Synthetic gases

Synthetic gas Synthetic gaseous fuel Synthetic glasses Synthetic gums... 

This is a report on the basic work done in the laboratory to develop the catalysts for the methanation of synthetic gas from coal, and it also reports on the development of an applicable kinetic system. This report does not include any of the subsequent pilot plant test work. 

Mehra (1) [Named after the inventor] A process for extracting particular hydrocarbons from natural or synthetic gas streams using solvent extraction into polyalkylene glycol dialkyl ethers. Invented in 1982 by Y. R. Mehra at the El Paso Hydrocarbons Company, Odessa, TX. U.S. Patent 4,421,535. 

Developed by P. D. Rice and others at the U S. Steel Corporation in the 1960s, and first used at a coke plant at Clairton, PA. In 1984 it was in operation in 20 coke plants in the United States, Canada, and Japan. The process can also be used in oil refineries and synthetic gas plants, but none was operating in 1984. 

The earliest practical production of synthetic gas (syngas) is reported to have taken place in 1792 when Murdoch, a Scottish engineer, pyrolyzed coal in an iron retort and then used the product, coal gas, to light his home.1... 

In early 1900s, biomass gasification processes were also widely used to manufacture synthetic gases for production of fuels, chemicals, and hydrogen. During World War II, over 1 million air-blown gasifiers were built to produce synthetic gas from wood and charcoal to power vehicles and to generate steam and electricity.3... 

After World War II, the discovery of large quantities of low-cost natural gas with heating values of about 37 MJ/m3 (1000 Btu/ft3) led to the demise of the synthetic gas manufacturing industry. 

Cyclic gas generators converted coke, a by-product of high-temperature pyrolysis process, to a synthetic gas by alternatively exposing the coke to air to provide heat and to steam to produce a gas that burned with a blue flame. The coal gas was know as blue water gas (Probstein, R. F. and Hicks, R. E., Synthetic Fuels, McGraw-Hill, 1982, p. 7). 

The majority of the existing plants were designed and constructed to produce a synthetic gas, consisting primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO), which is used for the production of hydrogen or Fischer-Tropsche (F-T) syncrude. Hydrogen is then used to produce a wide variety of chemicals and fertilizers. The Fisher-Tropsch syncrude is used to manufacture transportation fuels, lube oils, and specialty waxes. 

Depending on the gasifier system configuration, operating conditions, and gasification agent, four types of synthetic gas can be produced ... 

Gas turbines operate on natural gas, synthetic gas, landfill gas, and fuel oils. Plants are often designed to operate on gaseous fuel with a stored liquid fuel for backup, so as to obtain the less-expensive interruptible rate for natural gas. Dual fuel combustion capability is a purchase option on many gas turbines. The turbine is ideally suited as an integral component in the IGCC train. Further, modern gas turbines have proven to be reliable power generators, given proper maintenance. Time to overhaul is typically 25,000 to 50,000... 

Gasification technologies offer the potential of clean and efficient energy. The technologies enable the production of synthetic gas from low or negative-value carbon-based feedstocks such as coal, petroleum coke, high sulfur fuel oil, materials that would otherwise be disposed as waste, and biomass. The gas can be used in place of natural gas to generate electricity, or as a basic raw material to produce chemicals and liquid fuels. 

Electric power companies are also making changes. American Electric Power Company, one of the major utility giants in the country, plans to build a 40-billion plant that uses coal gasification. The facility will turn coal into synthetic gas before burning it, sharply reducing emissions including carbon dioxide. 

Berryman, J. M. Dulaney, W. E. Eakin, B. Bailey, N. L. "Enthalpy Measurements on Synthetic Gas Systems Hydrogen-Methane, Hydrogen-Carbon Monoxide" Research Report 37 Gas Processors Association, Tulsa, OK... 

Erbar, J. Pendergraft, P. Marston, M. Gonzales, M. Rice, V. "Literature Survey for Synthetic Gas Components - Thermodynamic Properties" Research Report 6, Gas Processors Association, Tulsa, OK... 

The need for methods of accurately describing the thermodynamic behavior of natural and synthetic gas systems has been well established. Of the numerous equations of state available, three--the Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) (19), the Peng-Robinson (PR) (18) and the Starling version of the Benedict-Webb-Rubin (BWRS) (13, 20)--have satisfied this need for many hydrocarbon systems. These equations can be readily extended to describe the behavior of synthetic gas systems. At least two of the equations (SRK and PR) have been further extended to describe the thermodynamic properties of water-light hydrocarbon systems. 

The glycols used in natural/synthetic gas dehydration processes. 

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