Mass and heat balance for coal gasification by Atomics International's Molten Salt Gasification Process

Conference · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1976 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6649183

Trilling, C A

Rockwell International's Atomics International Division is presently developing molten salt processes for the gasification of coal. In these processes, the coal is partially oxidized and completely gasified by reaction with air or with oxygen and steam in a bed of molten sodium carbonate. The gasification takes place at temperatures of 1700 to 1800/sup 0/F and pressures of 10 to 30 atm. The sulfur and ash of the coal are retained in the melt. A nonpolluting low- or medium-Btu gas is produced which can be used as fuel gas for electric utility or industrial applications or as a synthesis gas for the production of pipeline quality gas, methanol, or liquid hydrocarbons. A sidestream of melt is withdrawn from the gasifier and processed in an aqueous regeneration system for removal of ash, recovery of elemental sulfur, and return of the regenerated sodium carbonate to the gasifier. This report describes the mass and heat balance around the molten salt gasifier and the composition of the fuel gas produced as a function of air-to-coal or oxygen-and steam-to-coal feed ratios and system heat losses. Calculated values are compared with the experimental data obtained in laboratory and small scale pilot plant tests. The calculational procedures described in this report provide the necessary means for developing a first approximation model of the operation of the molten salt gasifier. While the experimental work has confirmed the applicability of these procedures to the analysis of the performance of laboratory-scale and small pilot plant-scale gasification tests, additional work needs to be done to develop a better definition of methane production and of the effect of operation at elevated pressures (10 to 30 atm).

• Research Organization: Atomics International, Canoga Park, CA
• OSTI ID: 6649183
• Report Number(s): CONF-770301-P2
• Journal Information: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States) Vol. 22:1; ISSN ACFPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COAL GASIFICATION
ENERGY LOSSES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HEAT LOSSES
INTERMEDIATE BTU GAS
LOSSES
LOW BTU GAS
MASS BALANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOLTEN SALT COAL GASIFICATION PROCESS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PILOT PLANTS
SODIUM CARBONATES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES