Probstien, Ronald F.

Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology and
Water Purification Associates

Hicks, R. Edwin
Water Purification Assicates

McGraw-Hill Book Company

Copyright 1982

 Table of Contents

Wong Ha Ing

Bachelor of Engineering Thesis

THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

Division of Chemical Engineering

Abstract
This project relates to the production of methanol from a gasification coal process at Tarong Power Plant. The gasification process produces syngas (CO + H2) which can be further processed for methanol production. Crude methanol is the initial product which requires further distillation in order to meet the final product specifications as Chemical Grade AA methanol, Fuel Grade Methanol and MTBE Grade Methanol.
Coal is a combustible mineral that contains more than 50% w/w of carbonaceous material. Coal gasification technology is the latest “clean coal technology” whose resulting product gases such as CO2, CO, H2, CH4 and others can be used to produce methanol, low sulphur diesel or hydrogen for fuel cell applications. The technology will also reduce gaseous emissions to the environment, which results in reduction of environmental pollution impact such as the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and photochemical smog.
Gasification is defined as conversion of coal to produce gases such as CO, H2, CH4 and others. The syngas mainly (CO + H2) is fed to a liquid fuel plant to produce low sulphur diesel, methanol or perhaps hydrogen. There are many types of gasifier design such as the entrained flow gasifier, moving bed gasifier, fluidized bed gasifier and fixed bed gasifier. Typically there are two stages of gasification before syngas is produced- pyrolysis and gasification/ combustion. The descriptions of various gasifiers are given in the literature review section. The syngas is fed to cleaning technology units such as particulate matter removal units, water removal units, sulphur removal units and carbon dioxide removal units before being fed to the methanol synthesis unit. 2 main processes take place in the methanol synthesis plant- water gas shift reaction and Low Pressure Methanol process to produce crude methanol before is delivered to purification units for further purification. By- products, especially steam, can be used for power generation application to produce additional electricity.
In addition to the literature review this thesis also consists of a PFD of a methanol synthesis plant and ASPEN simulation model analysis. This is important to ensure the liquid fuel plant operates under a safe and effective regime.

Download this paper at :

http://www.cheque.uq.edu.au/ugrad/theses/2004/pdf/CHEE4006/40228994/40228994.pdf

September 2005

Ola Maurstad

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Laboratory for Energy and the Environment

Introduction

The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) produces electricity from a solid or liquid fuel. First, the fuel is converted to syngas which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Second, the syngas is converted to electricity in a combined cycle power block consisting of a gas turbine process and a steam turbine process which includes a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG). The combined cycle technology is similar to the technology used in modern natural gas fired power plants.

Coal based IGCC plants are still not fully commercial. A number of demonstration plants with electric output up to 300 MW have been built in Europe and the US, all with financial support from government. The motivation for pursuing this technology is the potential for better environmental performance at a low marginal cost. This is especially true for mercury removal and CO2 capture. In order to compete with conventional pulverized coal plants under current environmental regulation, the main challenges facing the IGCC technology today are capital cost and availability.

Download this paper at :

http://lfee.mit.edu/public/LFEE_2005-002_WP5.pdf

Robert H. Williams, Princeton Environmental Institute, Princeton University

12 January 2005

CONCLUSIONS

• It seems feasible to make a major contribution in addressing challenges posed by the automobile—in this quarter century—via production and use of designer synfuels from coal/biomass with CCS

• Major technical uncertainty is “gigascale” viability of CO2 storage—many more “megascale” CO2 storage demos needed…soon
• Biomass synfuel production technology must be brought to commercial readiness (commercial gasifier needed) and demonstrated…new Swedish biomass synfuel test facility at former BIGCC demo site
• Also demos needed for synfuels plants with CCS…but radical new technologies not needed

• Carbon mitigation policy needed
• Institutional/cultural challenges:
  – Overcoming widespread ill feelings about coal synfuels costly synfuels failures of late 1970s-early 1980s
  – Political will to enact ambitious automotive efficiency improvement policy
  – Coalition-building for proposed strategy—across multiple industries and
  involving international collaborations (e.g., among Australia, Brazil, China, US)

Link to this paper at : http://www.princeton.edu/~cmi/events/2005/WilliamsWpm.pdf

Yukihiko MATSUMURA

Biomass Project Research Center, Hiroshima University

Link to this paper at :

http://unit.aist.go.jp/internat/biomassws/material/Yukihiko-matsumura.pdf

August 2002–January 2004

J. Van Gerpen, B. Shanks, and R. Pruszko, D. Clements, G. Knothe

 National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Biodiesel Production Technology

