Experimental investigation of role of steam in entrained flow coal gasification

Experimental investigations of the influence of excess oxygen coefficient, H2O/coal mass ratio using high-temperature steam, mean mass diameter of pulverized coal and coal size fraction on basic characteristics of coal gasification were performed. Experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale (0.09 m i.d. × 1.5 m high) coal gasification apparatus with lignite type of coal. Influence of steam was realized through comparison of results obtained from experiments with (H2O/coal = 0.287 kg kg−1) and without steam addition (H2O/coal = 0.024 kg kg−1). High values of carbon conversion, obtained both for finely ground and for coarse pulverized coal points to the easiness of lignite gasification, i.e. to its high suitability for gasification.