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Water Gas

Water gas, blue, gas, or synthesis gas (syngas) are gases that are generated in coal gasification and waste-to-energy plants. They are use to create synthetic petroleum for fuel or lubricant purposes via a method called the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. Most water gas consists of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, as well as sulfur so it can be smelled in case of leakage; it is both highly combustible and very poisonous.

Water gas created in a waste-to-energy plant is generally just enough to keep the plant operating, but that may change in the future. Coal gasification processes used to create water gas are pretty efficient, and were the primary source of the gas for gas lighting before the common use of electric lights.

In gasification, carbonaceous materials like coal or biomass is converted into combustible carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Gasification has many applications beyond just producing water gas; it can be used to produce electricity, and ammonia and liquid fuels. It also shows some promise in producing methane and hydrogen for fuel cells using Integrated Gasification Combined Cycles (IGCC). IGCC may also be better at capturing CO2 than conventional PC technologies.

Web Resources On Water Gas

What is Manufactured Gas?
Coal Gasification

Book Resources On Water Gas

Syngas Formation by Direct Oxidation of Methane: From reaction mechanisms to new reactor concepts by GoÌtz Veser
Natural Gas Conversion to Syngas in Catalytic Membrane Reactors by A. F Sammells

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