Gasification furnace system and control method for gasification furnace system

The dual scrubber gasification furnace system addresses the challenge of tar removal in biomass-derived syngas by controlling the scrubber water temperature, enabling continuous long-term operation with reduced maintenance.

JP2025072111APending Publication Date: 2025-05-09MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2023182643
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-10-24
Publication Date
2025-05-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Biomass-derived syngas contains tar components with a wide range of boiling points, leading to maintenance issues such as frequent scrubber cleaning and filter replacement, which hinder continuous long-term operation of gasification systems.

Method used

A gasification furnace system with a dual scrubber configuration, where the temperature of the scrubber water in the first scrubber is controlled to at least 80° C or less than the boiling point, facilitating the removal of tar and reducing maintenance needs.

Benefits of technology

The system enables continuous operation for a long period by minimizing tar-related maintenance issues, such as blockages and filter replacements, thereby improving operational stability and reducing costs.

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Abstract

To provide a gasification furnace system capable of continuous operation for an extended period.SOLUTION: A gasification furnace system comprises: a gasification furnace that generates syngas from biomass feedstock; a high-temperature scrubber 70 to which the syngas generated in the gasification furnace is directed; a medium-temperature scrubber 80 to which the syngas discharged from the high-temperature scrubber 70 is directed; and a control device that controls the temperature of scrubber water W1 retained in the high-temperature scrubber 70 to be 80°C or higher and 95°C or lower. The control device controls the temperature of scrubber water W2 retained in the medium-temperature scrubber 80 to be 20°C or higher and 40°C or lower.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
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Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gasifier system and a method for controlling a gasifier system. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a gasification furnace in which a biomass raw material is supplied into a furnace and combusted and gasified in the furnace to produce a synthesis gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen (for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The system described in Patent Document 1 includes a biomass supplying device that dries and supplies biomass raw material, a gasification furnace that gasifies the supplied biomass raw material and produces synthesis gas, an air preheater that cools the synthesis gas produced in the gasification furnace, a filter device that collects foreign matter in the synthesis gas that has passed through the air preheater, and a scrubber device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6345139 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Biomass raw materials include, for example, wood chips, wood pellets, agricultural residues, and forest residues, which contain not only C, H, and O, which are the raw materials for synthetic gas, but also impurities. Therefore, the synthetic gas produced by gasifying biomass raw materials contains a certain amount of tar. In order to remove the tar from the synthetic gas, filters and scrubbers are generally used.

[0006] However, tar treatment using filters and scrubbers can cause maintenance problems such as stable operation and running costs. For example, when tar passes through a scrubber that uses room temperature water, it is possible to remove most of the tar components with relatively high boiling points, but tar components with high melting points among them are cooled in the scrubber water and become highly viscous, which may cause them to adhere to the drainage system and cause blockages. This requires frequent shutdowns and cleaning. In addition, there is a problem that many tar components with relatively low boiling points adhere to the filter, requiring frequent replacement.

[0007] As described above, since the synthesis gas derived from biomass feedstock contains tar components with a wide range of boiling points, it is necessary to clean the scrubber and replace the filters, making it difficult to operate continuously for long periods of time.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a gasification furnace system capable of continuous operation over long periods of time, and a method for controlling a gasification furnace system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A gasification furnace system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a gasification furnace that produces synthesis gas from a biomass feedstock, a first scrubber to which the synthesis gas produced in the gasification furnace is guided, a second scrubber to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber is guided, and a control device that controls the temperature of the scrubber water stored in the first scrubber to be at least 80°C and below the boiling point.

[0010] A control method for a gasification furnace system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is a control method for a gasification furnace system including a gasification furnace that produces synthesis gas from a biomass feedstock, a first scrubber to which the synthesis gas produced in the gasification furnace is guided, and a second scrubber to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber is guided, and the method controls the temperature of scrubber water stored in the first scrubber to be higher than 80°C and lower than the boiling point. Effect of the Invention

[0011] The gasification furnace system and the control method thereof according to the present disclosure enable continuous operation over long periods of time. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a gasification furnace system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a specific configuration of the scrubber in FIG. 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The gasification furnace system 1 according to this embodiment is a system that generates synthesis gas (a mixed gas of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) from biomass raw materials. The generated synthesis gas is used as fuel for power generation equipment such as gas turbines and gas engines, or as a raw material for synthetic liquid fuels (e.g., aviation fuel) such as biofuels using the Fischer Tropsch process (FT method).

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the gasification furnace system 1 includes a gasification furnace 10, a high-temperature gas cooler 20, an ash removal section 30, a low-temperature gas cooler (gas cooler) 40, a scrubber 50, and a control device 60.

[0015] Oxygen, steam, and biomass raw materials are fed into the gasifier 10. The gasifier 10 heats the fed oxygen, steam, and biomass raw materials by reacting them, and generates synthesis gas (a mixed gas of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2)). The gasifier 10 discharges the generated synthesis gas. The temperature of the synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier 10 is set to about 800°C or higher and 1200°C or lower.

[0016] Examples of biomass raw materials fed into the gasifier 10 include wood chips, wood pellets, agricultural residues, and forest residues. These biomass raw materials contain impurities as well as carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O), which are the raw materials for synthesis gas. Among the impurities, ash (mainly composed of silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca), etc.) may melt in the gasifier depending on its properties, but most of it remains as ash and is transported downstream with the flow of synthesis gas. In other words, the synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier 10 contains ash and the like.

[0017] Each device (not shown) that feeds oxygen, steam, and biomass raw material to the gasifier 10 is provided with an adjustment unit (not shown) that adjusts the amount of feed. The gasifier system 1 controls the amount, temperature, and composition (ratio of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) of the synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier 10 by adjusting the amounts of oxygen, steam, and biomass raw material fed using the control device 60. Adjusting the amounts of oxygen, steam, and biomass raw material fed is used to optimize the efficiency of, for example, a liquid fuel synthesis device (a device that produces liquid fuel from synthesis gas, not shown) provided downstream of the scrubber 50.

