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Title: Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products. Quarterly report, April--June 1994

Abstract

The primary objective of this project is to develop an advanced continuous mild gasification process and product upgrading processes which will be capable of eventual commercialization. The program consists of four tasks. Task 1 is a literature survey of mild gasification processes and product upgrading methods and also a market assessment of markets for mild gasification products. Based on the literature survey, a mild gasification process and char upgrading method will be identified for further development. Task 2 is a bench-scale investigation of mild gasification to generate design data for a larger scale reactor. Task 3 is a bench-scale study of char upgrading to value added products. Task 4 is being implemented by building and operating a 1000-pound per hour demonstration facility. Task 4 also includes a technical and economic evaluation based on the performance of the mild gasification demonstration facility. Installation of a continuous coke pilot plant started in the second quarter of 1994. Ten of 14 major components have been set. The remaining four are on order. Startup is scheduled for late September 1994. Eight test runs were completed in the continuous mild gasification unit (CMGU). These were short test runs to evaluate repair work or to demonstratemore » the PDU. Efforts continued to obtain financing for a commercial unit.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Coal Technology Corp., Bristol, VA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
10178368
Report Number(s):
DOE/MC/24116-3848
ON: DE94012280; BR: AA8540000/AA8595000
DOE Contract Number:
AC21-87MC24116
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Jul 1994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; COAL GASIFICATION; BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS; CHEMICAL REACTORS; CHARS; ECONOMIC ANALYSIS; PROCESS DEVELOPMENT UNITS; PROGRESS REPORT; BY-PRODUCTS; 010404; GASIFICATION

Citation Formats

O`Neal, G.W. Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products. Quarterly report, April--June 1994. United States: N. p., 1994. Web. doi:10.2172/10178368.
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O`Neal, G.W. Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products. Quarterly report, April--June 1994. United States. doi:10.2172/10178368.
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O`Neal, G.W. Fri . "Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products. Quarterly report, April--June 1994". United States. doi:10.2172/10178368. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/10178368.
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@article{osti_10178368,
title = {Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products. Quarterly report, April--June 1994},
author = {O`Neal, G.W.},
abstractNote = {The primary objective of this project is to develop an advanced continuous mild gasification process and product upgrading processes which will be capable of eventual commercialization. The program consists of four tasks. Task 1 is a literature survey of mild gasification processes and product upgrading methods and also a market assessment of markets for mild gasification products. Based on the literature survey, a mild gasification process and char upgrading method will be identified for further development. Task 2 is a bench-scale investigation of mild gasification to generate design data for a larger scale reactor. Task 3 is a bench-scale study of char upgrading to value added products. Task 4 is being implemented by building and operating a 1000-pound per hour demonstration facility. Task 4 also includes a technical and economic evaluation based on the performance of the mild gasification demonstration facility. Installation of a continuous coke pilot plant started in the second quarter of 1994. Ten of 14 major components have been set. The remaining four are on order. Startup is scheduled for late September 1994. Eight test runs were completed in the continuous mild gasification unit (CMGU). These were short test runs to evaluate repair work or to demonstrate the PDU. Efforts continued to obtain financing for a commercial unit.},
doi = {10.2172/10178368},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994},
month = {Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (0.43 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/10178368
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  • The objective of this research and development effort was to develop an advanced, continuous ``mild gasification`` process. The relative quantities and properties of the products are appropriate for making the concept economically and environmentally viable. In ``mild gasification,`` coal is converted under relatively mild conditions of temperature and pressure in the absence of air into products which include a high heating value gas, high aromatic condensibles, char and coke all with physical and chemical properties suitable for the anticipated end uses. Two tons of CTC/DOE continuous coke of 6 in. {times} 5 in. {times} 4 in. size was produced inmore » the Pilot Demonstration Unit. This coke was tested under actual foundry conditions in a 96 in. diameter commercial cupola. The test was run on the first shift on April 19, 1995. The coke sample was used as a direct replacement for 25 percent of the coke charge. A total of 51 scrap iron charges were run with the CTC/DOE continuous coke. Results of the test were excellent. The two main indicators improved., Tap temperature increased from an average of 2846{degrees}F to 2890{degrees}F. Carbon pickup improved from 3.49 percent C to 3.59 percent C when the CTC coke, hit the bed. These results are very meaningful because they cannot be measured in the lab. ChemChar Research, Inc. in Columbia, Missouri, is evaluating CTC chars as potential agents for removing pollutants from gas streams. Composite CTC char treated with the ChemChar activation process resulted in promising results. A 11.8 percent toluene adsorption and 13.4 percent monochlorobenzene adsorption were achieved with CTC char after activation.« less

