Cross-border event
Energy cluster
INVITATION
“Industrial and economic potential of gasification
for companies in the Euregio”
Interface de l’Université de Liège
Avenue Pré Aily 4, 4000 Liège (Liège Science Park)
4th of May 2012, 10.00 – 14.00
What is TTC ?
The goal of the Top Technology Cluster project is to stimulate and help technology-oriented
companies within the Greater Euregio Meuse-Rhine area to turn their knowledge and
developments into successful cross-border business ideas and projects.
The resulting project ideas will be stimulated to grow into concrete project proposals to be
eligible for a grant from the "Cross-border innovation fund" of up to €250.000,- per project.
What is the idea behind the event ?
The event aims at highlighting the economic potential of the gasification sector. Its particular
focus is to offer new market opportunities to companies developing and supplying components
and equipment in the energy sector (such as industrial mechanics, valves, sensors, control
software, filters, ...).
Who should register ?
Companies and consulting firms active in mechanical, electronic, energy, ..
(from pipes manufacturers to energy plant management software developers ! )
Why is it an opportunity ?
Gasification processes allow sustainable energy production with low carbon impact and are
therefore expected to grow in the near future.
The development of energy production by gasification is thus a new economic opportunity for
many companies.
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1. What is gasification and what is the role of ETPW (Ecotechnopôle de Wallonie)?
- Gasification is a thermochemical process for converting carbonaceous materials into different
products (mainly: CO and H2).
- The process consists of bringing the carbonaceous material at high temperature in presence of
other reactive gases (O2, H2O, H2) in a vessel (the reactor), where all parameters (temperature,
pressure, oxygen, additional gas, ..) are controlled.
- The main advantages of the method are its good performance and a low CO2-production,
compared with other heat treatments.
- A wide range of sources can be used for gasification: energy from "poor" sources (lignite,
peat, ...), treatment of domestic waste, sludge, recovery of by-products of activities in the
agricultural industry (rice ball , straw, coconut ..).
- Each gasification plant should be tailored according to the type of input, processing volumes
and choice in matters of "production" (heat, gas, ..).
- ETPW (Ecotechnopôle de Wallonie) is a research center equiped with a pre-industrial size
pilot plant allowing to design any special configuration to meet customer demands.
- The role of ETPW is the simulation of each process in the pilot plant and the definition of
operational conditions for future installation (writing the specification for assembler support of
the client).
- The pilot of ETPW is thus an excellent "on line" test bench for suppliers of technologies
related to gasification and other industrial processes with similar constraints (controlled by
temperature, pressure, continuous feeding, processing smoke, ...)
2. What are (some of) the technologies involved? And what are the challenges to
overcome?
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6a
Technological field
Sensors for temperature, pressure,
differential pressure, level, weight, flow of
solids, liquids and gases or vapours
Management systems of supply and
discharge of fuel from the reactor
continuously
Configuring the software control of the
reactor
Reactors (1 - 2 m3 volume) and peripheral
equipment (pumps, pipes, valves, ...)
Cheap air enrichment with oxygen
Flue gas treatment
6b Treatment of liquid waste
Challenges/ Improvements
Resistance to corrosive gases,
longevity
Maintenance of inside conditions while feeding
the reactor : pressure (50 bar) temperature
(1200 ° +), gas mixture composition)
See point 2
Improved corrosion resistance
Improved thermal insulation and keeping the
insulation under operational conditions.
Alternatives? Improved performance?
Gas filters resistant to moisture, heat (700-900 °)
and chimicals
Performance improvement
Gas treatment on solid
Recovery, minimizing unburned, separation and
recovery of minerals.
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3. What are possibilities for collaboration with ETPW ?
The cooperation between ETPW and a company can take various forms:
- exchange/complete information on the operating conditions of a gasification plant and
the effects on equipment and devices,
- test of components in the ETPW pilot plant (under actual operating conditions),
- reflection and contribution to the improvement or development of a new component.
Information and registration (via registration form):
Luc ETIENNE / +32 4 349 85 31 / [email protected]
(registration is free but compulsory)
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