Low- and medium-Btu coal gasification processes
Coal gasifiers, for the production of low- and medium-Btu fuel gases, come in a wide variety of designs and capacities. For single gasifier vessels gas energy production rates range from about 1 to 18 billion Btu/day. The key characteristics of gasifiers that would be of importance for their application as an energy source in Integrated Community Energy Systems (ICES) are evaluated here. The types of gasifiers considered here are single- and two-stage, fixed-bed units; fluidized-bed units; and entrained-bed units, as producers of both low-Btu (less than 200 Btu/SCF and medium-Btu (200 to 400 Btu/SCF) gases. The gasifiers are discussed with respect to maximum and minimum capacity, the effect of feed coal parameters, product characteristics, thermal efficiency, environmental effects, operating and maintenance requirements, reliability, and cost. Some of the most recent development work in this area of coal conversion, and use of these gas products also is considered. Except in small plant installations (< 10/sup 9/ Btu/day) the annual operating costs for the various gasifier types are approximately the same. This is somewhat surprising in view of the personnel requirements, efficiencies, utility requirements, heating value of the product gas, and operating characteristics associated with each. Operating costs tend to increase with a power function exponent of 0.92 (i.e., a doubling in plant capacity increases the operating cost by about 1.9).
- Research Organization:
- Institute of Gas Technology, Chicago, IL (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6158725
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/CES/TE-79-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
COAL GASIFICATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ICES
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ENTRAINMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLUIDIZED BED
INTERMEDIATE BTU GAS
LOW BTU GAS
MATERIAL BALANCE
PACKED BED
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
010404* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification
290800 - Energy Planning & Policy- Heat Utilization- (1980-)
320603 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Municipalities & Community Systems- Public Utilities- (1980-)