SYNGAS PRODUCTION BY PLASMA

GASIFICATION OF COAL

V.E.Messerle, A.B.Ustimenko, O.A.Lavrichshev

Institute of Thermophysics of SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia

Research Institute of Experimental and Theoretical Physics,
NTO Plasmotechnika, Almaty, Kazakhstan

ust@physics.kz

6th International Freiberg Conference on IGCC & XtL Technologies,

Coal Conversion and Syngas, 19-22 May 2014, Dresden/Radebeul, Germany
 OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate a perspective and possibilities

of solid fuel plasma gasification for production
of synthesis gas for metallurgy, power
engineering and chemical industry.
 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING

Chemical analysis of the solid fuels, % dry mass basis

Fuel 2 2 N2 S SiO2 Al2O3 Fe2O3 CaO MgO K2O Na2O

BC 48.86 6.56 3.05 0.8 0.73 23.09 13.8 2.15 0.34 0.31 0.16 0.15

PC 75.0 0.88 15.53 0.01 5.63 1.31 0.78 0.6 0.1 0.05 0.07 0.04

The BC higher heat value is 16632 kJ/kg; the ash is 40%.

The PC higher heat value is 47008 kJ/kg; the ash is 3%.
 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING

For computation of the solid fuels gasification

thermodynamic code TERRA was used.

The calculations were performed over a range of

temperatures from 400 to 4000 K and pressure 0.1 MPa.

Solid fuel Initial Composition of System for Computation

Bituminous 1.0 of BC & 1.275 of air

coal (BC) 1.0 of BC & 0.6275 of water steam

Petrocoke 1.0 of PC & 4.6 of air

(PC) 1.0 of PC & 1.2 of water steam
 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING
1.0 of BC & 1.275 of air

Organic species Mineral species Condensed phase

Concentrations of Gas and Condensed Phases Species

versus Temperature
 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING
1.0 of BC & 0.6275 of water steam

Organic species Mineral species Condensed phase

Concentrations of Gas and Condensed Phases Species

versus Temperature
 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING

1.0 of PC & 4.6 of air 1.0 of PC & 1.2 of water steam

Concentrations of Gas Phase Species versus Temperature

 THERMODYNAMIC MODELLING

Carbon Gasification Degree Specific Power Consumptions for

versus Temperature the Gasification versus Temperature

1 air gasification of BC;

2 steam gasification of BC;
3 air gasification of PC;
4 steam gasification of PC.
 EXPERIMENT

Layout of
Plasma
Installation for
Gasification of
Coal
 EXPERIMENT

Scheme of Plasma Reactor

1 rode graphite cathode; 2 cathode insulator; 3 water cooled cover;
4 electromagnetic coil; 5 ring graphite anode; 6 graphite orifice
 EXPERIMENT

Laboratory Scale
Plasma Installation
For Solid Fuel Gasification

Nominal Electric Power: 100 kW

Induction: 0.015 tesla
PF Consumption: 10 kg/h
Steam or Air Flow: 10 kg/h
 EXPERIMENT
Plasma Reactor in Action
Flowmeter

Hole for temperature measuring

Electromagnetic coil for

arc rotating

Probe for temperature measuring

Digital optical pyrometer

 EXPERIMENT

Dispersed composition of pulverized solid fuels

Average size of BC particles Average size of PC particles

is 75 m (R90=25%) is 105 m (R90=60%)
Syngas Flame as a Result of Coal
Plasma Gasification
 EXPERIMENT

Main Indexes of the Solid Fuels Plasma Gasification

Syngas
Consumption, kg/h compound,
W0 , Q, av, Xc,
N Fuel vol.%
kW kWh/kg K %
exit
pf WS air
gas
2 N2
1 BC 8.0 - 8.0 12.3 33 2.1 2100 27.4 15.9 55.3 89.6
2 BC 4.0 - 5.1 7.4 30 3.1 2850 38.1 18.2 43.7 95.8
3 BC 4.0 1.9 - 4.2 25 4.8 3500 41.5 55.8 2.7 94.2
4 BC 6.6 3.0 1.9 8.5 52.8 4.7 3550 38.6 51.4 9.8 92.0
5 PC 2.5 3.5 - 5.1 60 9.4 3800 33.9 65.3 0.8 76.3
6 PC 2.5 3.0 - 4.9 60 9.6 3850 36.2 63.1 0.7 78.6
 EXPERIMENT

Comparison of numerical and experimental results

Concentrations, vol. %
XC ,%
Method CO H2 N2
BC air gasification (U=150 V, I=200 A, P=30 kW, Tmass=2850 K)
Experiment 27.4 15.9 55.3 95.8
Thermodynamic simulation 36.6 16.4 36.6 100
BC steam gasification (U=125 V, I=200 A, P=25 kW, Tmass=3500 K )
Experiment 36.2 18.2 43.7 95.8
Thermodynamic simulation 37.3 19.8 34.1 100
PC steam gasification (U=300 V, I=200 A, P=60 kW, Tmass=3850 K )
Experiment 36.2 63.1 0.7 78.6
Thermodynamic simulation 21.3 76.1 - 100
 COST OF THE SYNTHESIS GAS PRODUCED BY
PLASMA AND CONVENTIAL TECHNOLOGY

Pcoal coal Psteam steam PC C Pel Qel Kplant

13.6 0.98 18.3 0.46 250 0.02 0.03 2500 17.2

1 ton syngas commercial

1 ton syngas (Cs-g) net cost
value
$119 $207
Cs-g=Pcoal*Mcoal+ Psteam*Msteam+ PC*MC+Pel*Qel + Kplant
P is price ($), M is mass (ton), Qel is quantity of electric power
(kW hour) and Kplant is specific capital investment to create the plant,
indexes coal, steam, C, el, plant correspond to coal, water steam,
electrode carbon, electric power and the plant.
 CONCLUSIONS

Fulfilled study of two essentially different solid fuels

gasification showed possibility to produce high quality syngas
both in steam and air plasma. It has been found that syngas
with the H2+CO content up to 97.4% can be produced.

The received syngas from the solid fuels is a high-quality

power gas, and it can be used for synthesis of methanol
(CO+2H2=CH3OH).

Syngas of this quality is high-potential reducing agent for iron

ore direct reducing and can serve as a substitute of
metallurgical coke.

Plasma steam gasification is perspective method for hydrogen

production through water steam decomposition by carbon of
low-rank solid fuel.
Thanks !