Methods and Systems for Liquefaction of Carbonaceous Materials Electromagnetic-Heated Coal-to-Liquid Conversion

This patent describes a coal-to-liquids process in which heat is supplied by electromagnetic radiation rather than by conventional combustion or steam, with the goal of converting solid carbonaceous feedstocks into liquid hydrocarbons more efficiently and with lower direct emissions.

The Problem

Liquefaction is the process of converting solid carbonaceous materials, principally coal, into liquid hydrocarbons that can be used as fuels or feedstocks for petrochemicals. Two routes have dominated commercial deployment. Indirect liquefaction passes coal through a gasification step to produce synthesis gas, which is then catalytically rebuilt into hydrocarbons via Fischer-Tropsch. Direct liquefaction contacts pulverised coal with hydrogen and a catalyst at high pressure and temperature. Both routes are energy-intensive, capital-heavy, and carbon-intensive. They also lock in the use of combustion-based heat input, which limits the speed and selectivity of the chemistry and adds emissions on top of the embedded carbon in the feedstock.

What This Invention Does

The invention substitutes electromagnetic radiation as the heat source for the liquefaction reaction. A solid carbonaceous feedstock is contacted with a hydrogen donor at elevated pressure and temperature, and the heat needed to drive the reaction is delivered by electromagnetic energy. The hydrogen donor reaches at least 300 degrees Celsius, the contacting occurs at elevated pressure, and the products include liquid hydrocarbons that can be processed further into transport fuels or chemical feedstocks.

By decoupling heat input from a combustion flame or steam loop, the process opens the door to electrified heat from low-carbon electricity, more selective heating of the reaction zone, and faster startup-shutdown cycles than conventional liquefaction trains.

Key Features

• Electromagnetic heating. The reaction heat is supplied by electromagnetic radiation rather than direct combustion or external steam, allowing electrification of the heat input.
• Hydrogen-donor pathway. The carbonaceous feed is liquefied via contact with a hydrogen donor at temperature and pressure, producing liquid hydrocarbon products.
• Defined operating envelope. Hydrogen donor temperatures of at least 300 degrees Celsius and elevated process pressures, providing a basis for the reactor and donor-circulation design.
• Process intensification potential. Direct, targeted heating of the reaction zone may permit smaller reactors and faster transitions than conventionally heated liquefaction.
• Pathway to lower carbon intensity. Electrified heat input lets the operator pair the process with low-carbon power sources, addressing one of the largest emission contributors in conventional liquefaction.

Who Is Behind It?

The applicant is Qwave Solutions, Inc, a US company developing electromagnetic-heating-based process technologies. The named inventors are Jeffrey Badac, Ryan Booth, Kaitlin Harris, Cliff Raleigh, Steven Schlaegle and others. The Australian application is a divisional of AU 2022319137, with US provisional priority from US 63/227,406 filed in July 2021.

Why It Matters

Coal-to-liquids has historically been pursued where governments wanted energy independence from imported oil. The case for revisiting the technology now is different: it is whether known liquefaction chemistry can be decarbonised enough to provide synthetic fuels for sectors, like aviation and heavy transport, where direct electrification is hard. Electromagnetic heating is one of the more credible levers for reducing the heat-related emissions of liquefaction without redesigning the underlying chemistry. The Australian filing is relevant given Australia’s large coal reserves, gas-rich geology, and growing interest in synthetic-fuel pathways.

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AU 2026201814 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 2 April 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.