GASIFICATION CONVERTS A VARIETY OF PROBLEM FEEDSTOCKS AND WASTES

High temperature, entrained-flow gasification has been practiced commercially for more than 40 years. Gasification converts petroleum-based fuels to a clean fuel gas that, when fired in a gas turbine, produces minimal emissions of SO{sub 2},NO{sub x}, particulates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and CO. Gas cleaning also allows removal and control of volatile metals that may be classified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). The reasons for including a gasifier in a refinery often derive from the combination of crude oil quality trends and increasingly severe restrictions on levels of sulfur dioxide emissions from combustion of heavy fuels. Forecasts indicate that crudes will be progressively heavier and also higher in sulfur content. Some crude oils, particularly Mexican Maya crude and several Venezuelan crudes, also have much higher metals contents than the crudes for which the typical refinery is configured. Gasification technology has the unique ability to generate electricity, chemicals, or both, depending upon the choice of downstream equipment. The synergy of coproduction can improve the overall economics of an IGCC project. The primary components of the fuel gas (carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide) can be separated from the syngas mixture and sold as pure components, or they can be reacted withmore » other compounds to make a wide range of more complex chemicals. This paper shows and discusses a typical integrated-energy facility and several potential products.« less