Catalyzed steam gasification of low-rank coals to produce hydrogen

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Prepr. Pap., Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6840378

Sears, R E; Timpe, R C; Galegher, S J; Willson, W G

Advance coal gasification technologies using low-rank coal is a promising alternative for meeting future demand for hydrogen. Steam gasification tests conducted at temperatures between 700/sup 0/ and 800/sup 0/C and atmospheric pressure resulted in product gas compositions matching those predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, 63-65 mol% hydrogen and less then 1 mol% methane. Steam gasification tests with four low-rank coals and a single bituminous coal were performed in a laboratory-scale thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) at temperatures of 700/sup 0/, 750/sup 0/, and 800/sup 0/C to evaluate process kinetics with and without catalyst addition. Catalysts screened included K/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, Na/sub 2/CO/sub 3/, trona, nahcolite, sunflower hull ash, and recycled lignite ash. North Dakota and Texas lignite chars were slightly more reactive than a Wyoming subbituminous coal char and eight to ten times more reactive than an Illinois bituminous coal char. Pure and mineral (trona nd nahcolite) alkali carbonates and recycled ash from K/sub 2/CO/sub 3/-catalyzed steam gasification tests substantially improved low-rank coal steam gasification rates. The reactivities obtained using trona and nahcolite to catalyze the steam gasification were the highest, at nearly 3.5 times those without catalysts.

• Research Organization: Univ. of North Dakota, Energy Research Center, Box 8213, University Station, Grand Forks, ND 58202
• OSTI ID: 6840378
• Report Number(s): CONF-8609181-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Prepr. Pap., Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem.; (United States) Journal Volume: 31:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
08 HYDROGEN
080107* -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Coal Gasification
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ASHES
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
BITUMINOUS COAL
BLACK COAL
BROWN COAL
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATES
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL RANK
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
KINETICS
LIGNITE
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NAHCOLITE
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POTASSIUM CARBONATES
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
RESIDUES
SODIUM CARBONATES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
STABILITY
STEAM
SUBBITUMINOUS COAL
SUNFLOWERS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRONA