Gasification is a process that converts carbon-rich materials such as coal, biomass and waste feedstocks into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide through a series of chemical reactions with sub-stoichiometric amounts of air or oxygen. The resulting gas mixture, known as syngas, can be used as a fuel or as a synthesis gas for the production of other chemicals and liquid fuels.
Gasification Principles
The basic principle of Gasification involves partial oxidation of a carbonaceous material using controlled amounts of oxygen, steam or air under high temperature and pressure. In the absence of complete combustion, the feedstock undergoes a series of complex reactions to produce syngas. The three main reactions are drying, pyrolysis and gasification.
Drying involves removing moisture from the feedstock using heat energy from the process. Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition and cracking of organic feed materials in the absence of oxygen to produce tars, light hydrocarbons and non-condensable gases. Gasification reactions then take place where the carbon reacts with steam (H2O) or carbon dioxide (CO2) to form carbon monoxide (CO) and with oxygen (O2) or steam (H2O) to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2).
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