Laboratory Scale Gasifier

The Laboratory-Scale Gasifier (LSG) at Southern Research is an ideal facility for both fundamental research and screening gasification-related technologies prior to pilot-scale or slipstream testing. This advanced, specialized facility may be used to simulate fixed-bed, fluidized-bed, and entrained-flow gasification methods with precisely controlled temperatures, pressures, fuel and gas feedrates, residence times, and additive introduction. A key application of the LSG is to enable effective hot-syngas cleanup technology evaluation.

Method of Operation

Gasification byproducts, such as char and spent sorbent, are collected on the small candle-filter element inside the top chamber of the gasifier, while the gas leaving the reactor is analyzed by online monitors, including an MKS 2030 FTIR, a GC, and a GC Mass Spectrometer. These monitors measure the concentration of hydrocarbons, nitrogen and sulfur compounds, CO and CO₂, water vapor, acid gases, light aliphatic and aromatic organic compounds, and any tars that escape the reactor. The filter element temperature may be adjusted to accommodate the desired conditions.

Figure 1 contains a schematic of the main reaction chamber of the facility, which is composed of a 1" thick pressure vessel machined out of a solid piece of Haynes HR-160 Incoloy. The facility is designed to operate safely at a pressure of 400 psi and temperatures up to 2,000°F.

Diverse Applications

• The LSG has been used to gasify and evaluate the syngas produced from algae, duckweed, sawdust, biomass pellets, coal, petroleum coke, switchgrass, oat hulls, plastic waste, municipal solid waste, and other fossil, biomass, and potential renewable fuels.
• In addition to providing the capability to test fundamental gasification reactions and concepts, the LSG may be used to produce syngas for post-gasification research, including hot-gas cleanup, syngas reforming, evaluation of water-gas shift catalysts, fuel cells, and gas turbine research.
• The LSG is also used for evaluating biomass gasification for distributed energy purposes, investigating corrosion in syngas environments, and providing real syngas to challenge advanced hot-syngas cleanup technologies.