A Technology to Mitigate Syngas Cooler Fouling

Coal gasification plants have exhibited sub-par performance and plant economics due to poor reliability and availability. A major contributor to the poor performance has been fouling of the syngas cooler located downstream of the gasifier. The fouling is due to vaporized ash from the coal gasification process depositing on the inner walls of the tubes in the fire tube heat exchanger used in the syngas cooler. At present the understanding of the fouling mechanism for coal gasification is not adequately understood for equipment vendors to develop a solution. In this project we will develop a soot blowing technology tailored to the coal gasification conditions that exist a syngas cooler used at coal gasification plants. The new soot blower design will be based on an improved understanding of the governing mechanisms for syngas cooler fouling which will develop within this project. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The target application for the soot blower technology developed in this project is coal gasification plants producing syngas for use in refining power generation and chemical applications. If successful, the developed soot blower technology will improve the reliability and availability of coal gasification plants. This will help reduce the US dependence on foreign energy sources and aid in reducing green house gas emissions.