The goal of the research project HotVeGas is to develop fundamental knowledge in the field of future high temperature gasification and gas cleaning processes for IGCC power plants with CCS technology and with the option for synthetic fuel production. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology within the COORETEC initiative and five industrial partners and coordinated by the Technische Universität München. The further active research members are the Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, the Forschungszentrum Jülich and GTT Technologies.The gasification is the crucial step of the IGCC process and still has a huge potential for further development. Since the existing knowledge is mainly based on experience, basic research is required to tap the future potential. The research within HotVeGas aims at the next generation IGCC processes that are to be built from 2020.In the first phase of HotVeGas an experimental basis for the properties of coal and its mineral and trace elements in reducing atmosphere at elevated pressures is provided. Experiments will be performed in a pressurized entrained flow reactor, pressurized thermo gravimetric analyzers, rotational viscosimeters, and further high temperature facilities. Furthermore, the development of a software package for the simulation of high temperature gasification is part of HotVeGas. The package incorporates the conversion of coal and the behaviour of ash and trace components. For that purpose a CFD model for the simulation of flow, heat transfer and reaction is coupled with software for the thermo-chemical characterization of high temperature reactions of ash components. That combination will allow a detailed simulation of the gasification process and offers the possibility for numerous optimizations for future gasifiers. Another task within the research project is the basic design of an integrated hot synthesis gas cleaning. First requirements for that process will be defined. Then the application and the potential of known process steps (e.g. for pressurized pulverized coal firing) are evaluated and further cleaning steps are developed. The potential of future IGGC power plants with CCS is evaluated by overall process simulations.The time frame for the first phase of the HotVeGas is September 2007 until August 2011. In a second phase the focus will be on development of components for gasification, hot gas cleaning and the qualification of materials. A third phase includes the integration of hydrogen membranes and further components.
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