Gasification: Making Syngas
Monday July 28, 2008
The price of fuel has eased somewhat over the past few weeks, but it’s doubtful that it will ever return to the levels of yesteryear. The remaining oil in the earth is becoming more technologically and politically difficult to procure. What to do then? Well, of course research continues on methods of distilling, fermenting and chemically cracking all manner of renewable feedstocks into biofuels. But there’s another way: gasification of plentiful coal or biomass. The end product of the process is a gaseous compound known as Syngas, which is just a few chemical alterations away from becoming synthetic fuel (gasoline or diesel).
Gasification plant in operation - © U.S. Department of Energy
Comments
Have you looked at the energy required, the water required and the additional CO2 involved in this type of process? That is the starting point for a look at this type of fuel source. It makes one shudder to think you don’t even touch on the issues involved with these types of fuels designed to continue the dependence on fossil fuels and neglect of the environmental impact..
Thanks for the comment, JPnSD. Though we concede your point about relying on coal as a feedstock, we do wonder how gasification of biomass could be construed as continuing our dependence on fossil fuels. If the resulting Syngas were used to manufacture synthetic liquid fuels, wouldn’t quite the opposite be true?
We did a good bit of research on gasification (of both coal and biomass) with resources from the U.S. Department of Energy and the private sector. Interestingly, none of them stated any hard numbers on the amounts of water and energy consumed by the gasification process. We do know however that many facilities utilize CO2 sequestration methods and there is research underway to crack CO2 and capture the resulting CO for other uses.
We’d love to have water and energy use numbers that we’d be able to include in future articles. Would you be willing to direct us to your resources or perhaps pass along any direct information that you have?
Thanks for visiting our site,
Christine and Scott
While this doesn’t address the water, energy, CO2 question directly, Eastman Chemical currently uses coal gasification to generate syngas and turn it into many of the chemicals that are normally derived from petroleum processing. I would assume this would imply it’s an economically viable process as far as chemical manufacuting is concerned. I would agree that if you can then convert to biomass or even carbon based waste, garbage or sewage for example, the process becomes even more desirable.
I keep reading about the “ongoing refinement” of Coal-To-Fuels (Be it gas or liquid). The Germans were invading Poland on Syn Fuel 65 years ago and SASOL has been making it for 30. Why are there not Coal-to-whatever plants springing up in the coal states? (I’ve heard of ground breaking of one in WV)
Thanks
Hi Walter,
Great question–we wish more people would think like you. And we think the time is nigh–up until now, there really hasn’t been impetus to develop gas to liquid fuel processes. Of course, that’s all changed now with our nearly $150/barrel crude oil.
It’s been a political problem because coal has a reputation of being a dirty fuel–much like the political backlash against nuclear as being dangerous. Public perception unfortunately does not always align with the facts. With the price of oil today, all these alternatives are getting a second glance. It’ll take time for the public to accept and appreciate the benefits of gasification and gas to liquid processes. But they will, as long as gasoline continues to hover in the $4/gallon range.
The development and construction of coal and biomass gasifiers will take time–just like nuclear reactors and oil drilling rigs can take years to come online after the initial plans are drawn up. We think it’s ridiculous that coal-rich regions haven’t jumped on this technology sooner. Politics is obviously playing some role, after all the oil industry lobby is extremely powerful. But the winds of change are blowing and this stuff can’t be ignored for much longer.
Thanks for writing.
Christine & Scott
I think we should leave the coal in the ground! The beauty of this process is that we can use carbon sources that were going to decompose anyway - That should offset the carbon footprint of using the resulting fuel…
Dear Christine & Scott’s,
Is it posible to use syngas from coal gasification for gas turbine fuel for substituting natural gas?
Thank’s & regards,
Hanny
Hi Hanny,
Thanks for a great question. The short answer is yes, it is possible to use syngas as a natural gas substitute to power turbine generators. However, adjustments must be made to the inlet orifice and the combustion control system–and depending on the turbine’s design and condition, some loss of power output will occur. Probably a better use for syngas would be to employ it as a feedstock for GTL (Gas To Liquid) processes that would render synthetic gasoline and diesel fuel.
Best,
Christine and Scott