Steam gasification of carbon: Catalyst properties. Reporting period: December 15, 1989-March 14, 1990

Technical Report · Thu Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7090562· OSTI ID:7090562

Falconer, J. L.; Lauderback, L. L.

This research uses three techniques to study catalyzed gasification of carbon in an effort to determine the concentration of catalyst sites on a carbon surface and thus determine how effectively a catalyst is utilized for steam gasification. Both alkali and alkaline earth oxides are effective catalysts for accelerating the gasification rate of coal chars, but in many cases only a fraction of the catalyst is in a form that is effective for gasification. We will study the steam gasification of carbon in order to determine the concentration of active catalyst sites, the composition of the catalyst, and the location of the catalyst on the surface. Transient isotope tracing (switching reactant feed gases between H{sub 2}{sup 16}O and H{sub 2}{sup 18}O) will be used to measure the concentration of sites at steady-state reaction conditions. A steady flow of H{sub 2}{sup 16}O in He will be replaced by H{sub 2}{sup 18}O in He, while maintaining the same reaction rate, and the change in product signals will be detected with a computer-controlled mass spectrometer. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) will be used for both high surface area samples of carbon/carbonate mixtures that are heated in steam to various temperatures and for model surfaces with deposited ions. SIMS will provide a direct measurement of surface composition. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), a technique that provides atomic resolution images of surfaces, will be used to determine catalyst dispersion and the location of catalyst on the surface. The interrelation of the results from these techniques (for potassium and calcium catalysts) will provide knowledge of catalyst dispersion, composition, and utilization. Such knowledge is needed for optimal use of catalysts in steam gasification of coal char.

• Research Organization: Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-88PC88915
• OSTI ID: 7090562
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/88915-T6; ON: DE90009020
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL BONDS
COAL GASIFICATION
CARBON
CHARS
GRAPHITE
OXYGEN 16
OXYGEN 18
PROGRESS REPORT
STEAM
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
GASIFICATION
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MINERALS
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
OXYGEN ISOTOPES
PYROLYSIS PRODUCTS
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
010404* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Gasification