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The solar thermal gasification of coal — energy conversion efficiency and CO2 mitigation potential

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  • Zedtwitz, P.v.
  • Steinfeld, A.

Abstract

The steam-gasification of coal (peat, lignite, bituminous, and anthracite) into syngas is investigated using concentrated solar energy as the source of high-temperature process heat. The advantages of the solar-driven process are threefold: (1) the discharge of pollutants is avoided; (2) the gaseous products are not contaminated by combustion byproducts; and (3) the calorific value of the fuel is upgraded. A second-law analysis is carried out for a blackbody solar cavity-receiver/reactor operated at 1350 K and subjected to a mean solar flux concentration ratio of 2000. Two technically viable routes for generating electricity using the gasification products are examined: (1) syngas is used to fuel a 55%-efficient combined Brayton–Rankine cycle; and (2) syngas is further processed to H2 (by water-gas shift reaction followed by H2/CO2 separation) which is used to fuel a 65%-efficient fuel cell. The maximum exergy efficiency, defined as the ratio of electric power output to the thermal power input (solar power+heating value of reactants), reaches 50% for the combined cycle route and 46% for the fuel cell route. Both of these routes offer a net gain in the electrical output by a factor varying in the range 1.7–1.9, depending on the coal type and the power generation route, vis-à-vis the direct use of coal for fueling a 35%-efficient Rankine cycle. Specific CO2 emissions amounts to 0.49–0.56 kg CO2/kWhe, about half as much as the specific emissions discharged by conventional coal-fired power plants. Solar/coal hybrid processes, such as the one examined in this paper, offer important intermediate solutions towards a sustainable energy supply system.

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  • Zedtwitz, P.v. & Steinfeld, A., 2003. "The solar thermal gasification of coal — energy conversion efficiency and CO2 mitigation potential," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 28(5), pages 441-456.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:28:y:2003:i:5:p:441-456
    DOI: 10.1016/S0360-5442(02)00139-1
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    2. Tong, Huanhuan & Yao, Zhiyi & Lim, Jun Wei & Mao, Liwei & Zhang, Jingxing & Ge, Tian Shu & Peng, Ying Hong & Wang, Chi-Hwa & Tong, Yen Wah, 2018. "Harvest green energy through energy recovery from waste: A technology review and an assessment of Singapore," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 163-178.
    3. Gokon, Nobuyuki & Kumaki, Satoshi & Miyaguchi, Yosuke & Bellan, Selvan & Kodama, Tatsuya & Cho, Hyunseok, 2019. "Development of a 5kWth internally circulating fluidized bed reactor containing quartz sand for continuously-fed coal-coke gasification and a beam-down solar concentrating system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 1-16.
    4. Yadav, Deepak & Banerjee, Rangan, 2016. "A review of solar thermochemical processes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 497-532.
    5. Zhong, Dian & Zeng, Kuo & Li, Jun & Yang, Xinyi & Song, Yang & Zhu, Youjian & Flamant, Gilles & Nzihou, Ange & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Hanping, 2021. "3E analysis of a biomass-to-liquids production system based on solar gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    6. Ng, Yi Cheng & Lipiński, Wojciech, 2012. "Thermodynamic analyses of solar thermal gasification of coal for hybrid solar-fossil power and fuel production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 720-731.
    7. Yadav, Deepak & Banerjee, Rangan, 2022. "Thermodynamic and economic analysis of the solar carbothermal and hydrometallurgy routes for zinc production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
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    10. Gokon, Nobuyuki & Izawa, Takuya & Kodama, Tatsuya, 2015. "Steam gasification of coal cokes by internally circulating fluidized-bed reactor by concentrated Xe-light radiation for solar syngas production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 264-272.
    11. M. Shahabuddin & Tanvir Alam, 2022. "Gasification of Solid Fuels (Coal, Biomass and MSW): Overview, Challenges and Mitigation Strategies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-20, June.
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