  • Seventeen continuous coke tests were completed. Efforts to produce coke from lower rank non-coking coal resulted in a coke with 1/3 less crush strength. This lower quality coke made from cheaper coal may have value as a partial charge in a blast furnace. A coke strength increase of 80% was obtained by curing the coke at 850{degrees}F for one hour prior to the normal cure of 1 {1/2} hours at 1832{degrees}F. Sixteen CMGU test runs were made using 13 different coals. A test run of 12 hours without problems was included. Design of the gas heaters for the screws wasmore » completed and the heaters will be shipped near the end of May 1992. Operations of the CMGU condensers were improved by preheating to above 212{degrees}F before starting coal feed. Installation of the screw heaters and improved condenser performance will permit operating the CMGU at the design capacity of 1000 lbs coal/hour.« less

  • The Department of Energy is investigating a process concept called Mild Gasification in which rapid devolatilization of coal under mild conditions of temperature and pressure would yield three product slates: a low- or medium-BTU gas, a valuable hydrocarbon condensate, and a reactive char. The ongoing objective of this program is to develop a continuous mild gasification process which will produce a product mix that optimizes process economics. In order to provide the incentive for private industry to commercialize the process, it is necessary to demonstrate yields and qualities in a versatile continuous process development unit (PDU). This unit must bemore » capable of assessing both coal- and process-specific effects in a cost-effective and timely manner. Based on literature reviews and experimental verification, a data base will be developed correlating coal and process parameters with product characteristics. This will provide process developers with the information necessary to derive site-specific economics which will be crucial for the commercialization of the mild gasification process. The literature review and market assessment has been completed under Task 1 of the program. Under Task 2, coal-specific tests are being conducted on three AMAX coals: Chinook, an Indiana {number_sign}3 bituminous coal; Delta, an Illinois {number_sign}6 bituminous coal; and Eagle Butte, a Wyodak subbituminous coal. Various methods of char upgrading are being conducted by AMAX R&D of Golden, Colorado. The upgraded char is then combined with iron ore and tested for pig iron production under an AMAX subcontract to Pellet Technology Corporation of Marquette, Michigan. In addition to the test program, process development and scaleup information is being developed for a 1 ton/hr pilot plant unit. Plans for Tasks 2 and 3, equipment modifications, and report. Results include: char analysis, condensable analysis, waste water analysis, and gas analysis.« less

  • The primary objective of this project is to develop an advanced continuous mild gasification process and product upgrading processes which will be capable of eventual commercialization. The program consists of four tasks. Task 1 is a literature survey of mild gasification processes and product upgrading methods and also a market assessment of markets for mild gasification products. Based on the literature survey, a mild gasification process and char upgrading method will be identified for further development. Task 2 is a bench-scale investigation of mild gasification to generate design data for a larger scale reactor. Task 3 is a bench-scale studymore » of char upgrading to value added products. Task 4 is being implemented by building and operating a 1,000-pound per hour demonstration facility. Task 4 also includes a technical and economic evaluation based on the performance of the mild gasification demonstration facility. Seven briquette tests were made to show the effects of different volatile matter contents of chars on coke quality. Higher char volatiles in the range of 7.52% to 14.14% produced better quality coke. This correlation was determined for a low volatile coal, Pocahontas {number_sign}3, and a mid volatiles coal, Sewell Lady H. Fifteen CMGU test runs were made using low volatile coal, Pocahontas {number_sign}3, and a mid volatile coal, Sewell Lady H. The 1,000 pounds/hour design coal feed rate was exceeded at 1,183 pounds/hour. Improvements to the vapor handling system were made including installation of a packed column demister and a tar trap condenser. Elimination of smoke emissions from the flare is in progress.« less

  • ; ; ; ...
    The char produced in the 100-lb/hr process development unit has been magnetically cleaned by AMAX and returned to the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC). The final calcining step of the process is currently being performed in the 4-lb/hr continuous fluidized-bed reactor (CFBR). The liquid products generated by the PDU have been collected and split into usable fractions and fractions to be discarded. Samples of the coal-derived liquids have been sent to Merichem Corporation of Houston and Koppers Industries of Pittsburgh for determination of their usefulness as chemical feedstock for the production of cresylic acids and anode-grade-binder pitch. The technicalmore » and economic assessment performed by Xbi and J.E Sinor Consultants has been completed. The briquette testing being conducted at the EERC has produced high quality briquettes using a number of binder agents. The next step in the test matrix will include the use of coal-derived liquids from the PDU as the binder. An additional coal has been added to the mild gasification test matrix. AMAX recently acquired two eastern low-sulfur bituminous coals and suggested that a limited test schedule be conducted to determine the suitability of these coals for the mild gasification process. The sulfur levels in the raw coals are below the target levels suggested by the steel industry for metallurgical coke use. To date, it has not been possible to reach these goals using the high-sulfur Illinois Basin coals tested.« less