The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has been conducting research on gasification for six decades. One of the objectives of this gasification research has been to maximize carbon conversion and the water?gas shift process for optimal hydrogen production and syngas quality. This research focus and experience were a perfect fit for the National Center for Hydrogen Technology � (NCHT�) Program at the EERC for improving all aspects of coal gasification, which ultimately aids in the production and purification of hydrogen. A consortia project was developed under the NCHT Program to develop an improved predictive model for ash formation and deposition under the project entitled ?Coal Ash Behavior in Reducing Environments (CABRE) III: Development of the CABRE III Model.? The computer-based program is now applicable to the modeling of coal and ash behavior in both entrained-flow and fluidized-bed gasification systems to aid in overall gasification efficiency. This model represents a significant improvement over the CABRE II model and runs on a Microsoft Windows PC platform. The major achievements of the CABRE III model are partitioning of inorganic transformations between various phases for specific gas cleanup equipment
slag property predictions, including standard temperature?viscosity curves and slag flow and thickness
deposition rates in gasification cleanup equipment
provision for composition analysis for all input and output streams across all process equipment, including major elements and trace elements of interest
composition analysis of deposit streams for various deposit zones, including direct condensation on equipment surfaces (Zone A), homogeneous particulate deposition (Zone B), and entrained fly ash deposition (Zone C)
and physical removal of ash in cyclones based on D50 cut points. Another new feature of the CABRE III model is a user-friendly interface and detailed reports that are easily exportable into Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, or as pdf files. The user interface provides stepwise guides with built-in checks for efficient entry of required input data on fuels of interest to allow a successful execution of the model. The model was developed with data from several fuels selected by the sponsors, including bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite, and petroleum coke (petcoke). The data from these fuels were obtained using small pilot-scale entrained-flow and fluidized-bed gasifiers at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). The CABRE III model is expected to further advance the knowledge base for the NCHT� Program and, more importantly, allow for prediction of the slagging and fouling characteristics of fuels in reducing environments. The information obtained from this program will potentially also assist in maintaining prolonged gasifier operation free from failure or facilitate troubleshooting to minimize downtime in the event of a problem.