[0018] The gasifier 10 and the high-temperature gas cooler 20 are connected by a first synthesis gas pipe L1. Synthesis gas flows inside the first synthesis gas pipe L1. The first synthesis gas pipe L1 guides the synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier 10 to the high-temperature gas cooler 20. The first synthesis gas pipe L1 is provided with a gas thermometer 11 that measures the temperature of the synthesis gas flowing inside. The gas thermometer 11 transmits measured information to the control device 60.

[0019] The synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier 10 is guided to the high-temperature gas cooler 20. The high-temperature gas cooler 20 cools the supplied synthesis gas by exchanging heat with a cooling medium (steam or water in this embodiment).

[0020] The high temperature gas cooler 20 has a first high temperature heat exchange section 21 provided therein, and a second high temperature heat exchange section 22 provided downstream of the first high temperature heat exchange section 21 in the synthesis gas flow.

[0021] The first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes (not shown) provided inside the high-temperature gas cooler 20. Water vapor flows inside the heat transfer tubes. The first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 cools the synthesis gas and heats the water vapor by exchanging heat between the water vapor flowing inside the heat transfer tubes and the synthesis gas. The water vapor discharged from the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 is supplied to the gasifier 10 via the first cooling medium piping L11.

[0022] The second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes (not shown) provided inside the high-temperature gas cooler 20. Water vapor flows inside the heat transfer tubes. The second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 cools the synthesis gas and heats the water vapor by exchanging heat between the water vapor flowing inside the heat transfer tubes and the synthesis gas. Water vapor is supplied to the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 via the third cooling medium piping L13. In addition, the water vapor discharged from the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 is supplied to the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 via the second cooling medium piping L12.

[0023] The second cooling medium pipe L12 is supplied with spray water from the spray water pipe L20. The spray water pipe L20 branches off from the fourth cooling medium pipe L14 (see *1 in the figure). That is, the spray water pipe L20 connects the fourth cooling medium pipe L14 and the second cooling medium pipe L12. The spray water pipe L20 supplies a part of the water and steam discharged from the second low-temperature heat exchanger 42 of the low-temperature gas cooler 40 described later to the steam flowing through the second cooling medium pipe L12. The spray water pipe L20 is provided with an adjustment mechanism (not shown) that adjusts the amount of water and steam supplied to the steam flowing through the second cooling medium pipe L12. The adjustment mechanism is controlled by the control device 60.

[0024] In addition, a gas bypass pipe L8 is connected to the high-temperature gas cooler 20. The gas bypass pipe L8 extracts a part of the synthesis gas from between the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 and the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22, and guides the extracted synthesis gas to the downstream side of the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22. In other words, the gas bypass pipe L8 is provided so as to bypass the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22. The gas bypass pipe L8 is provided with a flow rate control damper 27. The flow rate control damper 27 adjusts the flow rate of the synthesis gas flowing therethrough by adjusting the opening degree. The opening degree of the flow rate control damper 27 is controlled by the control device 60.

[0025] The high-temperature gas cooler 20 and the gasifier 10 are connected by a first cooling medium pipe L11. Heated water vapor flows through the first cooling medium pipe L11. The first cooling medium pipe L11 guides water vapor discharged from the high-temperature gas cooler 20 (specifically, the first high-temperature heat exchanger 21) to the gasifier 10. The first cooling medium pipe L11 is provided with a cooling medium thermometer 23 for measuring the temperature of the water vapor flowing therethrough, a cooling medium pressure gauge 24 for measuring the pressure of the water vapor flowing therethrough, and a cooling medium flowmeter 25 for measuring the flow rate of the water vapor flowing therethrough. The cooling medium thermometer 23, the cooling medium pressure gauge 24, and the cooling medium flowmeter 25 transmit measured information to the control device 60.

[0026] The high temperature gas cooler 20 and the ash removal section 30 are connected by a second synthesis gas pipe L2. Synthesis gas flows through the second synthesis gas pipe L2. The second synthesis gas pipe L2 guides the synthesis gas discharged from the high temperature gas cooler 20 to the ash removal section 30. The second synthesis gas pipe L2 is provided with a gas thermometer 26 that measures the temperature of the synthesis gas flowing therethrough. The gas thermometer 26 transmits the measured information to the control device 60. The second synthesis gas pipe L2 has a downstream portion branched to connect to a plurality of ash removal units 30. Each of the branched second synthesis gas pipes L2 is provided with a first on-off valve 28. The first on-off valve 28 is controlled by a control device 60.

[0027] The high-temperature gas cooler 20 cools the supplied synthesis gas to approximately 350° C. or more and 500° C. or less. The gasification furnace system 1 adjusts the temperature of the synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature gas cooler 20 by using the control device 60 to adjust the input amount of spray fluid guided to the high-temperature gas cooler 20 via the spray water piping L20, the bypass flow rate of the synthesis gas through the gas bypass piping L8, and the like.

[0028] The high-temperature gas cooler 20 is provided with a soot blower (not shown). The soot blower blows a blowing medium against the surfaces of the heat transfer tubes of the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 and the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 provided inside the high-temperature gas cooler 20, and removes ash adhering to and accumulated on the surfaces of the heat transfer tubes from the surfaces. The blowing medium is supplied from the outside of the high-temperature gas cooler 20 via a blowing medium line L21. The soot blower also plays a role in assisting in the temperature adjustment of the synthesis gas by adjusting the amount of heat exchanged in the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 and the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22. Examples of the blowing medium include nitrogen, steam, and carbon dioxide.

[0029] The synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature gas cooler 20 is guided to the ash removal section 30. The ash removal section 30 collects ash contained in the supplied synthesis gas. A plurality of ash removal sections 30 (two in this embodiment) are provided in parallel in the synthesis gas flow. Since the structures of the plurality of ash removal sections 30 are substantially the same, one ash removal section 30 will be described below as a representative example.

[0030] The ash removal section 30 includes a gas filter 31 that collects ash contained in the synthesis gas, a housing 32 that houses the gas filter 31 therein, a backwash pipe L25 that backwashes the gas filter 31, and a discharge pipe L26 that discharges the ash.

[0031] The gas filter 31 is a mesh member made of sintered metal, ceramic, glass fiber, etc. The gas filter 31 allows the synthesis gas to pass through and collects ash contained in the synthesis gas. The heat resistance temperature of the gas filter 31 is set to a temperature corresponding to the temperature of the synthesis gas supplied (for example, about 350°C to 500°C).

[0032] A backwash gas (e.g., an inert medium such as steam, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide gas) supplied from the backwash pipe L25 is sprayed onto the gas filter 31. This causes the ash captured on the gas filter 31 to fall from the gas filter 31. The fallen ash temporarily accumulates on the bottom of the housing 32. A backwash valve 33 is provided on the backwash pipe L25. The opening and closing of the backwash valve 33 is controlled by the control device 60.

[0033] A discharge pipe L26 is connected to the bottom of the housing 32. The discharge pipe L26 discharges ash accumulated on the bottom of the housing 32 to the outside of the system. A discharge valve 34 is provided on the discharge pipe L26. The opening and closing of the discharge valve 34 is controlled by the control device 60.

[0034] A plurality of ash removal units 30 are provided in parallel to prevent ash from adhering to the surface of the gas filter 31 and causing clogging during long-term operation. The control device 60 switches the system through which the synthesis gas flows using the first on-off valve 28, and backwashes the gas filter 31 in the system through which the synthesis gas is not passing with backwash gas, thereby removing ash adhering to the filter surface.

[0035] The ash removal section 30 and the low-temperature gas cooler 40 are connected by a third synthesis gas pipe L3. The synthesis gas flows through the third synthesis gas pipe L3. The third synthesis gas pipe L3 guides the synthesis gas discharged from the ash removal section 30 to the low-temperature gas cooler 40.

[0036] The third synthesis gas pipe L3 has an upstream portion branched to connect to a plurality of ash removal units 30. That is, the branch pipes extending from the respective ash removal units 30 join together in the third synthesis gas pipe L3, which is connected to the low-temperature gas cooler 40 as a single third synthesis gas pipe L3. Each of the branched third synthesis gas pipes L3 is provided with a second on-off valve 35. The second on-off valve 35 is controlled by the control device 60.

[0037] The synthesis gas discharged from the ash removal section 30 is guided to the low-temperature gas cooler 40. The low-temperature gas cooler 40 cools the supplied synthesis gas by exchanging heat with a cooling medium (steam or water in this embodiment).

[0038] The synthesis gas flows through the low-temperature gas cooler 40. The low-temperature gas cooler 40 has a first low-temperature heat exchanger 41 provided therein, a second low-temperature heat exchanger 42 provided downstream of the first low-temperature heat exchanger 41 in the synthesis gas flow, a steam drum 43 that separates water (cooling water) and steam, and a feed water pump 44 that supplies water to the second low-temperature heat exchanger 42.

[0039] The first low-temperature heat exchange unit 41 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes (not shown) provided inside the low-temperature gas cooler 40. Water and water vapor flow inside the heat transfer tubes. The first low-temperature heat exchange unit 41 exchanges heat between the synthesis gas and the water and water vapor flowing inside the heat transfer tubes, thereby cooling the synthesis gas and heating the water and water vapor. Water (cooling water) stored in the liquid phase of the steam drum 43 is supplied to the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41. The water and water vapor discharged from the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41 are guided to the steam drum 43 via the fifth cooling medium piping L15.

[0040] The second low-temperature heat exchange unit 42 has a plurality of heat transfer tubes (not shown) provided inside the low-temperature gas cooler 40. Water and water vapor flow inside the heat transfer tubes. The second low-temperature heat exchange unit 42 exchanges heat between the synthesis gas and the water and water vapor flowing inside the heat transfer tubes, thereby cooling the synthesis gas and heating the water and water vapor. Water (cooling water) is supplied to the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42 from a water supply pump 44. The water and water vapor discharged from the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42 are guided to the steam drum 43 via the fourth cooling medium piping L14.

[0041] The steam in the steam drum 43 is supplied to the high temperature gas cooler 20 (more specifically, the second high temperature heat exchange section 22) via the third cooling medium pipe L13. The steam drum 43 is provided with a level gauge 45 that detects the liquid level of the water stored therein.

[0042] The low-temperature gas cooler 40 is provided with a soot blower (not shown). The soot blower blows a blowing medium onto the surfaces of the heat transfer tubes of the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41 and the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42 provided inside the low-temperature gas cooler 40, and removes ash and tar adhering to and deposited on the surfaces of the heat transfer tubes from the surfaces. The blowing medium is supplied from the outside of the low-temperature gas cooler 40 via a blowing medium line L22. The soot blower also plays a role in assisting in adjusting the temperature of the synthesis gas by adjusting the amount of heat exchanged in the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41 and the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42. Examples of the blowing medium include nitrogen, steam, and carbon dioxide.

[0043] In the low-temperature gas cooler 40, the synthesis gas is cooled, for example, to a temperature between 200° C. and 350° C. The cooling temperature in the low-temperature gas cooler 40 is determined according to the boiling points of the tar components contained in the synthesis gas. This is because the viscosity of tar components with high boiling points increases as the temperature decreases, making them difficult to remove with a soot blower.

[0044] A first tar pipe L23 for discharging tar is connected to the low-temperature gas cooler 40. The first tar pipe L23 discharges the tar removed from the surface of the heat transfer tube by the soot blower to the outside of the system.

