1625. JOHNSON, C. A., BUSCHOW, H. F., AND CARLSMITH, L. E. Gasification of Coal. FIAT Rept. 938, April 22, 1947, 34 pp.; PB 80330.

Return to Abstracts of Literature 1500-1749

Literature Abstracts

Of the various processes proposed by the Germans for converting coal into synthesis gas by continuous gasification with O₂, 2 of the more recently developed processes are of interest for possibly providing gas for Fischer-Tropsch liquid-fuel plants. These are the Lurgi high-pressure and the Thyssen-Galocsy processes, both of which use O₂. The Koppers combination low-temperature carbonization and gasification process, which has been used for producing synthesis gas on a large scale, also is studied. The Lurgi process operates at a high pressure (20 atm.), assuring low velocities (small equipment), eliminating the necessity of compressing the gas ahead of the Fischer-Tropsch units, simplifying the recovery of condensables in the gas, and providing another variable (pressure) for control of gas composition. This process will utilize a wide variety of coal. The Thyssen-Galocsy process operates at a temperature high enough to melt the ash, which is withdrawn as a fluid, thereby eliminating the frequently encountered problem of clogging of the generator by sintering of low-melting-point ash coals. Furthermore, the equipment is unusually simple. The Koppers process operates at atmospheric pressure and does not use O₂. It consists in distilling coal briquets, followed by partial gasification of the semicoke with hot steam lower in the retort, finally cooling and removing the coke, and gasifying it in conventional gas producers. The producer gas is burned in regenerators and used to superheat steam (1,300°), which is reacted with the semicoke to form the synthesis gas. Several diagrams of the 3 processes are reproduced. A summary also is given of the status of the Fischer-Tropsch process.

JOHNSON, H. H. See abs. 3146.