ABSTRACT
Gasifiers.are.used.commercially.to.react.a.carbon-containing.material.with.water.(or. steam).and.oxygen.under.reducing.conditions.(shortage.of.oxygen),.producing.chemicals.used.as.feedstock.for.other.processes,.fuel.for.power.plants,.or.steam.for.other. processes..Gasifiers.used.in.industry.for.chemical.processing.are.high-temperature,. high-pressure. reaction. chambers,. typically.operating.between.1,250. and.1,575°C,. and.with.pressures.between.300.and.1,200.psi..Ash,.originating.from.impurities.in. the.carbon.feedstock,.is.a.by-product.of.gasification..It.can.exist.as.a.powder.or.melt. to.form.a.slag,.depending.on.the.carbon.source,.the.gasification.temperature,.and.the. ash.melting.point.1.Gasifiers.were.first.used.in.industry.around.1800,.but.the.hightemperature,.high-pressure.units.currently.used.by.the.chemical,.petrochemical,.and.
power.industries.were.first.developed.and.put.into.commercial.service.in.the.1950s. and.1960s,.and.are.greatly.improved.technologically.over.those.of.the.past.1.They.are. widely.used.in.industries.such.as.the.petrochemical.to.process.heavy.oil.by-products. into. H2.used. in. refining.or. fertilizer.manufacture,. and. are. considered. a. potential. source.of.H2.for.fuel.cells.or.the.emerging.hydrogen.economy..An.example.of.an.aircooled.slagging.gasification.system.with.the.ability.to.produce.a.variety.of.products,. from.power.generation.to.chemicals,.is.shown.in.figure.1.1..The.gasification.process,. the.types.of.gasifiers.used,.and.how.gasification.is.or.can.be.used.to.generate.H2.are. important.in.understanding.its.future.role.in.the.world.