[0045] The low-temperature gas cooler 40 and the scrubber 50 are connected by a fourth synthesis gas pipe L4. The synthesis gas flows through the fourth synthesis gas pipe L4. The fourth synthesis gas pipe L4 guides the synthesis gas discharged from the low-temperature gas cooler 40 to the scrubber 50.

[0046] The synthesis gas discharged from the low-temperature gas cooler 40 is guided to the scrubber 50. The scrubber 50 cleans the supplied synthesis gas and removes tar in the synthesis gas that has not been removed by the low-temperature gas cooler 40. The scrubber 50 cools the synthesis gas by bringing cooling water (cleaning water) into contact with the synthesis gas, and collects tar contained in the synthesis gas together with the cooling water. The specific configuration of the scrubber 50 will be described later.

[0047] A fifth synthesis gas pipe L5 for discharging synthesis gas is connected to the scrubber 50. The fifth synthesis gas pipe L5 supplies the synthesis gas discharged from the scrubber 50 to a supply destination. Examples of the supply destination include a power generation facility and a liquid fuel synthesis unit for producing liquid fuel such as biofuel.

[0048] The fifth synthesis gas pipe L5 is provided with a gas flow meter 51 for measuring the flow rate of the synthesis gas flowing therethrough, and a gas analyzer 52 for analyzing the components of the synthesis gas flowing therethrough. The gas analyzer 52 measures the concentrations of carbon monoxide (C), hydrogen (H2), oxygen (O2), and carbon dioxide (CO2) contained in the synthesis gas. The gas flow meter 51 and the gas analyzer 52 transmit the measured information to the control device 60 .

[0049] The control device 60 controls each operation of the gasification furnace system 1. The control device 60 (Controller) includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit: Processor), a main memory, a secondary storage, etc. Furthermore, the control device 60 may include a communication unit for transmitting and receiving information to and from other devices. The main storage device is composed of writable memory such as cache memory and RAM (Random Access Memory), and is used as a working area for reading out programs executed by the CPU and writing data processed by the programs. The secondary storage device is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, such as a magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or a semiconductor memory. A series of processes for realizing various functions is stored in a secondary storage device in the form of a program, for example, and various functions are realized by the CPU reading the program into the main storage device and executing information processing and arithmetic processing. The program may be installed in the secondary storage device in advance, provided in a state stored in a computer-readable storage medium, or distributed via wired or wireless communication means. Examples of computer-readable storage media include magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and semiconductor memories.

[0050] <Specific configuration of Scrubba 50> Fig. 2 shows a specific configuration of the scrubber 50. Note that, although the low-temperature gas cooler 40 is shown in a simplified manner in Fig. 2, the detailed configuration of the low-temperature gas cooler 40 is as described in Fig. 1.

[0051] The scrubber 50 includes multiple wet scrubbers, specifically, a high temperature scrubber (first scrubber) 70, a medium temperature scrubber (second scrubber) 80, and a low temperature scrubber (third scrubber) 90.

[0052] The high temperature scrubber 70 is connected via a fourth synthesis gas pipe L4 downstream of the low temperature gas cooler 40. To the high temperature scrubber 70, synthesis gas at a temperature of, for example, 200° C. or higher and 350° C. or lower is introduced.

[0053] The high-temperature scrubber 70 includes a container 71 into which synthesis gas is guided from the fourth synthesis gas pipe L4, an injection section 72 that injects cooling water into the container 71, and a cooling water supply pipe 73 that supplies cooling water to the injection section 72.

[0054] A cooling water tank 75 is connected to the cooling water supply pipe 73 via a cooling water pump 74 whose flow rate is adjustable. The flow rate discharged from the cooling water pump 74 is controlled by the control device 60. The cooling water tank 75 stores water at room temperature.

[0055] Cooling water supplied from a cooling water tank 75 by a cooling water pump 74 is sprayed from a spray unit 72 into the container 71. The sprayed cooling water absorbs tar from the synthesis gas in the container 71 and is stored in the lower part of the container 71 as scrubber water W1.

[0056] A part of the scrubber water W1 is discharged together with the tar to the outside through a drain pipe 76. A water temperature sensor 77 for measuring the temperature of the drainage water is provided in the drain pipe 76. The measurement value of the water temperature sensor 77 is transmitted to the control device 60 (see FIG. 1).

[0057] The high temperature scrubber syngas pipe L41 is connected to the gas phase of the vessel 71. The high temperature scrubber syngas pipe L41 is connected to the medium temperature scrubber 80. The high temperature scrubber syngas pipe L41 is provided with a gas temperature sensor 79 that measures the temperature of the syngas. The measurement value of the gas temperature sensor 79 is transmitted to the control device 60.

[0058] The control device 60 controls the flow rate of the cooling water pump 74 based on the measurement values ​​of the water temperature sensor 77 and / or the gas temperature sensor 79, so as to control the temperature of the scrubber water W1 to be, for example, 80°C or higher and 95°C or lower.

[0059] The medium-temperature scrubber 80 is connected via a high-temperature scrubber synthesis gas pipe L41 downstream of the high-temperature scrubber 70. To the medium-temperature scrubber 80, synthesis gas at a temperature of, for example, 80° C. or higher and 95° C. or lower is introduced.

[0060] The medium-temperature scrubber 80 includes a container 81 into which synthesis gas is guided from the high-temperature scrubber synthesis gas piping L41, an injection section 82 that injects cooling water into the container 81, and a cooling water supply piping 83 that supplies cooling water to the injection section 82.

[0061] A cooling water tank 85 is connected to the cooling water supply pipe 83 via a cooling water pump 84 whose flow rate is adjustable. The flow rate discharged from the cooling water pump 84 is controlled by the control device 60. The cooling water tank 85 stores water at room temperature.

