ENN’s proprietary hydrogasification is an attractive technique of utilizing lignite and subbituminous coal, which can simultaneously produce high yield of synthetic natural gas (SNG) and aromatics, achieving cascade utilization of coals.
Technical Principles
Coal hydrogasification for aromatics and methane (CHARM) is a process wherein pulverized coal reacts with hydrogen at 800-1000℃ and pressures of 5-10MPa to initiate rapid hydro pyrolysis, volatile cracking reaction and activated char hydrogasification, producing methane, high value-added aromatics and clean char.
Competitive Advantages
CCARM combines the advantages of coal-to-SNG and coal-to-oil technologies, allowing for the complete utilization of chemicals within low-grade coal to produce methane and high value-added aromatics. This process yields high aromatic oil concentrations with less water consumption and CO2 emission. CCARM can be easily adapted to use low-rank coal, which accounts for over 40% of coal reserves in China. With cascaded coal utilization, a comprehensive, high efficiency conversion is achieved and it is very cost competitive as an advanced gasification process.
Technology Status
ENN commenced research on coal hydrogasification in 2007 and then received funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). In partnership with the Institute of Coal Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences(ICC-CAS), East China University of Science and Technology, Tsinghua University and Southeast University, we scaled up the process from laboratory to our 10 ton/day Process Development Unit (PDU) and 50 ton/day pilot plant, which demonstrated stable, continuous operation and validated by third-party agencies. In April 2016, ENN broke ground on the coal hydrogasification demonstration project with a total processing capacity of 400 tons per day in Dalad Banner, Inner Mongolia. The 7MPa entrained flow gasifier for hydrogasification of pulverized coal features the highest operating pressure in the world and it successfully produced LNG in December 2018. To date, we have delivered impressive innovations that include dense phase conveying of pulverized coal using high pressure hydrogen, char cooling, high temperature hydrogen-oxygen injector and hydro-gasifier design, etc. Moreover, critical equipment like the waste heat boiler, high-temperature raw gas filter, fluidized bed for char cooling has passed verification testing in our industrial demo plant.
CHARM demonstration project in Inner Mongolia