CATALYSIS OF COAL-GASIFICATION BY NA LIGNOSULFONATE

Steam gasification of a model coke was conducted under various experim ental conditions using a specially designed thermogravimetric analyser . The reactivity of a heat-treated German hard-coal char was determine d in the range 973-1173 K. The char was also loaded with different amo unts of sodium lignosulfonate by an incipient wetting technique, and t he reactivity was measured under identical conditions. The sodium lign osulfonate enhanced the gasification rate considerably. The reactivity was even higher than that of char samples loaded with corresponding a mounts of sodium carbonate. Sodium lignosulfonate is a more efficient catalyst in the range 973-1023 K, and this can be attributed to its be tter dispersion throughout the carbon matrix. Its higher efficiency co upled with its low cost qualifies sodium lignosulfonate as a highly su itable catalyst for any low-temperature allothermal gasification proce ss.