Coal Gasification

The Ministry of Coal has initiated India’s first-ever pilot project for Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) at the Kasta coal block in Jamtara District, Jharkhand.

About Coal Gasification:

• Coal gasification is a crucial process for converting carbon-based materials into syngas, offering an alternative to traditional energy sources.

Process:

• Coal gasification involves transforming coal, petroleum, or biomass into syngas (synthesis gas).
• The process occurs without combustion, utilizing minimal or no oxygen in a closed reactor under high pressure.
• It directly converts materials into syngas, bypassing traditional combustion methods.

Composition of Syngas:

• Syngas primarily consists of Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2), Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), and Water vapor (H2O).
• This gas mixture can be used as a fuel source or as a precursor for chemical synthesis.

Types of Gasifiers:

Fixed Bed Gasifiers:

• Require minimal pre-treatment of feedstock.
• Known for high thermal efficiency, making them suitable for smaller-scale operations.

Fluidized Bed Gasifiers:

• Promote uniform particle mixing and lower temperature gradients.
• Generally, have lower capital costs and are adaptable to various feedstocks.

Entrained Flow Gasifiers:

• Capable of handling diverse feeds, including lower-quality fuels.
• Produce a clean syngas, free from oils and tars, ideal for high-quality energy production.