[0062] Cooling water supplied from a cooling water tank 85 by a cooling water pump 84 is sprayed from a spray unit 82 into the container 81. The sprayed cooling water absorbs tar from the synthesis gas in the container 81 and is stored in the lower part of the container 81 as scrubber water W2. A part of the scrubber water W2 is discharged together with the tar to the outside through a drain pipe 86. A water temperature sensor 87 for measuring the temperature of the drainage water is provided in the drain pipe 86. The measurement value of the water temperature sensor 87 is transmitted to the control device 60.

[0063] The intermediate temperature scrubber syngas pipe L42 is connected to the gas phase part of the vessel 81. The intermediate temperature scrubber syngas pipe L42 is connected to the low temperature scrubber 90. The intermediate temperature scrubber syngas pipe L42 is provided with a gas temperature sensor 89 that measures the temperature of the syngas. The measurement value of the gas temperature sensor 89 is transmitted to the control device 60.

[0064] The control device 60 controls the flow rate of the cooling water pump 84 based on the measurement values ​​of the water temperature sensor 87 and / or the gas temperature sensor 89, so that the temperature of the scrubber water W2 is, for example, between 20°C and 40°C (around atmospheric temperature).

[0065] The low temperature scrubber 90 is connected via a medium temperature scrubber synthesis gas pipe L42 to the downstream side of the medium temperature scrubber 80. To the low temperature scrubber 90, synthesis gas whose temperature is, for example, 20° C. or higher and 40° C. or lower is introduced.

[0066] The low-temperature scrubber 90 includes a container 91 into which synthesis gas is guided from the medium-temperature scrubber synthesis gas piping L42, an injection section 92 that injects cooling water into the container 91, and a cooling water supply piping 93 that supplies cooling water to the injection section 92.

[0067] A cooling water tank 95 is connected to the cooling water supply pipe 93 via a cooling water pump 94 and a chiller 100. The chiller 100 is controlled by the control device 60, and the cooling water is cooled to a desired temperature. The flow rate of the cooling water pump 94 may also be adjusted by the control device 60. The cooling water tank 95 stores water at room temperature.

[0068] Cooling water supplied from a cooling water tank 95 by a cooling water pump 94 and cooled by a chiller 100 is sprayed from an injection unit 92 into the container 91. The sprayed cooling water absorbs tar from the synthesis gas in the container 91 and is stored in the lower part of the container 91 as scrubber water W3. A part of the scrubber water W3 is discharged to the outside via a drain pipe 96. A water temperature sensor 97 that measures the temperature of the drainage water is provided in the drain pipe 96. The measurement value of the water temperature sensor 97 is transmitted to the control device 60.

[0069] A fifth synthesis gas pipe L5 is connected to the gas phase part of the container 91. A gas temperature sensor 99 that measures the temperature of the synthesis gas is provided in the fifth synthesis gas pipe L5. The measurement value of the gas temperature sensor 99 is transmitted to the control device 60.

[0070] The control device 60 controls the chiller 100 based on the measurement values ​​of the water temperature sensor 97 and / or the gas temperature sensor 99, so that the temperature of the scrubber water W3 is controlled to be, for example, 10° C. or lower.

[0071] <Control method of gasification furnace system 1> Next, a control method for the above-mentioned gasification furnace system 1 will be described.

[0072] The synthesis gas generated in the gasifier 10 is introduced into the high-temperature gas cooler 20 via a first synthesis gas pipe L1. The synthesis gas generated in the gasifier 10 contains ash. The temperature of the synthesis gas flowing through the first synthesis gas pipe L1 is set to about 800°C or higher and 1200°C or lower due to the gasification reaction in the gasifier 10.

[0073] The synthesis gas introduced into the high-temperature gas cooler 20 is cooled by exchanging heat with a cooling medium (steam) in the first high-temperature heat exchange section 21 and the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22. A part of the synthesis gas is guided to the downstream side of the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22 via the gas bypass piping L8 without passing through the second high-temperature heat exchange section 22.

[0074] The synthesis gas cooled by the high-temperature gas cooler 20 is discharged from the high-temperature gas cooler 20. The synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature gas cooler 20 is introduced into the ash removal section 30 via the second synthesis gas piping L2. The temperature of the synthesis gas flowing through the second synthesis gas piping L2 is set to about 300°C or higher and 550°C or lower by heat exchange in the high-temperature gas cooler 20.

[0075] The synthesis gas introduced into the ash removal section 30 passes through the gas filter 31. When passing through the gas filter 31, the ash contained in the synthesis gas is collected by the gas filter 31. In this manner, the ash is removed while the synthesis gas is at a high temperature.

[0076] The melting temperature of ash is approximately 800°C or higher, and below that temperature the ash is sticky, but below about 600°C the ash becomes loose. Backwashing with the gas filter 31 in the ash removal section 30 is effective for loose, low-viscosity ash, so it is preferable that the gas filter 31 is always installed at a temperature below which the ash becomes easily removable by the gas filter 31, and above a gas temperature at which tar does not precipitate. For this reason, it is preferable that the high-temperature gas cooler 20 sets the synthesis gas temperature at the outlet of the gas filter 31 to 500°C or lower.

[0077] The synthesis gas discharged from the ash removal section 30 mainly contains CO, H2, CO2, and H2O, and also contains small amounts of components derived from trace components such as S and N contained in the raw material.

[0078] Synthetic gas produced using biomass feedstock contains gaseous tar, and when the gas temperature falls below approximately 450°C, the components that make up the tar precipitate in sequence as they reach their respective freezing points.

[0079] Tar is mainly derived from aromatic organic components contained in biomass raw materials. The five types shown in Table 1 are representative, but actual tar varies greatly due to bonds between C and H, etc., and tars with similar compositions have similar boiling points, so it is preferable to set and manage the boiling point range as shown below.

[0080] [Table 1]

[0081] The lower the boiling point of the tar, the greater the content in synthesis gas, and in the above table, the order is (1)>(2)>(3)>(4)>(5). These precipitate as liquid or solid matter as the synthesis gas cools, and most of them are (1)-(3).

[0082] The tendency of tar vapor pressure is the same as that of boiling point. The lower the boiling point, the higher the vapor pressure. For example, the theoretical maximum amount of tar that can be contained in synthesis gas at 30°C is about 1g / Nm3 for tar (1) and several mg / Nm3 for tar (2).

[0083] The synthesis gas from which the ash has been removed in the ash removal section 30 is discharged from the ash removal section 30. The synthesis gas discharged from the ash removal section 30 is introduced into the low-temperature gas cooler 40 via the third synthesis gas piping L3. The temperature of the synthesis gas flowing through the third synthesis gas piping L3 is set to about 300°C or higher and 550°C or lower (preferably a maximum of 500°C).

[0084] The synthesis gas introduced into the low-temperature gas cooler 40 is cooled by exchanging heat with a cooling medium (water or water vapor) in the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41 and the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42. At this time, some of the tar adheres to the heat transfer tubes of the first low-temperature heat exchange section 41 and the second low-temperature heat exchange section 42 and is removed from the synthesis gas.

[0085] In the low-temperature gas cooler 40, when the synthesis gas contains a large amount of the above tar components (3), (4), and (5), the synthesis gas is cooled to a relatively high temperature of around 300°C, and when the synthesis gas contains a small amount of these tar components, the synthesis gas is cooled to a temperature between 200°C and 250°C. This is because the viscosity of tar components with high boiling points increases as the temperature decreases, making them difficult to remove with a soot blower. As a result, the tar is roughly removed in the low-temperature gas cooler 40.

[0086] The synthesis gas cooled by the low temperature gas cooler 40 is discharged from the low temperature gas cooler 40. The synthesis gas discharged from the low temperature gas cooler 40 is introduced into the high temperature scrubber 70 of the scrubber 50 via the fourth synthesis gas pipe L4.

[0087] In the high-temperature scrubber 70, the control device 60 controls the temperature of the scrubber water W1 to be about 80°C or higher and 95°C. Specifically, the flow rate of the cooling water pump 74 is controlled using the measurement results of the water temperature sensor 77 and / or the gas temperature sensor 79. This is to keep the tar recovered in the high-temperature scrubber 70 almost liquid (partly solid) and make it easier to separate the tar from the wastewater using centrifugation, a decanter, or the like. The separated tar can be used as a heat source, fertilizer, or the like, and separating the tar can reduce the load on the wastewater treatment process.

[0088] In the high-temperature scrubber 70, all of the tars (3), (4), and (5) above (although the absolute amount is small) and most of the tars (1) and (2) above are collected. In the scrubber water W1, the tars (3), (4), and (5) are mostly solid, but in small amounts, while the tars (1) and (2) are present in large amounts in liquid form. In contrast, if the temperature of the scrubber water W1 is not maintained high as in this embodiment, the tars (1) and (2) mainly adhere to the high-temperature scrubber 70 and the drainage piping, causing blockages.

[0089] The tars (1) and (2) can maintain their fluidity in the scrubber water W1, which is heated to a temperature of 80°C to 95°C, and the tars (3), (4), and (5) are small relative to the amount of water, so they are discharged to the wastewater without solidification. The synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature scrubber 70 contains tar equivalent to the saturated vapor pressure at the gas temperature at the maximum. The tars (3), (4), and (5) are almost completely removed from the synthesis gas, and the synthesis gas heads to the medium-temperature scrubber 80 in a state in which the tar (1) is contained at a maximum of about 500 to 1000 mg / Nm3 and the tar (2) is contained at a maximum of about several tens of mg / Nm3. At this time, the synthesis gas contains not only H2 and CO, but also H2O (steam) and CO2. Of these, H2O becomes water when it reaches steam temperature at atmospheric pressure and moves to the scrubber water W1 in the high-temperature scrubber 70. As a result, the volume of the scrubber water W1 increases and the volume of the synthesis gas decreases.

[0090] The synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature scrubber 70 is introduced into the medium-temperature scrubber 80 via the high-temperature scrubber synthesis gas pipe L41.

[0091] In the medium-temperature scrubber 80, the synthesis gas containing the tars (1) and (2) at the saturated vapor pressure that has passed through the high-temperature scrubber 70 is secondarily cleaned. The temperature of the scrubber water W2 in the medium-temperature scrubber 80 is set to about the atmospheric temperature (for example, about 20° C. or higher and 40° C. or lower).

[0092] Tars (1) and (2) are removed from the synthesis gas and collected in scrubber water W2. The synthesis gas at the outlet of the medium temperature scrubber 80 contains tars up to the amount equivalent to the saturated vapor pressure at the gas temperature. Tar (1) is less than several hundred mg / Nm3, and tar (2) is less than several mg / Nm3. Tars (1) and (2) in the scrubber water W2 have high viscosity in room temperature water, but because the amount is small compared to the amount of water, they can be discharged relatively easily without adhesion or blockage.

[0093] Since the H2O (vapor) in the gas can be liquified and removed in the high-temperature scrubber 70, the amount of synthesis gas introduced into the medium-temperature scrubber 80 is reduced, resulting in a reduction in the amount of cooling water used in the medium-temperature scrubber 80.

[0094] In the medium-temperature scrubber 80, the flow rate of the cooling water pump 84 is controlled using the measurement results of the water temperature sensor 87 and / or the gas temperature sensor 89, and the temperature of the scrubber water W2 is preferably maintained at room temperature + 5°C or lower. This is for the purpose of recovering as much tar as possible in the medium-temperature scrubber 80, efficiently minimizing the outflow of tar equivalent to the saturated vapor pressure equivalent to the temperature of the exhaust gas system to the downstream side, and reducing the power of the chiller 100 of the low-temperature scrubber 90. When the wastewater temperature of the water temperature sensor 87 or the exhaust gas temperature of the gas temperature sensor 89 reaches a specified value or higher (room temperature + 5°C), the control device 60 increases the amount of cooling water to lower the temperature of the scrubber water W2. When it falls below the specified value (for example, room temperature to room temperature + 2°C), the control device 60 reduces the consumption of cooling water, raising the temperature of the scrubber water W2 and lowering the running cost. However, since tar in this temperature range becomes solid in the scrubber water W2, it is preferable to set a lower limit for the amount of cooling water to prevent solidification.

