Design of refractories for coal gasification and combustion systems. Final report

Abstract

For gasification and combustion systems of interest to utilities, the design of wear-resistant refractories and refractory linings for the erosion/corrosion and slagging conditions is important and necessary to minimize losses in system efficiencies, higher production costs, and excessive downtime associated with lining wear and failure. Under the sponsorship of the Electric Power Research Institute, the Westinghouse Electric Corporation conducted a program to design refractories for use under the high-temperature erosion/corrosion and slagging conditions found in coal gasification and combustion systems. The major tasks designed to meet this objective were: (1) determine the state-of-the art of refractories for gasification and combustion systems, (2) evaluate the behavior of refractories under erosion/corrosion and slagging conditions in laboratory and large-scale test facilities, (3) determine wear and failure mechanisms under these test conditions, and (4) establish design criteria for the refractories. For the erosion/corrosion conditions, evaluation of refractories in the small-scale direct impingement test facility at room temperature and in the large-scale pneumatic impingement test facility at room and high temperatures was very successful though further evaluation under more corrosive environments is needed to confirm the results obtained in the program. Evaluation of refractories in the large-scale fluidized-bed test facility was not as successful duemore » to the low rates of wear observed and the difficulties encountered in specimen size, geometry, and placement in the test bed.« less