Catalytic Gasification of Bowmans Lignite with Steam

Steam gasification of catalyst-loaded Bowmans coals has been carried out in a vertical quartz-tube reactor. Catalysed reaction rates were found to be up to two orders of magnitude higher than uncatalysed rates. Alkali and alkali earth metals showed a strong catalytic effect on the C-H{2}O reaction. Coals treated with sodium acetate and calcium acetate exhibited similar catalytic effectiveness, the gasification rate increasing with increasing sodium and calcium loadings. The order of effectiveness for the catalysts studied was: {formula}. Cation exchange results in a higher gasification rate than adsorption.