CHEN3000 Process Plant Engineering

Semester 2 2016

Individual Assignment 1

“I declare that this report is solely my own work. Other contributed sources have been
duly acknowledged.”

Name: Moganraj Subramanian

Student ID.: 7E3B2421 / 17460565

Date of Report Submission: 19th September 2016

Name of Lecturer: Dr. Jibrail Kansedo

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................3
2.0 Syngas Production Process....................................................................................................4
2.1 Syngas from Coal Gasification...........................................................................................4
2.1.1 Block Flow Diagram...................................................................................................4
2.1.2 Process Flow Diagram................................................................................................4
2.1.3 Process Description...................................................................................................5
2.2 Syngas from Biomass Gasification.....................................................................................6
2.2.1 Block Flow Diagram...................................................................................................6
2.2.2 Process Flow Diagram................................................................................................7
2.2.3 Process Description...................................................................................................7
3.0 Piping and Instrumentation Diagram..........................................................................................9
3.1 Syngas from Coal Gasification.................................................................................................9
3.1.1 P&ID for Coal Gasification................................................................................................9
3.1.2 P&ID Description for Coal Gasification.............................................................................9
3.2 Syngas from Biomass Gasification.........................................................................................10
3.2.1 P&ID for Biomass Gasification........................................................................................10
3.2.2 P&ID Description for Biomass Gasification.....................................................................10
4.0 Comparison.........................................................................................................................12
5.0 References.................................................................................................................................13

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1.0 Introduction

Synthesis gas or commonly known as syngas is a gas comprised of carbon dioxide,

hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixture. Syngas is a gas that can be used to synthesis other

chemicals, thus it is called synthesis gas. Syngas could be made from feedstock such as

biomass, coal, waste residues and natural gas. The processes involved in the production of

syngas are steam reforming of natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons, the gasification of coal,

and also the gasification of waste residues or biomass. There are a wide range of products

formed from the syngas such as methanol, ammonia and hydrogen. Methanol can be used

to produce plastics, adhesives and fuels while ammonia contributes to the fertilizer and

nylon clothing industries. Hydrogen on the other hand is called the fuel of the future

because it is the most abundant element in the universe and it has many uses, thus its

production is quite essential for our world (BIOFUEL.ORG.UK). The common process

used in syngas production is gasification, where the feedstock is reacted with oxygen and

steam at high pressure and temperature in a gasifier. The resulting product is then purified

to get clean syngas before being sent to sales or other purposes.

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2.0 Syngas Production Process

2.1 Syngas from Coal Gasification

2.1.1 Block Flow Diagram

Steam
Generator Separator Nitrogen

Cold Water

Air Flue Gas

Heat
Coal Pyrolysis Gasification Exchanger Purifier

Slag Syngas

Figure 1: Block Flow Diagram of Coal Gasification

2.1.2 Process Flow Diagram

9 11 Nitrogen

10
Cold Water
H-103 7
V-102
Air Flue Gas

6
Coal
1 2
Feed
3
4
5
H-101 R-101 H-102 V-101
8
Slag Syngas

Figure 2: Process Flow Diagram of Coal Gasification

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 Table 1: Material Stream Specification for Coal Gasification

Specifications Temperature (K) Pressure Composition (%) Phase Volume

(kPa) (G=Gas, (m3/h)
L=Liquid,
S=Solid)

Streams

1 300 101 50% C,25% H2,25% O S 5.0 x 106

2 673 300 20%Tar,50%Hydrocarbons, S,G 5.0 x 106
30%Phenols
3 1273 1000 90%Syngas,10%Inerts G 4.8 x 106
4 573 600 90%Syngas,10%Inerts G 4.8 x 106
5 400 400 60%CO,30%H2,10%CO2 G 3.6 x 106
6 400 101 40% H2O,40%CO2,20%H2 G 1.2 x 106
7 278 101 100% H2O L 10 x 106
8 600 101 100% H2O L 10 x 106
9 373 200 100% H2O G 10 x 106
10 300 150 100% O2 G 4.0 x 106
11 300 250 100% N2 G 4.0 x 106

2.1.3 Process Description

Based on the flow diagrams above, the coal feed will first go through a pyrolysis process

inside pyrolysis chamber H-101. The coal is heated to temperature of 673K under

atmospheric pressure resulting in releasing of hydrogen rich volatile matter, phenol, tar and

hydrocarbons. These products will then be moved to the fluidized bed gasifier R-101

where the gasification takes place at the temperature of 1273K(J.C. van Dyk*, M.J.

