Process Heat Reactor Program. Quarterly progress report, February 1-April 30, 1964

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1964

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6439573· OSTI ID:6439573

Work was continued on the development of a process for the gasification of bituminous coal with heat from a nuclear reactor. Major objectives of the project are: (1) develop and test components for a gas-cooled reactor system that can heat gases to 2000/sup 0/ to 2500/sup 0/F; (2) investigate coal gasification methods compatible with this system; and (3) develop an exchanger that can utilize high-temperature heat to gasify coal or heat chemical process streams. During the past year, work was concentrated on the design, construction and installation of a fluidized-bed gasifier in the high-temperature heat system. Design of the fluidized-bed gasifier was based on information obtained from laboratory and pilot-scale gasifiers. The gasification chamber, a length of 6-inch, schedule 80 stainless steel pipe, is fitted with ten 1/2-inch Hastelloy-X tubes running lengthwise. Hot helium flowing through the 1/2-inch tubes provides heat for the gasification of the steam-fluidized char in the 6-inch pipe. Helium leaving the gasifier generates the superheated steam required for gasification. Fabrication and installation of the gasifier was completed and shakedown runs started. In the gasifier, the heat-exchanger tubes will be heated to 1900/sup 0/F in a mixture of the corrosive gases, including H/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, H/sub 2/S and steam. Few of the well-established alloys can withstand this service, but some of the newer high-temperature alloys may be suitable. Several of them are being evaluated in an environmental testing apparatus. This unit provides controlled temperature of sample tubes and an atmosphere identical to that in the gasifier. Chemical and metallurgical analyses of the alloy specimens will be made after the tubes have been tested.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Morgantown, WV (USA). Morgantown Coal Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6439573
• Report Number(s): DOE/NBM-5002796; ON: DE85002796
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210900 -- Nuclear Power Plants-- Process Heat Reactors-- (-1987)
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL GASIFICATION PLANTS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENERGY TRANSFER
FLUIDIZED BED
FLUIDS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HEAT
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT TRANSFER
HELIUM
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
MATERIALS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NONMETALS
PROCESS HEAT
PROCESS HEAT REACTORS
RARE GASES
REACTORS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
US AEC
US BUREAU OF MINES
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS