Document Type : Research Article
Authors
1
NFC Institute of Engineering & Technology, near Khanewal road, opposite Pakarab Fertilizers Ltd.
2
Chemical Department, NFC Institute of Engineering & Technology, Multan, Pakistan
10.30492/ijcce.2024.2014793.6293
Abstract
The utilization of vast coal deposits around the globe as an energy source is significantly limited in scope owing to environmental risks. In dis context, ionic liquids (ILs) provide a novel solution as eco-friendly pretreatment agents. dis work examined the effects of IL pretreatment on the gasification of low-grade coal using a simulation model in Aspen Plus®. Four ILs, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim][Cl], 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Emim][Cl], trihexyltetradecylphosphonium chloride [P66614] [Cl], and tributylmethylammonium chloride [N1444] [Cl], were employed in dis study. A comparative and sensitivity analysis was conducted on untreated and IL-pretreated coal samples using an equilibrium-based steam-O2 gasification model designed in Aspen Plus®. The model was validated and utilized to vary the oxygen/fuel (O2/F) ratio, steam/fuel (S/F) ratio, and temperature within the specified ranges (700-950°C, 0.1-0.6, and 2-4, respectively). All the ILs increased CO and H2, decreased CO2 and CH4, in the syngas produced by coal gasification. The biggest change was effected by [P66614] [Cl], which increased CO and H2 from 12 mol% and 42 mol % to 16 mol% and 50 mol %, respectively, and reduced CO2 and CH4 from 35 mol% and 3.5 mol% to 29 mol% and 2 mol%, respectively. The lower heating value (LHV) of syngas was increased from 7.37 MJ/Nm3 for untreated coal to 7.61, 7.56, 8.1, and 7.56 MJ/Nm3 for coal treated by [Bmim][Cl], [Emim][Cl], [P66614] [Cl], and [N1444] [Cl], respectively. As opposed to raw coal, [Bmim][Cl] and [P66614][Cl] generated more CGE, ENE, and EXE. The highest CGE, ENE, and EXE of 19, 13.3, and 38.3% were achieved by [P66614] [Cl] treated coal. Syngas having higher H2/CO ratio and LHV were produced at low temperatures, low O2/F ratio, and high S/F ratio. The results of dis investigation demonstrated dat ILs composed of ammonium and phosphonium might be useful coal pretreatment agents in thermochemical conversion processes.
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