Hybrid Solar Coal Gasifier

This Small Business Innovation Research project proposes to develop a first-of-its-kind hybrid solar-coal gasification technology. The current direct heating gasification technology has two shortcomings: (1) greenhouse gases, resulted from the coal combustion, diluting the syngas product, and leading to a low calorific value end product, and (2) thermal gradient, caused by the concentrated heat source at the bottom of the gasifier, amplified by the low thermal conductivity of coal, and leading to undesired low- temperature reactions such as tar formation. The proposed design will develop a compact coal gasifier that addresses the above two shortcomings by a unique indirect heating method and will also allow for thermal coupling with solar energy. Hybridization to combine solar and coal power is an alternative to greatly reduce the associated greenhouse gas emissions while harnessing the unlimited solar power to utilize the available fossil fuel resources in an exceptionally clean way. Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc., (ACT) proposes a solar powered coal gasifier equipped with advanced thermal components for clean syngas production. In the proposed design, a combination of coal combustion and solar will drive coal gasification. Furthermore, the unique design will yield a much cleaner syngas and will result in greatly reduced separation costs (in addition to reduced CO2 emissions). ACT is partnering with Pratt and Whitney Rocketdyne to commercialize the developed technology.