Coal Gasification Technology

and Syngas Production

Ruben Reyes
ChE379

Purpose/Outline
Gasification technology
Different types of gasifiers
Products from gasification

Syngas production, Gasifiers used for

IGCC power plants
Conclusion

Coal Gasification Technologies

Basic Overview of gasification

Coal or other fuels

Oxidation carefully controlled
H2, CO2, CH4, other products
H2 can be purified
Ash/slag leftovers

3 types of gasifiers
Moving bed
Fluid Bed
Entrained Flow

Underground Coal Gasification

Vertical wells and pathway creation
Controlled retraction injection point

Above ground gasification

Moving bed reactor (Lurgi
dry ash and BGL slagging)

BGL gasifier (fixed

bed, slagging)

Counter-current flow of coal

and oxidizing blast
Blast composed of air and
hot syngas, so low oxygen
consumption
Operates on reactive
carbon sources
Good heat transfer heats
the carbon source creating
methane and tar
Post production cleaning
and scrubbing requires
greater energy use
Figure 1: BGL Gasifier

Above Ground Gasification

Fluid-bed reactor (Winkler,

HTW, CFB dry ash; KRW, UGas Agglomerating)

Winkler Gasifier (Fluid bed,

dry ash)

Air fluidizes a bed and carbon

containing particles added
Proper mixing of fuel and
oxidant provide good mass
transfer and heat transfer
Fine particle will escape with
syngas and needs to be
cleaned
Very good heat/mass transfer
so partially reacted carbon
may settle with ash
Slagging will reduce
fluidization, so temp remains
below softening point for ash
Figure 2: Winkler Gasifier

Above Ground Gasification

Entrained flow reactors (Shell,

Texaco, E-gas, Noell, KT Slagging)

Texaco Gasifier
(entrained flow, slagging)

Carbon source is made of very

fine particles in a liquid or slurry
for very good mass transfer
Very little residence time
Co-current flow with oxygen where
high temperatures can be reached
Low heat transfer means hot
exiting gas with no methane or tar,
but more oxygen required.
High temperature and very small
carbon sources make it an ideal
process for coal gasification.
High temperatures without
charring
No agglomeration because of fine
particle size preparation

Figure 1: Texaco Gasifier

Underground Coal Gasification

Vertical wells, soviet

technology
H2 and O2 are injected and
ignited to create syngas, CO2
and methane
Coal deposits do not allow for
transport of the gases from the
injection well to recovery well
very easily
Closely spaced wells and
reverse combustion methods
are employed to create a
cavity between wells
This process works, but
requires many wells to be
constructed

Figure 5: Current UGC

Underground Coal Gasification

Controlled retraction injection

point from oil technology
(CRIP)
The oil industrys horizontal
drilling for production and
injection wells to deliver and
absorb syngas continuously
Only one injection well, the
ignition continues through the
inseam as the injection wells
are retreated.
The product is collected in a
product well
Concerns about ground water
inhibit the use of UCG.

Figure 6: CRIP UGC

Syngas production and energy

industry
CO2 removal
Used for oil reclamation
Can be injected back in ground

Combined cycle
Combustion turbine
Heat used for generating steam

Fuel cell uses

Conclusions

There are many ways that carbon containing compounds may be gasified
Coal gasification occurs best in entrained flow reactors such as the Texaco
gasifier
The coal will not heat up as much and will not create methane and tar.
The requirement for fine particles into the gasifier prevents agglomeration

Underground coal gasification technology is present and used today but with
certain challenges
Water contamination
Impact on environment and land

Potential benefits are many

Syngas used in combined cycle energy production
Hydrogen fuel cell use for energy production and transportation purposes
Methane and hydrogen have applications in the chemical industry where they
can be used.
Not mentioned, gasification is first step in coal liquefaction process.
Coal gasification could reduce dependence on foreign oil
CO2 sequestration

References

Gasification reference shelf - images and photos. (n.d.). National Energy

Technology Laboratory. Retrieved November 20, 2007, from
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/gasification/pubs/photo.html
Gasification Technology and R&D. (n.d.). U.S. Department of energy.
Retrieved November 20, 2007, from
http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/gasification/index.htm
l Higman, C., & Van Der Burgt, M. (n.d.). Gasification. Elsevier. Retrieved
November 20, 2007, from Google Book Search database:
http://books.google.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/ books?
id=ZUlRaUrX8IUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=gasification&sig=Sxb9s5qmKK
03xe9INbsiuoJwwX8#PPP1,M1
Underground Coal Gasification. (n.d.). World Coal Institute. Retrieved
November 20, 2007, from World Coal Institute Web site:
http://www.worldcoal.org/pages/content/index