Recent trends have prompted developments in the USA towards utilisation of its large domestic coal reserves. An important feature is coal gasification to produce clean fuel gases not only as a substitute for natural gas but also as fuel gas of lesser heating value.
Comparative economics and technological status of existing and potential coal gasification processes are presented giving regard to local government pressures, regulations, and environmental considerations. Logistical problems and potential solutions to a large scale coal gasification industry are elucidated.
It is expected that this relatively new clean fuel gas industry-low and intermediate Btu gas-will grow in importance in the future; the impetus for this development is highlighted.
Des impératifs récents ont poussé les Etats-Unis à développer l'utilisation de ses immenses réserves de charbon. Une orientation importante réside dans la gazéification du charbon en vue de produire du gaz propre non seulement en remplacement du gaz naturel mais aussi comme gaz à bas pouvoir calorifique.
Cette communication présente une comparaison économique et technologique des procédés de gazéification existants en attirant aussi l'attention sur la politique, la législation et les exigences des autorités locales en ce qui concerne l'environnement. Les problèmes de logistique et les solutions possibles pour de très grandes unités de gazéification sont également exposés.
On pense que cette industrie relativement récente de production de gaz à moyen et bas pouvoir calorifique, va prendre de l'importance à l'avenir; on expose les raisons de ce développement probable.
During the past year, the United States has been faced with critical economic problems associated with its increasing demand for energy. The sudden interruption in world oil flow that occurred in late 1973 prompted the government to accelerate its programmes directed toward increasing the size and availability of the US domestic energy supply base. Although development of the vast coal reserves-the largest energy resource in the United States-has been considered for many years, this industrial development is now being rapidly expanded as the United States strives to achieve a position of energy independenceat least relative to the historical unchecked growth rate in the requirements for energy imports. by JOHN P. HENRY, Jr., Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California, U.S.A. and BERT M. LOUKS, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, California, U.S.A.
Coal, as an international fuel, far outweighs oil and natural gas as an energy resource (see Fig. 1). In fact, coal utilisation research has been conducted throughout the world since the late 1800s and early 1900s.
For the most part, the research was conducted in parts of the world other than in the United States.
The situation was dramatically changed, howe