Coal Gasification Technologies And The Need For Large Scale Projects

Coal gasification technologies and the need for large scale projects : hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, April 9, 2008.

Coal gasification technologies and the need for large scale projects : hearing before the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate, One Hundred Tenth Congress, second session, April 9, 2008.

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The ongoing discussion about reaching the "peak-oil point" (maximal delivery rate with conventional methods) emphasizes a fundamental change of the frame conditions of oil-based basic products. The alternative with the largest potential is the use of coal. Coal gasification is the production of coal gas (a mixture of mainly hydrogen and carbon monoxide) from coal adding agents like steam/water and oxygen, which can be used in a number of industrial processes (e.g. hydroformulation and Fischer-Tropsch process). Many different kinds of coal do naturally occur, and due to shrinking natural resources, there has been a substantial gain of interest in poor, ash-rich coal. Beside the quality of coal, there is a number of other parameters influencing the efficiency of coal gasification, such as temperature, pressure, and reactor type. Although several books dealing with the subject of gasification have recently been published, few are strictly focussed on coal as feedstock. This monograph provides the reader with the necessary chemical background on coal gasification. Several types of coal (baseline coal and ash-rich coal) are compared systematically, pointing out the technological efforts achieved so far to overcome this challenge. Using a new, innovative order scheme to evaluate the gasification process at a glance (the ternary diagram), the complex network of chemistry, engineering, and economic needs can be overviewed in a highly efficient way. This book is a must-have for Chemical and Process Engineers, Engineering Students, as well as Scientists in the Chemical Industry.

This book addresses the science and technology of the gasification process and the production of electricity, synthetic fuels and other useful chemicals. Pursuing a holistic approach, it covers the fundamentals of gasification and its various applications. In addition to discussing recent advances and outlining future directions, it covers advanced topics such as underground coal gasification and chemical looping combustion, and describes the state-of-the-art experimental techniques, modeling and numerical simulations, environmentally friendly approaches, and technological challenges involved. Written in an easy-to-understand format with a comprehensive glossary and bibliography, the book offers an ideal reference guide to coal and biomass gasification for beginners, engineers and researchers involved in designing or operating gasification plants.

Skyrocketing energy costs have spurred renewed interest in coal gasification. Currently available information on this subject needs to be updated, however, and focused on specific coals and end products. For example, carbon capture and sequestration, previously given little attention, now has a prominent role in coal conversion processes.This book approaches coal gasification and related technologies from a process engineering point of view, with topics chosen to aid the process engineer who is interested in a complete, coal-to-products system. It provides a perspective for engineers and scientists who analyze and improve components of coal conversion processes.The first topic describes the nature and availability of coal. Next, the fundamentals of gasification are described, followed by a description of gasification technologies and gas cleaning processes. The conversion of syngas to electricity, fuels and chemicals is then discussed. Finally, process economics are covered. Emphasis is given to the selection of gasification technology based on the type of coal fed to the gasifier and desired end product: E.g., lower temperature gasifiers produce substantial quantities of methane, which is undesirable in an ammonia synthesis feed. This book also reviews gasification kinetics which is informed by recent papers and process design studies by the US Department of Energy and other groups, and also largely ignored by other gasification books.• Approaches coal gasification and related technologies from a process engineering point of view, providing a perspective for engineers and scientists who analyze and improve components of coal conversion processes • Describes the fundamentals of gasification, gasification technologies, and gas cleaning processes • Emphasizes the importance of the coal types fed to the gasifier and desired end products • Covers gasification kinetics, which was largely ignored by other gasification books Provides a perspective for engineers and scientists who analyze and improve components of the coal conversion processes Describes the fundamentals of gasification, gasification technologies, and gas cleaning processes Covers gasification kinetics, which was largely ignored by other gasification books