Reduced order modeling of the Shell–Prenflo entrained flow gasifier

Pre-combustion capture applied to an integrated gasification combined cycle is a promising solution for greenhouse gas emission’s mitigation. For optimal design and operation of this cycle, detailed simulation of entrained flow gasifiers and their integration in the flowsheet analysis is required. This paper describes the development of a reduced order model (ROM) for the Shell–Prenflo gasifier family, used for chemicals and power production because of its high efficiency and compatibility with a wide range of coal quality. Different from CFD analysis, ROM is computationally very efficient, taking around 1 min in a typical desktop or laptop computer, hence enabling the integration of the gasifier model and the overall power plant flowsheet simulation. Because of the gasifier complexity, which includes several gas recirculation loops and a membrane wall, particular attention is paid to: (i) the two-phase heat exchange process in the gasifier wall; and, (ii) the syngas quench process. Computed temperature, composition, velocity and reaction rate profiles inside the gasifier show good agreement with available data. The calculated cold gas efficiency is 82.5%, close to the given value of 82.8%. Results and several sensitivity analyses describe the implementation of the model to explore the potential for operating gasifiers beyond the design point.