DISEÑO E IMPLEMENTACIÓN DE UN SISTEMA DE GENERACIÓN DE GAS DE SÍNTESIS A PARTIR DE CARBÓN Y VAPOR DE AGUA PRODUCIDO CON APORTE SOLAR

Abstract

The present work is part of the Fondap project \Solar Energy ResearchCenter No15110019.and its principal objective is to do an experimental studyof the synthesis gas generation from sub bituminous carbon and steam withsolar energy support.The gasi cation process was made in a testing bench, designed and implementedin the \Laboratorio de Energías Renovables" owned by the FedericoSanta María Technical University, Viña del Mar campus. The process takeinto account four adjustable parameters which are input to the porous mediareactor: volumetric Content of carbon, liquid gas ux, air ux and steamux. This study proposes a divided research in two stages of sequential trials:1. Experiments varying the steam ux from 0 to 8 [L/min], keeping constantthe air ux at 8 [L/min] and the content of carbon in 75 [mL].2. Experiments varying the volumetric content of carbon from 30 to 105[mL], keeping constant the air ux at 8[L/min] and the steam ux at1.6 [L/min].In both stages was analyzed the temperatures inside the porous mediareactor, ame front velocity and the post combustion gas composition. Atthe same time, it was measured the solar energy contribution to the processof gasi cation in the stage of steam production.The gas composition analysis was limited due lack of adequate equipmentfor the measurement, so that, it was only studied the hydrogen percentage.According to the cromatography results, the optimal points of operation foreach stage are:Stage 1: Operation conditions 8 [L/min] of steam, 75 [mL] of carbonand 8 [L/min] of air, with generation of hydrogen equivalent to 7% ofthe total volumetric content.Stage 2: Operation conditions for 90 [mL] volumetric fraction of carbon,1,6 [L/min] of steam and 8 [L/min] of air, with generation of hydrogenequivalent to 8% of the total volumetric content.Meanwhile, with the incorporation of solar energy, was achieved a reductionuntil 20% of electric energy consumption in the process of steam generation.The experimental results showed that the combustion in porous media canhold the generation of synthesis gas using sub bituminous carbon as solidcombustible, in presence or absence of steam.