Feasibility and Performance Analysis of a Dual‐Regulation System in the Process of Methanol and Electricity Coproduction by Coal Gasification

Abstract

The traditional coal‐gasification process has many problems, such as low yield, large loss of syngas, and large carbon emission. Herein, a novel dual‐regulation system is established. Natural gas is used as the supplemental feed to add hydrogen‐ to coal‐gasification syngas, which is the primary regulation process. Water–gas shift process with calcium looping is treated as the secondary regulation process to regulate the ratio of H2 to CO and CO2 subtly. The potential feasibility of the system is verified through thermodynamic perspective by Aspen Plus. Under the simulation condition, the final methanol product amount is 3485.12 kmol h−1 with 97.2% concentration and 33.47 MWe net electricity is generated. As a result, the methanol efficiency and net electricity efficiency are 60.55% and 3.22%, respectively. For investigating the effectiveness of regulation, the effects of mass ratio of natural to coal feedstock on materials and performances are discussed.