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Crystallization and viscosity-temperature characteristics during co-gasification of industrial sludge and coal

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Abstract

Co-gasification of industrial sludge (IS) and coal was an effective approach to achieve harmless and sustainable utilization of IS. The long-term and stable operation of a co-gasification largely depends on fluidity of coal-ash slag. Herein, the effects of IS addition on the crystallization and viscosity of Shuangmazao (SMZ) coal were investigated by means of high temperature stage coupled with an optical microscope (HTSOM), a scanning electron microscopy coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), and FactSage software. The results showed that when the proportion of IS was less than 60%, with the addition of IS, the slag existed in an amorphous form. This was due to the high content of SiO2 and Al2O3 in SMZ ash and blended ash, which had a high glass-forming ability (GFA). The slag formed at a high temperature had a higher polymerization degree and viscosity, which led to a decrease in the migration ability between ions, and ultimately made the slag difficult to crystallize during the cooling. When the proportion of IS was higher than 60%, the addition of IS increased the CaO and FeO content in the system. As network modifiers, CaO and FeO could provide O2− at a high temperature, which reacted with silicate network structure and continuously destroyed the complexity of network structure, thus reducing the polymerization degree and viscosity of slag. At this time, the migration ability between ions was enhanced, and needle-shaped/rod-shaped crystals were precipitated during the cooling process. Finally, the viscosity calculated by simulation and Einstein-Roscoe empirical formula demonstrated that the addition of IS could significantly improve the fluidity of coal ash and meet the requirements of the liquid slag-tapping gasifier. The purpose of this work was to provide theoretical support for slag flow mechanisms during the gasifier slagging-tapping process and the resource treatment of industrial solid waste.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the project of Key Research Plan of Ningxia (2019BEB04030 and 2019BCH01001), and the project of CHN Energy Ningxia Coal Industry Co., Ltd. (NXMY2112).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of High-efficiency Utilization of Coal and Green Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China

    Linmin Zhang, Bin Liu, Xudong Song, Yonghui Bai, Jiaofei Wang & Guangsuo Yu

  2. Joint International Research Laboratory of Biomass Energy and Materials, Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China

    Juntao Wei

  3. Institute of Coal Chemical Industry Technology, Ningxia Coal Industry Co., Ltd., Yinchuan, 750000, China

    Ying Zhou & Huijun Yang

  4. Institute of Clean Coal Technology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China

    Guangsuo Yu

Authors
  1. Linmin Zhang
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  2. Bin Liu
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  3. Juntao Wei
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  4. Xudong Song
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  9. Guangsuo Yu
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Correspondence to Xudong Song or Guangsuo Yu.

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Zhang, L., Liu, B., Wei, J. et al. Crystallization and viscosity-temperature characteristics during co-gasification of industrial sludge and coal. Front. Energy 16, 1037–1047 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-022-0824-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-022-0824-x

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