Coal Gasification

• Coal gasification is a process that transforms Coal into a Synthetic gas (Syngas), consisting of mixture of gasses such as Carbon monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2),Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Water vapor (H2O).
  • Coal is reacted at high temperatures (typically 1,000–1,400°C) with a controlled amount of oxygen and steam.
• Syngas can be used to produce a wide range of Fertilizers, Fuels, solvents and synthetic materials.
• The Process is as given:
  • Preparation: Coal is crushed into a fine powder to increase its surface area and enhance the chemical reactions during the process.
  • Gasification Reactor: The crushed coal is introduced into a high-temperature and high-pressure reactor along with limited oxygen or air and steam.
  • Chemical Reactions: In the absence of sufficient oxygen for complete combustion, the coal undergoes a series of complex chemical reactions.
    • These reactions break down the coal molecules into the components of syngas.
  • Gas Cleaning: The raw syngas produced from the reactor contains impurities like tar, sulfur, and dust. These impurities need to be removed through a gas cleaning process before the syngas can be used further.
• Benefits of Coal Gasification:
  • Cleaner Alternative to Coal Combustion: Coal gasification burns cleaner than coal for electricity. It captures pollutants before using the gas for power generation.
  • Versatile Syngas Usage: The syngas produced can be used for various purposes, including electricity generation, production of cleaner fuels like hydrogen and production of chemicals like ammonia and methanol.

Note

• The Government is promoting coal-to-chemical and gasification processes due to the expected surplus of domestic coal in the future after meeting the power and other sectors’ needs.
  • India aims for 100 million tonnes (MT) coal gasification by 2030 with investments worth over Rs. 4 lakh crores.
• In addition to VGF, the government is supporting the coal industry in 2 ways:
  • Long-term linkage window: This creates a stable market for coal producers.
  • Coal utilization for gasification: Coal mine owners can use their coal for gasification projects and get a discount on revenue sharing.
• Production of coal and lignite reached 1 billion tonnes in FY 2024, target of 1.08 billion tonnes is set for the current fiscal year 2024-25.
• India has the fourth largest coal reserves in the world, with reserves of 361.41 billion tonnes.
  • Top 3 Coal Reserves: US, Russia and Australia.
  • Top 3 Coal Production: China, India and US.