(534b) Catalytic PRB Coal-CO2 Gasification for Producing Syngas with Almost Zero CH4 and Desired H2:CO Ratio Required for Chemical and Fuel Synthesis

Wenyang Lu^a, Bang Xu^a, Qinxi Cao^a, Maohong Fan^a,b,c,*

^aDepartment of Chemical Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

^bSchool of Energy Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

^cDepartment of Petroleum Engineering, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA

*Corresponding Author and Principal Investigator: email: mfan@uwyo.edu; phone: (307) 766 5633

The DOE project was designed to develop a catalytic gasification technology with the characteristics of zero CH₄ and low CO₂ generations. Specific goals in (1) reducing CH₄ and CO₂ by 30% and 50%, respectively. (2) increasing H₂ in the produced syngas from pyrolysis at least 20%. (3) generating CO with near 0 CH₄ in CO₂-char gasification. (4) produce syngas with H₂:CO = 2:1 and <0.5% CH₄. (5) reducing activation energies by 50%. The effects of iron and sodium on the coal pyrolysis were evaluated by a lab-scale fixed bed reactor. Various methods including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to analyze the materials including coal and char associated with the catalytic gasification process. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Mossbauer spectroscopy tests indicate that the weight percentage ratio of Na₂CO₃ to FeCO₃ can significantly affect the composition of the syngas. Compared to raw coal, the coal with composite catalyst does not only achieve higher carbon conversion rate but also increase the yields of desired H₂ and CO by 65.90% and 54.49% at 800 ^oC, respectively.

Key word: Catalytic-gasification, carbon conversion, activation energy.