Abstract
Gasification is an efficient, environmentally clean technology capable of processing a variety of abundant natural carbon sources or industry wastes/byproducts such as coal, petroleum coke, or biomass into CO and H2 (synthesis gas, or syngas) used in the production of electric power or chemicals. Gasification is considered an important option in future energy or chemical production because of its efficiency and because environmental pollutants such as SO3 and mercury are easily captured. However, the short service life of the Cr2O3 refractory used to protect the outer steel containment shell from coal slag attack and insulate it from the high temperature process is one of the factors limiting gasification technology. Post mortem analysis of spent Cr2O3 refractories has been conducted using XRD, ICP, and SEM to find failure mechanisms and to study the reaction between gasifier slags and refractories. An improved Cr2O3 refractory was developed through phosphate additions which performed successfully in gasifier field tests. The effect of phosphates has been characterized using SEM, and its mechanism in decreasing slag penetration will be discussed.
