Systems and methods for maintaining sulfur concentration in a syngas to reduce metal dusting in downstream components

Abstract

Systems and methods for maintaining a sulfur concentration in a syngas are provided. The method can include combining sulfur and a carbonaceous material to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous feed. The method can also include gasifying at least a portion of the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed to produce a syngas and detecting a sulfur concentration in the syngas. The method can further include adjusting an amount of the sulfur combined with the carbonaceous material based on the detected sulfur concentration.

1 . A method for maintaining a sulfur concentration in a syngas, comprising:
 combining sulfur and a carbonaceous material to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous feed;   gasifying at least a portion of the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed to produce a syngas;   detecting a sulfur concentration in the syngas; and   adjusting an amount of the sulfur combined with the carbonaceous material based on the detected sulfur concentration.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises coal, coke, petroleum, biomass, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the syngas has a sulfur concentration of at least 0.1 vol %. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material has an average particle size of about 50 microns to about 500 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the sulfur has an average particle size of from about 50 microns to about 500 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur is detected using gas chromatography, spectrometry, vapor-phase chromatography, gas-liquid partition chromatography, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the sulfur containing carbonaceous mixture has an average particle size of about 400 microns or less. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed is gasified in a transport gasifier. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sulfur containing carbonaceous feed is gasified in a fluidized bed gasifier. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed is gasified in an entrained flow gasifier. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed is gasified in a fixed bed gasifier. 
     
     
         12 . A method for maintaining sulfur concentration in syngas, comprising:
 adding sulfur to a carbonaceous material to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous feed containing at least 0.05 vol % sulfur;   introducing the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed to a transport gasifier to produce a syngas;   detecting a sulfur concentration in the syngas; and   adjusting an amount of sulfur added to the carbonaceous material based on the detected sulfur concentration to maintain the sulfur concentration in the syngas at about 0.1 vol % or more.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising increasing the amount of sulfur added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration in the syngas is below 0.1 vol %. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising decreasing the amount of sulfur added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration in the syngas is above about 0.4 vol %. 
     
     
         15 . A method for maintaining sulfur concentration in syngas, comprising:
 adding sulfur at a controlled rate to a carbonaceous material to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous mixture, wherein a first feeder adjusts the controlled rate of the sulfur;   introducing the sulfur containing carbonaceous mixture to a feed system to produce a sulfur containing carbonaceous feed;   introducing the sulfur containing carbonaceous feed to a gasifier operated at conditions sufficient to produce a syngas;   detecting a sulfur concentration in the syngas;   adjusting the first feeder to increase the rate sulfur is added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration is below 0.1 vol %; and   adjusting the first feeder to decrease the rate sulfur is added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration is above 0.4 vol %.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising changing the pressure of the sulfur containing carbonaceous material from atmospheric pressure to a gasifer operating pressure. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gasifier operates at temperatures ranging from about 700 C to 1,000 C. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising introducing the syngas to one or more coolers to produce a cooled syngas, wherein the sulfur concentration in the syngas is detected after the syngas has been cooled. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 introducing the cooled syngas to a particulate control device to partially or completely remove particulates from the cooled syngas to produce a particulate-lean syngas and separated particulates;   detecting a sulfur concentration in the particulate-lean syngas with a second analyzer;   adjusting the metered feeder to increase the rate sulfur is added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration of the particulate-lean syngas is below a first threshold; and   adjusting the metered feeder to decrease the rate sulfur is added to the carbonaceous material when the sulfur concentration of the particulate-lean syngas the above a second threshold.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the gasifier operates at a pressure ranging from about 750 kPa to about 2,500 kPa.