[0095] The synthesis gas discharged from the intermediate temperature scrubber 80 is introduced into the low temperature scrubber 90 via the intermediate temperature scrubber synthesis gas pipe L42.

[0096] The low-temperature scrubber 90 performs final scrubbing of the synthesis gas containing tar at a saturated vapor pressure (1) that has passed through the medium-temperature scrubber 80. The control device 60 controls the chiller 100 using the measurement results of the water temperature sensor 97 and / or the gas temperature sensor 99, and adjusts the temperature of the scrubber water W3 to 10°C or less. This reduces the saturated vapor pressure of tar as much as possible, and keeps the amount of tar flowing out of the exhaust gas system to a minimum. For example, the amount of tar (1) contained in the synthesis gas at the outlet of the low-temperature scrubber 90 is reduced to several tens of mg / Nm3 or less, completing the tar removal from the synthesis gas. Since the synthesis gas is cooled to approximately room temperature in the medium-temperature scrubber 80, the temperature difference between the medium-temperature scrubber 80 and the low-temperature scrubber 90 is reduced, and the power required for the chiller 100 can be reduced.

[0097] The synthesis gas from which tar has been removed in the low-temperature scrubber 90 is supplied to various destinations via a fifth synthesis gas pipe L5.

[0098] Table 2 summarizes the outlet temperatures and tar component amounts at the low temperature gas cooler 40, high temperature scrubber 70, medium temperature scrubber 80 and low temperature scrubber 90 described above.

[0099] [Table 2]

[0100] The effects of the present embodiment described above are as follows. The temperature of the scrubber water W1 stored in the high-temperature scrubber 70 is controlled to be 80°C or higher and lower than the boiling point (preferably 95°C or lower), so that the tar removed from the synthesis gas can be prevented from becoming highly viscous as it is cooled by the scrubber water W1, and the frequency of cleaning the drainage system can be reduced. This makes it easier to treat the scrubber water W1, and enables the gasification furnace system 1 to operate continuously for long periods of time.

[0101] By controlling the temperature of the scrubber water W2 of the medium-temperature scrubber 80 to be between 20°C and 40°C, it is possible to remove low-boiling-point tar contained in the synthesis gas discharged from the high-temperature scrubber 70. The low-boiling-point tar becomes highly viscous in the scrubber water W2 at between 20°C and 40°C, but the amount of tar is small because most of the tar has been removed in the high-temperature scrubber 70. This makes it easier to treat the scrubber water W2 of the medium-temperature scrubber 80, and enables the gasification furnace system 1 to operate continuously for long periods of time.

[0102] By controlling the temperature of the scrubber water W3 of the low-temperature scrubber 90 to 10° C. or lower, low-boiling-point tar contained in the synthesis gas discharged from the medium-temperature scrubber 80 can be further removed.

[0103] The synthesis gas is cooled to 200° C. or more and 350° C. or less by the low-temperature gas cooler 40. This makes it possible to remove high-boiling-point tar from the synthesis gas that is guided to the high-temperature scrubber 70.

[0104] By providing the ash removal section 30 upstream of the low-temperature gas cooler 40, the ash is removed before cooling by the low-temperature gas cooler 40. This makes it possible to prevent the ash from adhering to and accumulating on downstream equipment by preventing, as much as possible, the tar that has become highly viscous as a result of the synthesis gas being cooled in the low-temperature gas cooler 40 from mixing with the ash.

[0105] The gasification furnace system and the control method for the gasification furnace system described in each of the embodiments described above can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0106] A gasification furnace system (1) according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a gasification furnace (10) that generates synthesis gas from a biomass feedstock, a first scrubber (70) to which the synthesis gas generated in the gasification furnace (10) is guided, a second scrubber (80) to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber (70) is guided, and a control device (60) that controls the temperature of scrubber water (W1) stored in the first scrubber (70) to be equal to or higher than 80°C and lower than the boiling point.

[0107] The temperature of the scrubber water stored in the first scrubber is controlled to be 80°C or higher but lower than the boiling point (preferably 95°C or lower), which prevents the tar removed from the synthesis gas from becoming highly viscous as it is cooled by the scrubber water, and reduces the frequency of cleaning the drainage system. This makes it easier to treat the scrubber water and enables the gasification furnace system to operate continuously for long periods of time. The control device may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the scrubber water in the first scrubber, or may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber. The temperature control by the control device is performed, for example, by adjusting the flow rate of room temperature water injected in the first scrubber.

[0108] In the gasification furnace system (1) according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, in the above-mentioned first aspect, the control device (60) controls the temperature of the scrubber water (W2) stored in the second scrubber (80) to be not less than 20°C and not more than 40°C.

[0109] By controlling the temperature of the scrubber water in the second scrubber to between 20°C and 40°C, it is possible to remove low-boiling-point tar contained in the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber. Low-boiling-point tar becomes viscous in scrubber water between 20°C and 40°C, but since most of the tar has been removed in the first scrubber, there is only a small amount of tar remaining. This makes it easier to treat the scrubber water, enabling the gasifier system to operate continuously for long periods of time. The control device may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the scrubber water in the second scrubber, or may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the synthesis gas discharged from the second scrubber. The temperature control by the control device is performed, for example, by adjusting the flow rate of room temperature water injected in the second scrubber.

