Combustion engineering two-stage, atmospheric-pressure, entrained-flow coal-gasification process-development-unit program. Final report

Technical Report · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6147906

Darling, S L; Koucky, R W; Tanca, M C

A program was conducted to design, construct and operate a two-stage, atmospheric-pressure, entrained-flow, low-Btu coal-gasification process-development unit (PDU) having a capacity of 5 tons/h of coal. The program was jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy, the Electric Power Research Institute, and Combustion Engineering, Inc. The objectives of the program were: (1) to demonstrate the capability and suitability of the process and equipment to produce a clean, low-Btu gas from coal, and (2) to provide design information for scale-up to commercial-size plants. During the 3-y PDU test program, beginning in June 1978, a series of 12 runs was conducted. Pittsburgh seam coal was fired for 5085 h and clean fuel gas was produced for 3746 h. Also, coal was fired for 250 h during shakedown, which began in December 1977. Product-gas higher heating values above 100 Btu/scf were observed during initial testing when gasifier thick-wall refractory was intact. However, refractory thickness decreased, causing higher vessel heat absorption and hence lower gas temperatures. Lower-than-design gasification kinetics for Pittsburgh-seam-coal char and higher-than-design vessel heat absorption resulted in lower char-gasification rates and decreased gas-heating values. As a result, when the gasifier was operated at the design feed rate of 10,000 lb/h, char inventory was not in balance and gas-heating values were generally less than 100 Btu/scf. Several equipment and operating problems were identified, including refractory durability, char-feed-system limitations and slag tap blockage. A mathematical model was developed to provide a basis for scale-up to commercial-size gasifiers. The model was calibrated using experimental data from the PDU tests and bench-scale support studies. The major process concepts and gasifier design features were demonstrated in tests at reduced coal feed rates. 66 figures, 55 tables.

• Research Organization: Combustion Engineering, Inc., Windsor, CT (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-76ET10204
• OSTI ID: 6147906
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/10204-1401; ON: DE83013060
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
CALORIFIC VALUE
CE ENTRAINED FUEL PROCESS
CHARS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COAL GASIFICATION
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
CONSTRUCTION
DATA
DESIGN
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOWSHEETS
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
INFORMATION
LOW BTU GAS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDATION
PERFORMANCE
PROCESS DEVELOPMENT UNITS
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
REFRACTORIES
STAGED COMBUSTION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES