentives for Environmental Protection and Energy-Saving and Water-Saving Projects\" ； Formulate financing policies to encourage financial institutions to support innovative and strategic enterprises, and provide low-interest, long-term special loans, in particular, for demonstration projects employing revolutionary technologies for the clean and efficient utilization of coal through low-temperature pyrolysis with separation by grade and quality.

I remember that in 2010–2011, the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences carried out a pilot project on coal powder pyrolysis in Shenmu in collaboration with some coal entrepreneurs. Those entrepreneurs invested thirty to forty million yuan; after a few experiments that were unsuccessful, they never returned again. I even went to check on things there. Seeing this report, has technology improved and achieved a breakthrough? Everyone continues to pay attention