[0110] The gasification furnace system (1) according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the first or second aspect described above, is provided with a third scrubber (90) to which the synthesis gas discharged from the second scrubber (80) is guided, and the control device (60) controls the temperature of the scrubber water (W3) stored in the third scrubber (90) to be 10°C or lower.

[0111] By controlling the temperature of the scrubber water in the third scrubber to 10°C or less, low-boiling-point tar contained in the synthesis gas discharged from the second scrubber can be further removed. The control device may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the scrubber water in the third scrubber, or may control the temperature of the scrubber water by detecting the temperature of the synthesis gas discharged from the third scrubber. The temperature control by the control device is performed, for example, by controlling a chiller that cools the room temperature water injected in the third scrubber.

[0112] A gasification furnace system (1) according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in any one of the first to third aspects, is provided with a gas cooler (40) that is provided upstream of the synthesis gas flow of the first scrubber (70) and cools the temperature of the synthesis gas to 200°C or more and 350°C or less.

[0113] The synthesis gas is cooled to between 200°C and 350°C by the gas cooler, which makes it possible to remove high-boiling tar from the synthesis gas that is led to the first scrubber. The gas cooler preferably includes a heat transfer tube through which a cooling medium such as water or steam flows, and a soot blower for removing tar adhering to the heat transfer tube.

[0114] The gasification furnace system (1) according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the fourth aspect described above, and is provided with an ash removal section (30) that is provided upstream of the synthesis gas flow of the gas cooler (40) and removes ash contained in the synthesis gas.

[0115] By providing an ash removal section upstream of the gas cooler, the ash is removed before the gas is cooled by the gas cooler. This prevents the ash from adhering to and accumulating on downstream equipment by preventing the tar, which has become highly viscous as a result of the cooling of the synthesis gas downstream of the gas cooler, from mixing with the ash.

[0116] A control method for a gasification furnace system (1) according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for a gasification furnace system (1) including a gasification furnace (10) that generates synthesis gas from a biomass feedstock, a first scrubber (70) to which the synthesis gas generated in the gasification furnace (10) is guided, and a second scrubber (80) to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber (70) is guided, and the control method controls a temperature of scrubber water (W3) stored in the first scrubber (70) to be equal to or higher than 80°C and lower than the boiling point. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1: Gasification furnace system 10: Gasification furnace 11: Gas thermometer 20: High temperature gas cooler 21: 1st high temperature heat exchange section 22:Second high temperature heat exchange section 23:Cooling medium thermometer 24: Coolant pressure gauge 25: Coolant flow meter 26: Gas thermometer 27: Flow control damper 28: First opening and closing valve 30: Ash removal section 31: Gas filter 32: Housing 33: Backwash valve 34: Discharge valve 35: Second opening and closing valve 40: Low temperature gas cooler (gas cooler) 41: 1st low temperature heat exchange section 42:Second low temperature heat exchange section 43: Steam drum 44: Water pump 45: Level gauge 50: Scrubba 51: Gas flow meter 52: Gas analyzer 60: Control device 70: High temperature scrubber (first scrubber) 71: Container 72: Injection part 73: Cooling water supply piping 74: Cooling water pump 75: Cooling water tank 76: Drain pipe 77: Water temperature sensor 79: Gas temperature sensor 80: Medium temperature scrubber (second scrubber) 81: Container 82: Injection part 83: Cooling water supply piping 84: Cooling water pump 85: Cooling water tank 86: Drain pipe 87: Water temperature sensor 89: Gas temperature sensor 90: Low temperature scrubber (third scrubber) 91: Container 92: Injection part 93: Cooling water supply piping 94: Cooling water pump 95: Cooling water tank 96: Drain pipe 97: Water temperature sensor 99: Gas temperature sensor 100: Chiller L1: First synthesis gas pipe L11: 1st coolant pipe L12: 2nd coolant pipe L13: 3rd coolant pipe L14: 4th coolant pipe L15: 5th coolant pipe L2: Second synthesis gas pipe L20: Spray water piping L21: Spray media line L22: Spray media line L23: First tar pipe L25: Backwash piping L26: Discharge piping L3: 3rd synthesis gas pipe L4: 4th synthesis gas pipe L41: High temperature scrubber synthesis gas piping L42: Medium temperature scrubber synthetic gas piping L5: 5th synthesis gas pipe L8: Gas bypass piping W1: Scrub water W2: Scrub water W3: Scrub water

Claims

1. a gasifier for producing synthesis gas from biomass feedstock; a first scrubber to which the synthesis gas produced in the gasification furnace is introduced; a second scrubber to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber is directed; A control device that controls the temperature of the scrubber water stored in the first scrubber so that the temperature is 80° C. or higher and lower than the boiling point; A gasification furnace system comprising:

2. The gasification furnace system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device controls the temperature of the scrubber water stored in the second scrubber to be 20° C. or higher and 40° C. or lower.

3. a third scrubber to which the synthesis gas discharged from the second scrubber is guided; The gasification furnace system according to claim 2 , wherein the control device controls the temperature of the scrubber water stored in the third scrubber to be 10° C. or lower.

4. 4. The gasification furnace system according to claim 3, further comprising a gas cooler provided upstream of the synthesis gas flow from the first scrubber and configured to cool the synthesis gas to a temperature of 200°C or higher and 350°C or lower.

5. 5. The gasification furnace system according to claim 4, further comprising an ash removal unit provided upstream of the synthesis gas flow of the gas cooler and configured to remove ash contained in the synthesis gas.

6. a gasifier for producing synthesis gas from biomass feedstock; a first scrubber to which the synthesis gas produced in the gasification furnace is introduced; a second scrubber to which the synthesis gas discharged from the first scrubber is directed; A control method for a gasification furnace system comprising: A control method for a gasification furnace system, comprising controlling a temperature of the scrubber water stored in the first scrubber so as to be equal to or higher than 80°C and lower than the boiling point.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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