Gasification-based combined cycle processes are being developed throughout Europe as a more environmentally-acceptable means of burning fossil fuels. Typical combined cycles can increase the efficiency of power generation by 20% or more, compared with conventional coal-fired power-stations, whilst reducing emissions of acid and greenhouse gases substantially. A high-temperature, high-pressure regenerative and continuous de-sulpherization process is envisaged as being a major component in hot gas clean-up for both air-blown and oxygen-blown gasifers. This project was concerned with the development and testing of sorbents and catalysts for such a desulpherization process for integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants.
The work focused on large-scale production methods for the chosen sorbent/catalyst (supported iron-oxide/molybdenum oxide), and on the production of sorbent particulates suitable for use in moving bed and fluid bed desulpherization reactors.