Gasification reducing capital cost

The technology of gasification is under active development in both equipment and process design to reduce capital costs, and in the chemistry of the process to improve yields and obtain more favorable gas ratios. The latter includes the use of catalysts to enhance the process and to promote the formation of specific products, such as methane or ethylene for increased thermal efficiency or for feedstocks for chemical synthesis. 

Ambient-Temperature Removal. The vast majority of acid gas removal processes operate at high ambient temperatures (90-120°F). These systems are almost as efficient as cold systems, but have lower capital cost and are much simpler. These processes can reduce H2S to about 10-50 ppmv. The key operating cost is the large heat requirement for stripping. This cost is minor in most coal gasification plants because of the ample supplies of low-pressure steam and low-level process heat in the plants. Commonly used acid gas removal processes at these conditions include MDEA (methyldiethanolamines) and Sulfinol. 

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