Advanced Coal ConversionUniversity of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research

Introduction and Overview

The objective to advance the design, construction and commissioning of an integrated

coal/biomass-to-liquids (CBTL) facility at a capacity of 1 bbl./day at UKy-CAER.

Purposely designed as modular, skid-mounted, anticipating frequent change-outs; “plug and

play;” and future re-purposing.

A test platform to take lab scale work to the next level of scale-up and to have a fully integrated

gas to final products continuous proof-of-concept facility.

An important syngas production facility for a variety of future and complimentary research.

Chemical Looping Technology:

1. Application of Chemical Looping (CL) with Spouting Fluidized Bed for Hydrogen-Rich Syngas Production from Catalytic Coal Gasification

(Supported by DOE – NETL), DE-FE0024000)

2. Coal-fueled Pressurized Chemical Looping Combustion with a Spouting Fluidized Bed (Supported by DOE – NETL), DE-FE0025098)

o Gasification and Quench Chamber

o Dry coal consumption: 1 ton/day

o Syngas production: 179 lbs/hr

o H/CO: ~0.75/1

Small-scale Pilot Plant for the Gasification of Coal and Coal/Biomass Blends and Conversion of Derived Syngas to Liquid Fuels via Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) - National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)

DE-FE0010482

Downstream Processing

Applications

Coal gasification and H2-rich syngas production

PCLC Combined Cycle Power Generation

Fu

el R

eact

or

Air

Rea

cto

r

Air Compressor

Lo

op

-sea

l

Ash cooler

Hot CO2/Steam

Hot Spend Air

Cyclone-1

Cy

clo

ne-

2

Hopper-2

Char/coal

Ash

CO2

To Gas Analyzer-I

Vent to Air

To

CO

2 R

ecy

clin

g/C

om

pre

sso

r

To

Gas

An

aly

zer-

II

Cooler-I

Condenser

Vent to Flare

Screw Feeder

R P F

Pre-heater-1 Water Tank

Air

Tank

SG

Hopper-2

Pre-heater-2

Rai

ser

Hot Fluidization

Gas/N2

Hot

Fluidization

Gas/N2

H-Filter

L-Filter

Hea

tin

g E

lem

ents

To Fuel injectionFuel injection

1. AR & FR;

2. Fuel/OC feeding;

3. Gas supply: Steam; fluidizing gas; Air

4. Furnace

4. Gas clean- up;

5. Gas/solid sampling and measurement

6. P/T/Q measurement;

7. Data acquisition system;

8. Failsafe System

9. Supporting

20 30 40 50 60 70 80

C

3

3-Fe3O4

B

2-NaAlSiO4

1

1

A

Inte

nsity (

a.u

.)

2

1-Fe2O3

11

1 1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1 1

1 11

1

1

12

2

3

3

33

3 3

3 3

3

A-Fresh

B-Used after long term run

C- Reduced

HP IP LP

E-Generator

PM

Control

Pressurized CLC

Water

CHX

GT

Cyclo

ne

E-Generator

Reheat Steam

CO2 Disposal

Re

do

x-B

Loopseal

OC

makeup

Main Steam

Condenser

CO

2/H

2O

Str

ea

m

Ash

Air

AC

Air

HRSG-1

HRSG-2

Gas/Liquid

Seperator

Feed Water

IP Steam

LP Steam

Steam/CO2

CO2 compressor

CO2 Recycling for Fluidization agent

Coal

Hot Spent Air

Oxid

ize

r(1.2

Mp

a /1

00

0-

11

00℃

)

To Oxidizer

PM

Filt

er

CO2/H2O Stream

ST

CO2

StackSpent Air

Oxidized OC /MeO

OC /M

e Pu

lve

rize

d c

oa

l h

an

dlin

g

Re

do

x-s

po

ute

d b

ed

(1.2

Mp

a /9

50

-

10

00℃

)

Steam generator &

super-preheaterRecycled

CO2

Pump

Fuel (CH4 or solid fuel)

+ steam/CO2

Air

Hot O2 Depleted Air(for heat or power generation)

Hot Regenerated

OC-catalyst

Depleted OC-

catalyst

Air Reactor(exothermic)

Fuel Reactor(endothermic)

CO2/H2O or Syngas

Key Features

• CLC: heat release = normal combustion

• CLG: poly-generation (fuel & power)

• Low energy penalty

• High purity CO2 stream ready for

sequestration

CLC Scheme

Focus at UKy-CAER

Cost-effective oxygen carrier development (Fe-based, ilmenite & solid waste )

Design & technical-economic evaluation of PCL for power generation / syngas production

Demonstration of PCLC/CLG (1-50 kWth fixed / fluidized / spouted bed)

Fundamental: kinetics of coal gasification / OC reaction, pollutants, coal impurities

1. Fundamental

H2+CO

Hot/Oxidized

OCs

H2O

H2O

Heat

CO2+H2O+H2+CO

Char

Heat

CO2+H2O+minor (H2+CO)

Ash

Heat

Reduced OCs

5. Pilot-scale Unit - 50 kWth Pressurized Unit

Opposed Multi-Burner Gasification and Coal Water Slurry

Coal

Torrefied Wood

Sawdust

H2/CO = 0.77

TEM-HRTEM-EELS

(a) Fresh particle (b) Fresh (c) used after 20 redox cycle

2. TG-MS

4. Bench-scale Unit

6. Collaboration with China1MWth Chemical-looping hydrogen production from bio-oil3. Mini Reactor

Time / min

0 100 200 300 400

H2

Co

nce

ntr

atio

n /

vo

l. %

0

20

40

60

80

100

800oC

850oC

900oC

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.00.000

0.002

0.004

0.006

0.008

0.010

0.012

0.014

1 bar

2 bar

4 bar

6 bar

Insta

nta

neous r

ate

of

convers

ion (

g/g

/s)

Degree of Carbon conversion(Xc)

Test condition:

1. Temperature: 950 oC

2. Steam concentration: 50vol%

3. Fuel: EKY 700 1.0 g

4. OC: ARM 150 g

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

H2 generation reactor

Air reactor

Fuel reactor

Te

mp

. (°

C)

Operation Hrs

Efficiency 43% COE: $ 40.61/MWth lower CO2 capture cost: $25.12/t lower

Platform for Future Research

In-Situ WGS and Warm Sulfur Removal

WGS Chamber (moving bed) directly after

Gasification Chamber

Red mud (industrial by-product) catalyzes WGS

with simultaneous H2S/COS removal. Eliminate

external WGS reactor

H2/CO ratio ≥ 4

Reduce capital and improve efficiency

Syngas Cleanup – Solvent and Membrane Evaluation

Advantages

Improved flow distribution

Enhanced residence time

Higher carbon conversion

High syngas production

Wide capacity range and flexible load

FT productsFT reactor

WGS reactor

(H2/CO=2:1)

FT reactor (liquid CxHy)

HydrocrackerLiquid fuels

1bbl/day

FT catalyst

\

Ignition 145℃

460℃ Shut down

Figure 4 The flame in the gasifier

Acknowledgements: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Carbon

Management Research Group (CMRG), Department of Energy Development and Independence (DEDI), State of Wyoming.

Facility Description and Process Units

Our Solution

OC agglomeration Limited gasification rate Large-scale OC Production

Spouted Fluidized BedPressurizing Catalyst

7. Challenges/hurdles

• Agglomeration by coal tar

• Slow kinetics

• Costly oxygen carriers

• Stability and longevity