3744.     WRIGHT, C. C., BARCLAY, K. M., AND MITCHELL, R. F.  Production of Hydrogen and Synthesis Gas by the Oxygen Gasification of Solid Fuels.  Ind. Eng. Chem., vol. 40, 1938, pp. 592-600; Chem. Abs., vol. 42, 1948, p. 4329.

        Information in this paper is additional to that reported recently by Mitchell and by Wright and Newman.  The oxygen gasification of solid fuels in fixed-bed producer-gas equipment has been demonstrated as a practical commercial success.  The construction and operation of the equipment is simple, its performance well known, and its cost relatively low.  The results of plant-scale operation indicate that the overall C, O₂, and steam consumption for synthesis-gas production compare favorably with any fixed-bed, fluid-bed, or coal-suspension process thus far developed.  Gasification efficiencies for synthesis-gas production are high.  the gasification rates per unit of generator area are appreciably higher than those normally attained in air-blown producer operations and higher than those attained in the standard water-gas generator when using the same size fuel, but appreciably lower than the rates attained for the pulverized-fuel processes.  The gasification rates per unit of generator volume are, however, comparable to those of the pulverized-fuel processes.  The quality of the raw gas from O₂ gasification of anthracite was such that with a slight reduction in CO₂ content it could be used directly for the isosynthesis process.  Raw gas from the coke at the highest steam:O₂ ratio approached this composition.  For conversion to a gas of 2:1=H₂:CO ratio, the shift reaction must be used.  Removal of CO₂ from the gas by pressure scrubbing with water results in a substantial loss of CO and H₂.  This loss may be reduced appreciably by 2-stage pressure letdown and by recycling part of the gas.  Material and heat balances over the producer and over the converter system are shown for the production of H₂, and a calculated material balance is shown for the production of synthesis gas of 2:1=H₂:CO ratio.  These balances indicate some of the factors involved in the overall problem of synthesis-gas production from solid fuels.  The economics of the O₂ gasification of solid fuels in fixed bed hinges largely upon the cost of the solid fuel suitable for the process and upon the cost of O₂, the relative efficiency, as compared with other processes, and the capital charges.