Numerical Analysis for Coal Gasification Performance in a Lab-Scale Gasifier: Effects of the Wall Temperature and Oxygen/Coal Ratio

Abstract

The optimization of multiple factors for gasification performance using a 3D CFD model with advanced sub-models for single-stage drop tube coal gasification was compared with experimental results. A single-stage down-drop gasifier with multiple coal injectors and a single oxygen injector at the top of the gasifier was investigated at different temperatures and O2/coal ratios. A finite rate/eddy dissipation (FR/ED) model was employed to define the chemical reactions. Kinetic data for the various reactions were taken from previous work. The realizable k–ε turbulent model and Euler–Lagrangian framework were adopted to solve the turbulence equations and solid–gas interaction. First, various preliminary reactions were simulated to validate the reaction model with experimental data. Furthermore, various cases were simulated at various O/C ratios and wall temperatures to analyze the syngas species, temperature profile in the whole gasifier, exit temperature, carbon conversion, turbulent intensity, and velocity profile. The maximum CO was found to be 75.06% with an oxygen/coal ratio of 0.9 at 1800 °C. The minimum and maximum carbon conversions were found to be 97.5% and 99.8% at O/C 0.9 at 1200 °C and O/C 1.1 at 1800 °C, respectively.