Low/medium Btu coal gasification assessment of central plant for the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Executive summary

Technical Report · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6376399

From the 15 sites considered, the Philadelphia Gas Works and Riverside sites were considered excellent candidates. Early in the study it was decided that the level of risk associated with the gasification process should be minimal. It was therefore determined that the process should be selected from those commercially proven. The following processes were considered: Lurgi, Koppers-Totzek, Winkler, and Wellman-Galusha. From past experience and knowledge of the characteristics of each gasifier, a list of advantages and disadvantages of each process was formulated. The Galusha process offered the least capital and operating costs for low Btu gas (approximately 150 Btu per cu ft), and the KT and Lurgi emerged as the better processes for medium Btu gas (approximately 300 Btu per cu ft). A study was carried out to assess the impact on users having to switch from oil or natural gas to low or medium Btu gas. Medium Btu gas was selected in order to service many users with gas having generally useful combustion characteristics. For the production of 20 billion Btu per day two gasifiers are required, each gasifying about 500 tons of coal per day. Between the Lurgi and KT processes (which are competitive in terms of capital costs), the KT process shows a lower operating cost and is more flexible in terms of coal feed selection. In addition, the Lurgi (and the Galusha) gasifiers produce tars, phenols, and ammonia. Effective removal of these by-products adds to the complexity and operating inconvenience of the overall process. Therefore, the KT process (which is unique in its ability to gasify many coals) was selected. It is probable that most users would perfer to install dual fuel burners and retain some fuel oil storage capability.

• Research Organization: Philadelphia Gas Works, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG01-79RA20222
• OSTI ID: 6376399
• Report Number(s): DOE/FE/20222-1; ON: DE81027830
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
015000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
AVAILABILITY
CENTRAL REGION
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INTERMEDIATE BTU GAS
KOPPERS-TOTZEK PROCESS
LOW BTU GAS
LURGI PROCESS
MARKETING RESEARCH
NORTH AMERICA
PENNSYLVANIA
PETROLEUM
PRICES
SITE SELECTION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA
WELLMAN-GALUSHA PROCESS
WINKLER PROCESS