COAL GASIFICATION: WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF

摘要

The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) process has long been touted as one of the promising clean-coal technologies of the future that combines superior environmental performance with high efficiency. Gasification technology has been commercially available for decades with the majority of use in the chemical and refining industry. Acceptance of gasification as a viable technology for power production, however, has been slow to materialize. A number of obstacles have been identified as to the cause of this slow market penetration. This paper will describe some of these challenges and provide insight from a gasifier operator's perspective as to the nature (real vs. perceived) of these challenges.