Research

Chemical Sciences

Title :

Coal-Syngas to Methanol (CoSynol)

Area of research :

Chemical Sciences

Focus area :

Coal gasification

Principal Investigator :

Dr Sudipta Datta, Scientist, CSIR-Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CSIR-CIMFR), Dhanbad

Timeline Start Year :

2020

Timeline End Year :

2022

Contact info :

Details

Executive Summary :

Objective: WP-1: Coal Gasification 1. Detailed characterization of coal and ash properties towards gasification. 2. Setting up Advanced dual bed gasification facility of 1.5 TPD coal feed rate capacity. 3. Gasification performance analysis in 1.5 TPD Advanced dual bed gasification system and comparison with fluidized bed gasification. WP-2: Syngas Clean up, Conditioning and conversion to methanol 1. To develop water gas shift reaction systems as well as amine wash technology for CO2 removal suitable to handle 50 Nm3/h of syngas. 2. Establish operation and process parameters (temperature, pressure, steam and solvent flow rates) to achieve desired H2/CO ratio, S and CO2 removal suitable for downstream methanol production. 3. Development of syngas to methanol reactor facility for production of 250 kg/day (TRL-6). 4. Establish operation and process parameters (temperature, pressure, fresh syngas feeding and recycling of unconverted syngas) to achieve desired level of syngas to methanol conversion. 5. Identify the most suitable (active and selective) commercial catalyst as well as performance testing for syngas to methanol conversion.

Summary: The demand of energy in India is growing drastically, a majority of which is utilized to meet the demands in the transportation sector. With less than 0.5% of oil and gas reserves of the world in India, alternate sources for transportation fuels needs to be envisioned. The large reserve of coal and limited reserve of natural gas /petroleum crude fostering towards coal an attractive raw material for the production of chemicals such as methanol, olefin, DME and transportation fuels. Presently, in India, methanol is produced from Natural Gas. Considering the potential of methanol and the availability of coal in our country, a coal-based methanol program has been initiated by NITI Aayog. In this direction, CSIR-CIMFR already initiated different activities under the aegis of NITI Aayog. One consortium is formed with different stakeholders with CSIR–CIMFR as one of the members. In this connection, CSIR-CIMFR already initiated the process of developing a 1.5 TPD oxy-blown pressurized fluidized bed gasifier (PFBG) for gasification of high ash Indian coal under the aegis of NITI Aayog. Taking further initiative in the direction, CSIR has taken up to implement a project with focus on the different components of Coal to Methanol initiatives that were started by NITI Aayog, GoI. The mission project of CSIR ‘Coal-Syngas to Methanol’ attempts to develop a complete end to end solution for the conversion of Indian coal to methanol. The entire activity is grouped into two work packages namely i) Coal Gasification and ii) Syngas Clean up, conditioning, and conversion to methanol. In the first Work Package, it is proposed to setup another 1.5 TPD Advanced Dual Bed Gasifier. Performance of both the gasifier i.e. 1.5 TPD oxy-blown fluidized bed gasifier and 1.5 TPD dual bed gasifier will be evaluated with high ash Indian coal to find suitable gasifier for high ash coal. Further, in the second work package, it is proposed to setup 250 kg/day syngas to methanol plant including proper cleaning and conditioning of the syngas suitable for methanol synthesis at CSIR-CIMFR. The proposed syngas to methanol facility will be integrated with the 1.5 TPD oxy-blown fluidized bed gasifier/fixed bed gasifier. Syngas generated in the gasifier will be cleaned, conditioned, and subsequently converted into 250 kg/day methanol.

Organizations involved