Chemical Kinetic Modeling in Coal Gasification Processes: An Overview

Coal is the fuel most able to cover world deficiencies in oil and natural gas. This motivates the development of new and more effective technologies for coal conversion into other fuels. Such technologies are focused on coal gasification with production of syngas or gaseous hydrocarbon fuels, as well as on direct coal liquefaction with production of liquid fuels. The benefits of plasma application in these technologies is based on the high selectivity of the plasma chemical processes, the high efficiency of conversion of different types of coal including those of low quality, relative simplicity of the process control, and significant reduction in the production of ashes, sulphur, and nitrogen oxides. In the coal gasifier, two-phase turbulent flow is coupled with heating and evaporation of coal particles, devolatilization of volatile material, the char combustion (heterogeneous/porous oxidation) or gasification, the gas phase reaction/oxidation (homogeneous oxidation) of gaseous products from coal particles. The present work reviews literature data concerning modelling of coal gasification. Current state of related kinetic models for coal particle gasification, plasma chemistry and CFD tools is reviewed.