Page 194 - CW E-Magazine (30-4-2024)

Special Report Special Report

thermal power station. The pollution decades of operations. A similar plant in the central enterprise, China National The aim is to achieve all this in the next It should also be understood that not to the problem. As natural gas was too
load in terms of SO and NOx emis- Dakota, USA, operational since 1985, Chemical Engineering Group Corpora- 5-6 years. Further, there would be need only heavy equipment, but large turbo- costly, in 2014, it was suggested that a
2
sions is also lower with gasifi ers. again with modifi ed Lurgi gasifi ers, with tion Ltd. (CNCEC). to dispose or utilise 25-mtpa of ash in compressors and gas turbines are also gasifi cation unit to provide heating gas
an investment of $2.1-bn, has been some form or other. required for manufacture of methanol, would solve the problem. Presentations
Coal gasifi cation offers many pos- doing very well, consuming about 100-mt target! syngas, ammonia, etc. A stupendous were made to the GPCB and the envi-
sibilities for countries that have little 6.5-mt of lignite annually, for producing In September 2021, the Ministry of A salient point to bear in mind is task, by any standards! ronment ministry on the feasibility of
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petroleum reserves, but are blessed synthetic natural gas, fertilisers, and Coal came up with a National Coal that the largest single site plant in China such a unit. But the reason why it was
with large coal reserves to reduce their other by-products. It has paid back all Gasifi cation Mission, aiming at gasifi - has capacity of 6-mtpa of coal with There is persistent concern regard- not taken up is unknown.
IndiaChemTrade
ChemImpex
dependence on petroleum products. loans. About 40% of revenue is from cation of 100-mt of coal by 2030. about 25 gasifi ers of 4,000-tpd (tonnes ing high ash content of Indian coals.
The Chinese were fi rst off the block synthetic natural gas. It is a lesson in per day) each (possibly the largest gasi- The Chinese have been operating a Concluding remarks
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For subscribers only
when a policy decision was taken some perseverance, faith in technology, and In a notifi cation in January 2024, fi ers in the world). Several, coal-to- plant for many years with 26% ash Despite the obvious economic bene-
IndiaChemTrade provides consolidated trade statistics
ChemImpex, the trade database, tracks, on a daily
30 years back to go for massive coal innovation. How did we miss the bus? Government of India provided fi nan- olefi n plants, producing methanol as content. To be sure there were many fi t of gasifi cation there are many chal-
basis, exports and imports of chemicals and related
of India. The information provided here is based on the
gasifi cation and downstream products. cial incentives, with a total outlay of an intermediate, have been completed, technical problems in the initial stages, lenges. A single project, for one, re-
annual trade data published by the Directorate General
products through the major ports in India — a vital
At that time the four companies offering The Reliance mega project does not Rs. 8,500-crore, for coal gasifi cation and typical capacity of propylene is but these have been resolved. Blending quires huge amount of engineering man
technologies – Texaco, Lurgi, Shell, impact the gasifi cation ecosystem in projects in three categories: 400-ktpa. with low ash content is a solution. hours. Multiply manifold, and the time
source of commercial intelligence. Find out on-line
of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, Government
constraint is daunting. When a project
Conoco, and BGL – were invited and India, however it is worth mentioning.  In Category I, Rs. 4,050-crore was how international markets are moving; where your of India. The database can be searched by: Chemical

