Fundamental studies of catalytic gasification: Quarterly report, October 1, 1987-December 31, 1987
In the catalytic steam gasification of chars, North Dakota lignite char was selected for an investigation of ash component-catalyst interaction because of its high mineral content. Both nickel and potassium seem to react with minerals in the ash, greatly reducing catalytic activity of the nickel-potassium catalyst. Ash components initially catalyze gasification in the absence of an added catalyst, but this activity rapidly declines with time. When a nickel-potassium catalyst is added to the char after its gasification activity has ceased, gasification resumes with good activity and steady state gas production until almost all carbonaceous matter has been gasified. Demineralization of the char by HCl/HF treatment resulted in a char which had no catalytic activity of its own, but which was easily gasified after impregnation with Ni/K catalyst. Gasification proceeded at steady state and without the poisoning of activity observed in the presence of mineral matter. Potassium appears to interact with calcium in the ash giving an eutecticum which wets the carbon and acts as a gasification catalyst, which is superior to either potassium or calcium alone in the absence of ash. Alkali earth-alkali mixtures must therefore be investigated as potential catalysts. Nickel alone is very sensitive to the ash content of the char, apparently due to interaction between nickel and either calcium and/or sulfur. It has almost no activity for gasifying the North Dakota char in contrast to a short lived high level activity in the gasification of graphite and of low ash chars. 17 refs, 4 figs., 4 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 5151234
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-24531; ON: DE88008391
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHARS
COAL GASIFICATION
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
HYDROXIDES
METALS
MINERALS
NICKEL
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROGRESS REPORT
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
STEAM
SYNTHESIS GAS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS