Coal Gasification Notes

Gasification
Coal gasification
Coal gasification technology is efficiently used for converting coal to power, chemicals,
fertilizers, and fuels. This gasification process is a clean technology to decompose coal into
its different components in presence of steam and oxygen at high pressure and high
temperature. This leads to the production of synthesis gas, which is mainly a mixture of
carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Coal gasification can be utilized to produce methanol as
alternative energy source. The major applications of coal gasification are in
• Power generation
• Fertilizer
• Methanol synthesis
• Hydrogen
• Hydrocarbons
It provides the only route to convert coal to hydrogen directly. In this process, coal is
combined with oxygen and steam to produce a combustible gas, waste gases, char, and ash.
Coal gasification may be generally represented by reaction
C m Hn + 0.5 m O 2 ↔ mCO + 0.5 n H2
Where, ‘m’ and ‘n’ depends on the composition of coal. The reactions in different stages of
the process are as follows:

i) CO + H2 O ↔ CO2 + H2
ii) C + CO2 ↔ 2 CO
iii) C + H2O ↔ CO + H2
iv) CH4 + H2O ↔ CO + 3H2
The gasification of coal generally consist of four steps:
• Pre treatment of Coal
• Gasification
• Gas cleaning, and
• Gas beneficiation.
The process flow diagram for coal gasification is described in Fig.1.

HYDROGASIFICATION
Direct addition of hydrogen to coal under high pressure forms methane. This reaction is
called hydrogasification and may be written as:
Coal + H2 = CH4 + Carbonaceous matter
Or,
C (s) + 2 H2 (g) = CH4 (g) ∆H°298 = –74.8 kJ/mol
This reaction is exothermic and is thermodynamically favored at low temperatures (T <
670°C), unlike both steam and CO2 gasification reactions. However, at low temperatures, the
reaction rate is inevitably too slow. Therefore, high temperature is always required for kinetic
reasons, which in turn requires high pressure of hydrogn, which is also preferred from
equilibrium considerations. This reaction can be catalyzed by K2CO3, nickel, iron chlorides,
iron sulfates, etc. However, use of catalyst in coal gasification suffers from serious economic
constraints because of the low raw material value, as well as difficulty in recovering and
reusing the catalyst. Therefore, catalytic coal gasification has not been practiced much.
CATALYTIC GASIFICATION
Catalysts are commonly used in the chemical and petroleum industries to increase reaction
rates, sometimes making certain previously unachievable products possible. Acids, through
donated protons (H+), are common reaction catalysts, especially in organic chemistry
(catalysts take part in the reaction but are not consumed). Many metals like platinum, iron, or
nickel, also have catalytic activity. Metal catalysts are used in automobile catalytic converters
to reform carbon monoxide (CO) and nitric oxide pollutants, for example.
CatalystsinGasification
Catalysts can be used to enhance the reactions involved in gasification. Many gasifiers must
operate at high temperatures so that the gasification reactions will proceed at reasonable rates.
Unfortunately, high temperatures can sometimes necessitate special gasifier materials (see
discussion on refractory research and development), extra energy input, and cause efficiency
losses if heat cannot be reclaimed. One particular problem area is the temperature gap
between gasifier and syngas clean-up, which can be several hundred degrees Celsius. Having
to drop the syngas temperature so drastically introduces efficiency losses. Approaches to
combat this include research into warm gas clean-up and the use of catalysts to lower gasifier
operating temperatures.
Alkali metal salts of weak acids (like potassium carbonate [K2 CO 3 ], sodium carbonate
[Na 2 CO 3 ], potassium sulfide [K2 S], and sodium sulfide [Na 2 S]) can catalyze steam
gasification of coal. In the early 1970s, research confirmed that 10-20% by weight
K2 CO 3 could lower acceptable bituminous coal gasifier temperatures from 925°C to 700°C
and that the catalyst could be introduced to the gasifier impregnated on coal or char. The field
of catalysis (study of catalysts and their use) is large and this is just one example. Catalysts
that have been used for years in petroleum refining have found use in gasification as well,
again to lower operating temperatures.Catalysts can also be used to favor or suppress the
formation of certain components in the syngas product. The primary constituents of syngas
are hydrogen (H2 ) and CO, but other products like methane are formed in small amounts.
Catalytic gasification can be used to either promote methane formation (a form of which
is steam hydrogasification), or suppress it.
Disadvantages of catalytic gasification include increased materials costs for the catalyst itself,
as well as diminishing catalyst performance over time. Catalysts can be recycled, but their
performance tends to diminish with age. The relative difficulty in reclaiming and recycling
the catalyst can also be a disadvantage. For example, the K 2 CO3 catalyst described above can
be recovered from spent char with a simple water wash, but some catalysts may not be so
accommodating. In addition to age, catalysts can also be diminished by poisoning. Many
catalysts are sensitive to particular chemical species which bond with the catalyst or alter it in
such a way that it no longer functions. Sulfur, for example, can poison several types of
catalysts including nickel, iron, palladium and platinum.

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Gasification

alternative energy source. The major applications of coal gasification are in

Coal gasification may be generally represented by reaction

C m Hn + 0.5 m O 2 ↔ mCO + 0.5 n H2

the process are as follows:

iv) CH4 + H2O ↔ CO + 3H2

The gasification of coal generally consist of four steps:

• Pre treatment of Coal

• Gas cleaning, and

The process flow diagram for coal gasification is described in Fig.1.

called hydrogasification and may be written as:

Coal + H2 = CH4 + Carbonaceous matter

C (s) + 2 H2 (g) = CH4 (g) ∆H°298 = –74.8 kJ/mol

This reaction is exothermic and is thermodynamically favored at low temperatures (T <

to drop the syngas temperature so drastically introduces efficiency losses. Approaches to

is steam hydrogasification), or suppress it.

accommodating. In addition to age, catalysts can also be diminished by poisoning. Many

catalysts including nickel, iron, palladium and platinum.

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