23
Advanced
Coal Gasification System—Eltron
Research Inc., 4600 Nautilus Court South, Boulder, CO
80301-3241; 303-530-0263
Dr.
James H. White, Principal Investigator, eltron@eltronresearch.com
Mr.
James Steven Beck, Business Official, contracts@eltronresearch.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-05ER84200
Amount:
$750,000
The
efficient, clean, and cost effective conversion of coal is a principal goal of
the U.S. energy industry and the DOE. Although
still costly, coal gasification remains the most effective method for converting
the raw feedstock into syngas for liquid fuel production, for hydrogen
production (for fuel cell use), or for combustion in a gas turbine generator.
In order to reduce capital costs, this project will develop technology for integrating fluidized bed
gasification with chemical looping to allow gasification under less severe
conditions. In particular, the
technology eliminates cryogenic air separation and enables CO2
sequestration. Phase I identified
oxygen carrier materials and demonstrated the integration of air separation and
coal gasification in chemical looping. Preferred
catalyst materials not only were extremely inexpensive, but also exhibited an
oxygen storage capacity as high as 30 wt% and proved to be rugged even with
minimal processing. When
incorporated into a fluidized bed reactor, the gasification system exhibited
carbon conversion greater than 98% and cold gas efficiency greater than 70%, at
a bed temperature less than 850°C. These
results easily exceeded the performance of other fluidized bed gasification
processes while enabling CO2 sequestration. Phase
II will consist of the final selection and development of catalyst materials;
design, fabrication, and testing of a pilot scale chemical looping system; and
employment of the system in chemical looping coal gasification and other
potential applications.
Commercial Applications and other Benefits as
described by the awardee: The
technology should provide capital
savings in coal gasification processes by eliminating the air separation unit,
reducing plant cost by a significant amount (~20%). These
savings should make the technology attractive in combined cycle, hydrogen
production, coal-to-liquids, commodity chemical production, and other
applications.