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TDLAS-based sensors for in situ measurement of syngas composition in a pressurized, oxygen-blown, entrained flow coal gasifier

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Abstract

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy based in situ sensors for CO (2.33 μm), CO2 (2.02 μm), CH4 (2.29 μm) and H2O (1.35 μm) were deployed in a pilot-scale (1 ton/day), high-pressure (up to 18 atm), entrained flow, oxygen-blown, slagging coal gasifier at the University of Utah. Measurements of species mole fraction with 3-s time resolution were taken at the pre- and post-filtration stages of the gasifier synthesis gas (called here syngas) output flow. Although particulate scattering makes pre-filter measurements more difficult, this location avoids the time delay of flow through the filtration devices. With the measured species and known N2 concentrations, the H2 content was obtained via balance. The lower heating value and the Wobbe index of the gas mixture were estimated using the measured gas composition. The sensors demonstrated here show promise for monitoring and control of the gasification process.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the US Department of Energy (National Energy Technology Laboratory) with Dr. Susan Maley as the technical monitor and by AFOSR with Dr. Chiping Li as the technical monitor. The authors would like to thank David Wagner for his efforts to manage the operation of the gasifier.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. High Temperature Gasdynamics Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Ritobrata Sur, Kai Sun, Jay B. Jeffries & Ronald K. Hanson

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute for Clean and Secure Energy (ICSE), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Randy J. Pummill, Travis Waind, David R. Wagner & Kevin J. Whitty

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  1. Ritobrata Sur
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  2. Kai Sun
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  3. Jay B. Jeffries
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  7. David R. Wagner
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  8. Kevin J. Whitty
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Correspondence to Ritobrata Sur.

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Sur, R., Sun, K., Jeffries, J.B. et al. TDLAS-based sensors for in situ measurement of syngas composition in a pressurized, oxygen-blown, entrained flow coal gasifier. Appl. Phys. B 116, 33–42 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5644-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5644-6

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