Comparative studies on steam gasification of ash-free coals and their original raw coals

Catalytic gasification of raw coals at mild condition is not realized yet mainly due to deactivation of catalysts via their irreversible interaction with mineral matters in coal. As a means to achieve repeated use of catalysts, four different ash-free coals (AFCs) containing less than 0.2 wt% ash are produced in this work. Steam gasification of ash-free coals (AFCs) and their parent raw coals of various ranks ranging from lignite (Eco) to coking coal (Posco) is performed in a fixed bed reactor at 700–900 °C. Regardless of the rank of the parent raw coals, all the AFCs behave like a highly carbonized coal such that their gasification rate are similarly slow and they exhibit relatively low H2/CO ratio. The steam gasification and associated CO to CO2 conversion of the AFCs are, however, significantly enhanced by K2CO3, resulting in the higher H2/CO and CO2/CO molar ratio.