Synthane Pilot Plant, Bruceton, Pa. Run report No. 1. Operating period: July--December 1976

Test Directive No. 1 provided the operating conditions and process requirements for the first coal to be gasified in the Synthane Pilot Plant. Rosebud coal, which is a western sub-bituminous coal, was chosen by DOE because of its non-caking properties and reactivity. This report summarizes and presents the data obtained. The pilot plant produced gas for a total of 228 hours and gasified 709 tons of Rosebud coal from July 7 to December 20, 1976. Most of this period was spent in achieving process reliability and learning how to operate and control the gasifier. A significant number of equipment and process changes were required to achieve successful operation of the coal grinding and handling facilities, the Petrocarb feed system, and the char handling facilities. A complete revision of all gasifier instrumentation was necessary to achieve good control. Twenty-one test runs were accomplished, the longest of which was 37 hours. During this run, carbon conversions of 57 to 60% were achieved at bed temperatures of 1450 to 1475/sup 0/F. Earlier attempts to operate the gasifier with bed temperatures of 1550 and 1650/sup 0/F resulted in clinker formation in the gasifier and the inability to remove char. Test Directive No. 1 was discontinued in January 1977, without meeting the directive's goals because the process conditions of free fall of coal feed into the Synthane gasifier resulted in excessive quantities of tar and fines carryover into the gas scrubbing area. Each time the gasifier was opened after a run, the internal cyclone dip leg was found to be plugged solidly with hard tar and fines. The gas scrubbing equipment was always badly fouled with char and tar requiring an extensive and difficult cleanout. Packing in the gas scrubber had to be completely changed twice due to extensive fouling