Advances in the development of wire mesh reactor for coal gasification studies.

In an effort to further understand the coal gasification behavior in entrained-flow gasifiers, a high pressure and high temperature wire mesh reactor with new features was recently built. An advanced LABVIEW-based temperature measurement and control system were adapted. Molybdenum wire mesh with aperture smaller than 70 mum and type D thermocouple were used to enable high carbon conversion (>90%) at temperatures >1000 degrees C. Gaseous species from wire mesh reactor were quantified using a high sensitivity gas chromatography. The material balance of coal pyrolysis in wire mesh reactor was demonstrated for the first time by improving the volatile's quantification techniques.