Keyser, M. Coertzen). Pure oxygen and steam are also supplied into the gasifier for the

gasification to take place. Boiler H-103 acts as a steam generator by recycling the hot

water from heat exchanger H-102. Pure oxygen is supplied by air separation unit V-102 by

separating the nitrogen and oxygen from the air. The nitrogen is stored and supplied for

other purposes. The by-products from the gasifier are called slag and are released from the

bottom of the gasifier to be sent for treatment before reused for other purposes. The

products from the gasification process are passed through a shell and tube heat exchanger

H-102 to be cooled down to temperature of 573K by using cold water of temperature

278K(J.C. van Dyk*, M.J. Keyser, M. Coertzen). The contents of these products are raw

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syngas with some impurities such as methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and

hydrogen.

These cooled down gaseous mixtures will go through another air separation unit V-101

where the flue gas is separated from the syngas. The pure syngas is stored and be sent for

sales or other purposes meanwhile the flue gas is released to the environment.

2.2 Syngas from Biomass Gasification

2.2.1 Block Flow Diagram
Flue gas

Air Heater Compressor Syngas Purifier

Biomass Gasification Cyclone Condenser Reactor

Tar
Steam
Generator

Figure 3: Block Flow Diagram of Biomass Gasification

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 2.2.2 Process Flow Diagram

Flue Gas 7

Air 10 11
Syngas 6
E-102 C-101
V-102

5
12
Biomass 1 2
Feed 3 4
R-101 V-101 E-101 R-102
9
Tar

H-101 8

Figure 4: Process Flow Diagram of Biomass Gasification

Table 2: Material Stream Specification for Biomass Gasification

Specifications Temperature (K) Pressure Composition (%) Phase Flowrate

(kPa) (G=Gas, (kg/h)
L=Liquid,
S=Solid)

Streams

1 300 101 50% C,25% H2,25% O S 0.47

2 1023 1000 70%Syngas,20%H2O,5%Inerts, G,L 2.3
5%Tar
3 473 500 70%Syngas,25%H2O,5%Inerts G,L 2.2
4 450 450 90%Syngas,10%Inerts G 2.1
5 400 450 90%Syngas,10%Inerts G 2.1
6 400 200 60%CO,30%H2,10%CO2 G 1.56
7 400 101 40% N2,40%CO2,20%H2 G 0.6
8 300 200 100% H2O L 0.4
9 427 200 100% H2O G 0.4
10 300 101 21%O2,79%N2 G 0.65
11 338 101 21%O2,79%N2 G 0.65
12 338 600 21%O2,79%N2 G 0.65

2.2.3 Process Description

Based on the flow diagrams above, the biomass feed is first introduced into a fluidized bed

gasifier R-101 with room temperature and pressure. Air is heated to temperature of 338K

using the electric heater E-102 and compressed to pressure of 600kPa using the air

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compressor C-101. This heated compressed air is supplied to the fluidized bed gasifier

together with the feed and steam. Water from condenser E-101 is passed through a boiler

H-101, where it is converted to steam and supplied to the gasifier for the reaction to take

place. The product from the gasifier consists of raw syngas with some impurities and needs

to be purified. These gaseous mixtures pass through a cyclone column V-101 where the tar

is removed from the gasses. The tar removed can be sent for sales or other purposes. The

products from the cyclone tank will then pass through a steam condenser E-101 where the

steam is condensed to water which will be sent to a boiler. The remaining gasses will then

move to a bed reactor R-102 where the incomplete syngas will be converted to a

concentrated syngas. The effluent from the reactor will be channelled to air separation unit

V-102 where the flue gas is separated from the syngas. The flue gas will be released to the

environment and the syngas will be stored or sent for other purposes.

