Bench Scale Demonstration Of Hot Gas Desulfurization Technology Quarterly Report January 1995 March 1995

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is sponsoring research in advanced methods for controlling contaminants in hot coal gasifier gas (coal gas) streams of integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power systems. The programs focus on hot-gas particulate removal and desulfurization technologies that match or nearly match the temperatures and pressures of the gasifier, cleanup system, and power generator. The work seeks to eliminate the need for expensive heat recovery equipment, reduce efficiency losses due to quenching, and minimize wastewater treatment costs. The goal of this project is to continue further development of the zinc titanate desulfurization and direct sulfur recovery process (DSRP) technologies by (1) scaling up the zinc titanate reactor system; (2) developing an integrated skid-mounted zinc titanate desulfurization-DSRP reactor system; (3) testing the integrated system over an extended period with real coal-gas from an operating gasifier to quantify the degradative effect, if any, of the trace contaminants present in coal gas; (4) developing an engineering database suitable for system scaleup; and (5) designing, fabricating and commissioning a larger DSRP reactor system capable of operating on a six-fold greater volume of gas than the DSRP reactor used in the bench-scale field test. The work performed during the October 1 through December 31, 1995 is described.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC), is sponsoring research in advanced methods for controlling contaminants in hot coal gasifier gas (coal gas) streams of integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power systems. Through bench-scale development, both fluidized-bed zinc titanate and Direct Sulfur Recovery Process (DSRP) technologies have been shown to be technically and economically attractive. In the zinc titanate approach, sulfur dioxide is the produced and must be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. In the DSRP, elemental sulfur is the catalytic product.

The goal of this project is to continue further development of the zinc titanate desulfurization and Direct Sulfur Recovery (DSRP) technologies by: scaling up the zinc titanate reactor system; developing an integrated skid-mounted zinc titanate desulfurization-DSRP reactor system; testing the integrated system over an extended period with real coal-gas from an operating gasifier to quantify the degradative effect, if any, of the trace contaminants present in coal gas; developing an engineering database suitable for system scaleup; and designing, fabricating and commissioning a larger DSRP reactor system capable of operating on a six-fold greater volume of gas than the DSRP reactor used in the bench-scale field test. This report discusses the field testing of the Zinc Titanate Fluid Bed Desulfurization/DSRP at the Morgantown Energy Technology Center.

At the start of the current project, the DSRP (Direct Sulfur Recovery Process) technology was at the bench-scale development stage with a skid-mounted system ready for field testing. The process had been extended to fluidized-bed operation in the Stage 1 reactor. A preliminary economic study for a 100 MW plant in which the two-stage DSRP was compared to conventional processes indicated the economic attractiveness of the DSRP. Through bench-scale development, both fluidized-bed zinc titanate and DSRP technologies have been shown to be technically and economically attractive. The demonstrations prior to the start of this project, however, had only been conducted using simulated (rather than real) coal gas and simulated regeneration off-gas. Thus, the effect of trace contaminants in real coal gases on the sorbent and DSRP catalyst was not known. Also, the zinc titanate desulfurization unit and DSRP had not been demonstrated in an integrated manner. The overall goal of this project is to continue further development of the zinc titanate desulfurization and DSRP technologies by scale-up and field testing (with actual coal gas) of the zinc titanate fluidized-bed reactor system, and the Direct Sulfur Recovery Process.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is sponsoring research in advanced methods for controlling contaminants in hot coal gasifier gas (coal gas) streams of integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) power systems. The programs focus on hot-gas particulate removal and desulfurization technologies that match or nearly match the temperatures and pressures of the gasifier, cleanup system, and power generator. The work seeks to eliminate the need for expensive heat recovery equipment, reduce efficiency losses due to quenching, and minimize wastewater treatment costs. The goal of this project is to continue further development of the zinc titanate desulfurization and direct sulfur recovery process (DSRP) technologies by (1) scaling up the zinc titanate reactor system; (2) developing an integrated skid-mounted zinc titanate desulfurization-DSRP reactor system; (3) testing the integrated system over an extended period with real coal-as from an operating gasifier to quantify the degradative effect, if any, of the trace contaminants present in cola gas; (4) developing an engineering database suitable for system scaleup; and (5) designing, fabricating and commissioning a larger DSRP reactor system capable of operating on a six-fold greater volume of gas than the DSRP reactor used in the bench-scale field test. The work performed during the April 1 through June 30, 1996 period is described.