Source: China Chemical Industry News

On May 18, Guizhou Hongsheng Chemical Co., Ltd. successfully ignited the atmospheric circulating fluidized bed gasifier— the core equipment of its upgraded 300,000-ton/year synthetic ammonia gas production unit. The system has now entered the hot commissioning phase.

The gasifier adopts circulating fluidized bed coal gasification technology developed by the Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It uses locally sourced fine anthracite coal from Guizhou, which is characterized by low reactivity and high ash content—making it difficult to gasify using conventional entrained-flow or bubbling fluidized bed technologies.

To address this, the Institute designed a high-ratio circulation loop to significantly increase the carbon concentration in the gasifier’s furnace, thereby enhancing gasification reactions. This breakthrough overcomes the technical barriers of gasifying low-reactivity, high-ash fine anthracite, offering a clean and efficient solution for its utilization.

Currently, most small and medium-sized synthetic ammonia plants in China use fixed-bed coal gasifiers, which are energy-intensive and highly polluting. The circulating fluidized bed gasification technology is compatible with existing equipment in these plants, requires relatively low investment, and supports environmental upgrades in China’s synthetic ammonia industry.