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3.0 Piping and Instrumentation Diagram

3.1 Syngas from Coal Gasification

3.1.1 P&ID for Coal Gasification
10
11 Nitrogen

H-103 Cold
PCV V-102
Water
PC
Air TCV Flue Gas
LC LI
PI TT TC PI
6
Coal 2 TI
PCV
PT
Feed LCV
H-101 R-101 3 PI

8 H-102
V-101 5

Slag Syngas

PC

Figure 5: Piping and Instrumentation Diagram for Coal Gasification

3.1.2 P&ID Description for Coal Gasification

Based on Figure 5, the piping and instrumentation diagram has a level controller to control

the level in the pyrolysis chamber. A level indicator is mounted after pyrolysis tank to

detect the changes in the level and transmit the information to level controller which

adjusts the level controlling valve. Pressure controlling valve is mounted on the stream of

oxygen and steam mixture going to gasifier. The exit stream of the gasifier has a pressure

indicator which detects the changes in the pressure, and sends the information to the

pressure controller to maintain the pressure from rising too high in the gasifier. A

temperature indicator is mounted on the stream entering the heat exchanger. This indicator

sends information to temperature transmitter which is attached to a temperature controller.

The temperature controller controls the amount of cold water entering the heat exchanger

on the shell side. Pressure indicators are mounted on both syngas and flue gas exit to detect

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the pressure change in the streams. This indicator sends information to pressure transmitter

which transmits the information to a pressure controller which controls the pressure

controlling valve. This is to maintain the pressure in the separation unit.

3.2 Syngas from Biomass Gasification

3.2.1 P&ID for Biomass Gasification
TT
TC
PCV
Flue Gas 7

Air
Syngas 6
E-102 PC C-101
TCV TI V-102

PT PI
PI
5
12
PC
Biomass 1 2
Feed 3
R-101 V-101 E-101 PCV
R-102
9
TI Tar
TCV

H-101

TT TC

Figure 6: Piping and Instrumentation Diagram for Biomass Gasification

3.2.2 P&ID Description for Biomass Gasification

Based on Figure 6 the temperature of the air stream entering the gasifier is detected by a

temperature indicator on the heated compressed air stream. Any changes in the temperature

will be sent to temperature transmitter which transmits the information to temperature

controller which will adjust the valve to control the temperature of the air entering the

gasifier. There is also a pressure indicator to detect pressure changes of the air stream. The

pressure indicator will send information to pressure transmitter which transmits the

information to pressure controller which controls the pressure of the compressed air

entering the gasifier by adjusting a valve. The temperature of the steam entering the

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gasifier is detected by a temperature indicator which results in adjusting the temperature of

the stream entering the gasifier. A pressure controlling valve is attached to the stream

entering the bed reactor. Any changes in pressure of the stream leaving the reactor will be

detected by a pressure indicator and sent to pressure controller which controls the valve at

the reactor enter stream.

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4.0 Comparison

Based on the information gathered on BFD, PFD, and P&ID for both gasification of coal

and biomass evaluation can be made that the most suitable process for the production of

syngas is biomass gasification. A reason for this is because coal gasification need a higher

temperature in the process compared to biomass gasification. Besides that, biomass is a

renewable source unlike the coal. The effluent of biomass gasification, tar can be used for

road industries without much purification unlike slag form coal gasification which has not

much uses and profit. Biomass gasification has less effect on the environment compared to

coal gasification due to the by-products. Besides that, the unit cost is higher in coal

gasification compared to biomass gasification. In a nutshell, the biomass gasification is the

most suitable process for the production of syngas in aspects of functionality and also cost.

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5.0 References

BIOFUEL.ORG.UK. Biofuels the fuels of future. http://biofuel.org.uk/what-is-

syngas.html (accessed on 10th September 2016).

J.C. van Dyk*, M.J. Keyser, M. Coertzen. Syngas Production from South African coal

sources using Sasol-Lurgi gasifier. August 11 2005.

Nova Science Publishers. Syngas: Production Methods, Post Treatment and

Economics.

https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=12764

(accessed on 12th September 2016).

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