3305a.     STRIMBECK, G. R., CORDINER, J. B., TAYLOR, H. G., PLANTS, K. D., AND SCHMIDT, L. D.  Pressure Technique Lowers Cost for Synthesis Gases.  Chem. Eng. News, vol. 30, 1952, p. 2392.

         In a paper read at the American Gas Association meeting in May 1952, a report was made of the progress in the development, at the Bureau of Mines experimental plant, Morgantown, W. Va., of the direct coal gasification process.  The plant is designed to gasify coal dust entrained in O₂ and steam at pressures up to 450 p.s.i.g.  Test runs on pulverized Sewickley-bed coal at pressures of 100, 250 and 300 p.s.i.g. resulted in surprisingly large throughputs.  Material requirements have been low per 1,000 ft.³ of CO and H₂ produced.  At 300 p.s.i.g. gasifier pressure, over 500 lb. of coal per hr. per ft.³ of gasifier volume have been gasified.  The material requirements at these throughputs were about 340 ft.³ O₂ and 35 lb. of coal per 1,000 ft.³ of CO and H₂, and with comparatively small heat losses per lb. of fuel.  The process promises an excellent source of synthesis gas.  Generation of the gas under pressure greatly lowers its cost by cutting the gas volumes to be compressed by 2/3 as only the O₂ needs to be compressed.