Background

1. Basics of Biodiesel Production

2. Basic Organic Chemistry

3. Biodiesel Specifications and Properties

 Biodiesel Production Processes

4. Types of Biodiesel Production

5. Basic Plant Equipment and Operation

6. Chemical Plant Controls

7. Pretreatment of High Free Fatty Acid Feedstocks

8. Patent Discussion

9. Patent List for Biodiesel

10. Post Reaction Processing

11. Treatment and Recovery of Side

 Biodiesel Plant Logistics

12. Feedstock Preparation

13. Feedstock Quality Issues

14. Plant Safety

15. Biodiesel Transportation and Storage

16. Product Quality

Link to this paper at :

http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy04osti/36244.pdf

Link to this paper at :

http://web.mit.edu/10.391J/www/0331SE05bioenergy.pdf

STRAW GASIFICATION FOR CO-COMBUSTION IN LARGE CHP-PLANTS

ERK5 – CT – 1999 – 0004

PREFACE

This is the final report of the STRAWGAS-project “Straw gasification for co-combustion in large CHP-plants”. The report covers process validation of the gasification and gas cleaning tests that were carried out in 2000 and the design study of a 100 MWth gasifier. Process validation and design study covers gasification of 100% straw and a fuel mix of straw and wood.

The project partners Foster Wheeler Energia Oy and ENERGI E2 A/S (former Elkraft Power Company) have executed the major part of the project with VTT Energy (Finland) and TK energi (Denmark) as valuable sub-suppliers. The project has received substantial economical support from the European Commission.

The experimental research consisted of 3 main tasks:

• The capability of the developed feeding system to feed loose straw into the gasifier
• The optimal process conditions and additives for gasifying loose straw
• The capability of the selected gas cleaning system to make the gas suitable for cocombustion
in large CHP-plants

In the design study a full-scale straw gasification plant of 100 MWth and the integration with an existing large CHP plant was investigated. The practical solutions of all unit operations
were developed. The budget for a complete plant was calculated and consequently the overall project economy was assessed. The result of the process validation and design
study can be the technical and economical basis for a decision to built a demonstration plant.

This project was carried out in the period from April 2000 to May 2001.

Link to this paper at :

http://www.gastechnology.org/webroot/downloads/en/IEA/IEASTRAWGAS.pdf

IEA/H2/TR-02/001

Thomas A. Milne, Carolyn C. Elam and Robert J. Evans
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Golden, CO USA

Preface

This report is a review largely of thermochemical research studies for the formation of hydrogen from whole biomass and stable intermediate products from biomass. The purpose of this report is to serve as a baseline of the state of the art and to identify research opportunities that can be conducted within a new Task of the International Energy Agencys (IEA) Programme on the Production and Utilization of Hydrogen. This new Task, Task 16  Hydrogen from Carbon Containing Materials, will begin work in early 2002. Subtask B addresses Biomass to Hydrogen. The Task Leader is Elisabet Fjermestad Hagen, Norsk Hydro ASA, N-0246, Oslo, Norway. Included in this report are references to the thermal gasification of biomass. These were reviewed in cooperation with the IEA Bioenergy Programme, specifically the Gasification Task – Suresh Babu, Task Leader. Suresh.Babu@gastechnology.org

Link to this paper at :

http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/pdfs/hydrogen_biomass.pdf

Dr. Joan M. Ogden

A report for the International Energy Agency
Agreement on the Production and Utilization of Hydrogen
Task 16, Hydrogen from Carbon-Containing Materials

INTRODUCTION
This report to the International Energy Agency (IEA) reviews technical options for small-scale production of hydrogen via reforming of natural gas or liquid fuels. The focus is on small
stationary systems that produce pure hydrogen at refueling stations for hydrogen-fueled vehicles. Small reformer-based hydrogen production systems are commercially available from
several vendors. In addition, a variety of small-scale reformer technologies are currently being developed as components of fuel cell systems (for example, natural gas reformers coupled to phosphoric acid or proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PAFC or PEMFC) cogeneration systems, and onboard fuel processors for methanol and gasoline fuel cell vehicles). Although fuel cell reformers are typically designed to produce a reformate gas containing 40%-70% hydrogen, rather than pure hydrogen, in many cases they could be readily adapted to pure hydrogen production with the addition of purification stages.

Link to this paper at :

http://www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/31948.pdf