Technology

Gasification is different than combustion of coal to make heat for electric power. Instead of burning the coal, the feed coal is combined with water in a slurry. The slurry is heated into steam, and oxygen is added in a thermal-chemical process which breaks down the matrix molecules in the coal. The produced "syngas" consists mainly of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H₂), water vapor (H₂O), and some other minor gases. These gases can then be separated through chemical processes and used as chemical feedstocks or products. Coal gasification can also be used to provide electricity in Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants.

University of Kentucky, Chemicals from Coal Gasification