Experimental and kinetic studies on steam gasification of oxidized carbon-rich fraction from coal gasification fine slag

Gasification is an important method to realize the resource utilization of coal gasification fine slag (CGFS). In this work, the carbon-rich fraction (CF) of CGFS was modified by oxidation, and the gasification reactivities, structures, and kinetics of samples were studied. The results demonstrate that compared to CF, the gasification characteristic temperatures of oxidized CF are lower, the weight loss rates are faster, and the gasification reactivities are significantly enhanced. These improvements are attributed to the structural evolutions of oxidized CF. Compared with CF, the specific surface area and pore volume of oxidized CF increase by at least 2.5 and 1.5 times, the proportions of oxygen-containing groups rise, and the carbon microstructure of different oxidized CF varies significantly. CF oxidized by steam exhibits the most developed porosity and the most disordered carbon microstructure, corresponding to the highest gasification reactivity of all the samples. The kinetics results showcase that the diffusion reaction model is suitable for describing the gasification process of samples, so porosity emerged as the primary factor determining the gasification reactivity. However, the influence of carbon microstructure and active groups on the gasification reactivity of oxidized CF is enhanced when the porosity meets the diffusion requirements of the gasification reaction.