Coal Gasification

Coal Gasification Latest News

Recently, the cabinet approved a ₹37,500 crore package to boost coal gasification.

About Coal Gasification

• It is a thermo-chemical process that converts coal into syngas.
  • A synthetic gas composed mainly of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H₂), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and water vapour (H₂O).
  • Coal is reacted at high temperatures (1000–1400°C) with a controlled amount of oxygen and steam, producing syngas.

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Process of Coal Gasification

• Preparation: Coal is finely crushed to increase surface area.
• Gasification reactor: The powdered coal is fed into a reactor with limited oxygen/air and steam.
• Chemical reactions: Coal breaks down into syngas components due to partial oxidation.
• Gas cleaning: Impurities like tar, sulfur, and dust are removed from raw syngas.

Benefits of coal Gasification

• It can help address local pollution problems.
• It is considered a cleaner option compared to the burning of coal.
• It will help in reducing reliance on imports of natural gas, methanol, ammonia and other essential products.
• It has the potential to alleviate the environmental burden by reducing carbon emissions and fostering sustainable practices.

Source: TH