Advancement of flash hydrogasification. Quarterly technical progress report, October-December 1984

The design of test hardware and process development unit (PDU) modifications had been completed previously. Task VII involves the fabrication of test hardware and the modification of an existing 1-ton/h hydroliquefaction PDU at Rockwell's facilities for use as a hydrogasifier test facility. Test hardware fabrication has been completed. Modifications to the PDU were completed in July 1984. The modified facility can accommodate both 10- and 20-ft-long hydrogasifier reactors so that residence times will be in the range of 2 to 6 s when coal is fed at a nominal 1/2 ton/h into reactors at 1000 psia pressure. Provisions have been made for real-time analysis of the product gases using an on-line gas chromatograph system. Separate supplies of coal, hydrogen, oxygen, methane, and water (for steam generation) are provided so that short duration (1 to 2 h) hydrogasification tests along with preburner assembly performance evaluation tests can be conducted to meet the overall test program objectives. Performance characterization testing of the preburner assembly and two coal reactor tests to establish FHP reactor performance at baseline (low-steam concentration) hydrogasification conditions have been completed. Three reactor tests to investigate steam enhancement effects were conducted during this report period. An important program milestone was achieved when total carbon conversion to CO/sub x/ exceeded 18%, thereby confirming the Advanced Flash Hydropyrolysis (AFHP) chemistry predictions of significant heterogeneous/homogeneous CO production at high steam concentrations. Nominal reactor operating conditions for this test were 1950/sup 0/F, 1000 psig, 4.7-s residence time, and 45% inlet steam concentration. 6 refs., 13 figs., 10 tabs