is on LSTK mode by a foreign company
A single gasifi er with a capacity of Morbi Cluster – lost opportunity
were more or less given a free run to The original intention was gasifi cation provisioned for Government PSUs competitors are exporting and at what price; where Name/Harmonised Code to obtain the consolidated
put up plants for Chinese organisations. of a large volume of petroleum coke in which up to three projects will be 2,500-3,000 tpd has a weight of about Morbi in Gujarat is a large hub in we learn very little and employ few.
imports are coming from and how their prices are
trade (import or export) in that item; or by Country to
The initial gasifi ers were about 250-tpd (petcoke) generated in its two refi ne- supported by providing lump-sum 650-750 tonnes. Gasifi ers do not ope- India for production of ceramics, mainly However, if implemented using local
moving. Download all this data, seamlessly, for a
obtain the trade (import or export) in all chemicals and
(tonnes per day) in size. ries. Mooted in 2011, it was planned to grant of Rs. 1,350-crore or 15% of rate continuously; they have to be taken sanitaryware. The fi ring of kilns at the talent along with foreign expertise, it
small fee — online, anytime, with no hassles.
related products between India and that country
process 6.4-mtpa of high sulphur pet- capex, whichever is lower. offl ine for maintenance every 90-100 manufacturing units is done by producer will benefi t the nation in the long run.
Simultaneously, China started in- coke – the lowest value refi nery pro-  In Category II, Rs. 3,850-crore was days. Given our high ash content, the gas obtained from coal by individual
ChemXchange
digenising many components that duct – and was touted to be part of a provisioned for private as well as number of gasifi ers will be much more units. The total coal consumption was We have spent almost two decades
Open to all registered users — no subscription required
required frequent replacement. The ‘bottomless’ refi nery. Gasifi cation was Government PSUs in which lump- than in China, where the ash content is about 8,000-tpd. in meetings and conferences on the
ChemXchange — the chemical exchange with a difference — is where you can identify your buyers and sup-
Chinese Government also decided to signifi cantly boost refi nery margins sum grant of Rs. 1,000-crore or 15% in the range of 6-10%. On average, 2-3 topic of gasifi cation. What is holding us
plyers on-line, any time. This unique platform is free to all advertisers in the print version of Chemical Weekly.
upon a long term R&D programme to and the project with 10 gasifi ers in of capex, whichever is lower, is gasifi ers are required for a single site. This created a lot of pollution in back when China has raced ahead?
develop the technology and this project fi ve modules was to be completed in provided for each project. At least We would require approximately 300- terms of smoke, sulphur dioxide (SO )
For more information contact: 022-24044477. Fax: 022-24044450
2
was given to two universities and fully- 42 months by 2018. But it probably one project will be bid out on tariff- 320 gasifi ers for continuity of produc- emissions, black solids and liquid We will achieve something in the
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funded by the Government. Techno- achieved integration only in 2021/22. based bidding process and its crite- tion – all to be delivered in 4-5 years. effl uents like tar, etc. The Gujarat Pollu- near future as far as gasifi cation is
logy development commenced in 1995, The gasifi cation project was transferred ria will be designed in consultation At present only Larsen & Toubro tion Control Board (GPCB) and later concerned, but the 100-mtpa coal
and culminated in 2005 with a commer- into a wholly-owned subsidiary, Reliance with NITI Aayog. (L&T) has the capacity to make such the Gujarat High Court were moved gasification target, though deeply
cial scale demonstration plant being Syngas Ltd.  In Category III, Rs. 600-crore has single piece heavy equipment. by residents of Morbi to fi nd a solution desirable, will likely be elusive!
set up. By 2013, there were 14 operating been provisioned for demonstration
gasifi cation plants with 35 gasifi ers, The Talcher fertiliser project, for projects (indigenous technology)
consuming 120,000-tpd of coal. Cur- producing ammonia and urea, will uti- and/or small-scale product-based
rently, more than 700 gasifi ers are ope- lise about 2.5-mtpa of coal from the gasifi cation plants under which
rating in China, with the technology Talcher mines. This is to be blended lump-sum grant of Rs. 100-crore or
coming from about12 companies (some with up to 25% petcoke to reduce the 15% of capex, whichever is lower,
of whom have merged). The Chinese overall high ash content in the feed- will be given to the selected entity Missed a copy !!!
proudly claim to have broken the west- stock used. The Lumpsum Turnkey who will have a minimum capex For Digital Edition of this month’s issue & all other past issues
ern monopoly on gasifi cation techno- (LSTK) contract was awarded to Wuhan of Rs. 100-crore and minimum
logy. It should be noted about 50% of Engineering Co. Ltd., but it is not clear production of 1,500-Nm /hr of
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all ammonia and 70% of all methanol what gasifi cation technology is being syngas. Visit www.hpicindia.com
in China is coal based. used.
To achieve the 100-mt gasifi cation PDF copies available for download
What is India’s record? The plant is expected to be func- target will mean investments in 40 Register Now
Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) tional by October 2024. Wuhuan Engi- Talcher-type plants, and a mini- Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
had gasifi ers and produced briquettes, neering, formerly known as the Fourth mum total investment at site of
fertiliser, phenol, etc. The gasifi ers Design Institute of the Ministry of Rs. 160,000-crore, along with associa- Contact: For Subscription : Mrs. Usha S. - usha@hpicindia.com
were specifi cally designed for NLC by Chemical Industry, founded in 1958, ted investment in coal mines and infra- For Advertising : Mr. Vijay Raghavan - vijay@hpicindia.com
Lurgi. The plant was shut down after is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of structure for evacuation of products.
194 Chemical Weekly April 30, 2024 Chemical Weekly April 30, 2024 195
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