SASOL process

The SASOL process is a method of coal liquefaction, which converts solid coal into liquid fuels. This process is necessary because coal has a lower hydrogen content than petroleum. The SASOL process is an example of indirect liquefaction, where coal is first gasified to produce synthesis gas. This gas is then reacted over a catalyst to create various hydrocarbons. Developed and used in Germany during World War II, the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, which is the basis for the SASOL process, was later adopted in South Africa in the 1950s. It now supplies a significant portion of South Africa's liquid fuel needs. Later versions of the SASOL process have focused on increasing gasoline yield and optimizing the production of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.12