Part 2 CCT Overview
Environmental Protection Technologies (CO2 Recovery Technologies)

5A1. Hydrogen Production by Reaction Integrated Novel Gasification Process (HyPr-RING)
Research and development: Japan Coal Energy Center; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science andTechnology; Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.; Babcock Hitachi K.K.; Mitsubishi Materials Corporation;
JGC Corporation
Project type: Subsidized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Period: 2000-2008 (9 years-planned)

Technology overview

1. BackgroundIn addition to its position as the world’s most abundant energy

an earnest need to develop technology to use coal cleanly and morereserve, coal is used as an important primary energy source due toefficiently. In response, a process called HyPr-RING that enables theits economic advantages as well. Future consumption is expected tohydrogen necessary for future hydrogen-energy communities to be

increase with economic growth as well as an increasing population.

produced from coal is now under development for commercialization.

Meanwhile, in response to global warming caused by CO2, there is
2. Theory of HyPr-RING process
HyPr-RING is a process in which a CO2-sorbent, CaO, is directly

Gasification gas must be sent through a low-temperature shifter

added into a coal gasifier and the CO2 generated by coaland then exposed to a low-temperature absorbent such as amine

gasification is fixed as CaCO3, together with the produced

for CO2 separation. At that time, the amount of CO2 gas separatedhydrogen. The reaction between CaO and H2O produces the heatis one mole per mole of hydrogen.

necessary for subsequent coal gasification in the gasifier. Within

On the other hand, the HyPr-RING process uses dry CaO tothe gasifier, a series of reactions from equation (1) to equation (4)absorb CO2 in the furnace (650oC, 30 atm). In this case, heat isand the overall reaction of equation (5) take place.

released during CO2 absorption to maintain a high temperature in
the gasifier.
Here, post-CO2 absorption CaCO3 is returned to CaO by calcination(reproduction) and, at that time, 50-80% of the thermal energy
required is converted into CaO for reuse in the gasifier (Fig. 2).
As seen from equation (5), 2-mole hydrogen production from one

This overall reaction is an exothermic reaction with C, H2O, andmole of carbon is another important feature.

CaO as initial reactants. This means that, in theory, there is noneed for external heat. It was also discovered that CO2 fixation
enhances reactions (2) and (3) for H2 generation. Figure 1 shows
the process concept of HyPr-RING. CaCO3 is regenerated bycalcination into CaO for its recycle as a sorbent. Most of the heat
energy required for calcination is carried as the chemical energy ofCaO and made available for coal gasification to produce H2 in thegasifier.
How is this different from conventional gasification?
Conventional gasification secures the heat necessary for
gasification through a partial combustion of coal, with a reaction

Fig. 2 Hydrogen production using HyPr-RING process

taking place in the gasifier expressed by the following equation:
Table 1 CO2 separation energy and temperature level

Heating value of carbon (C CO2)
CO2 absorption energy
CO2/H2 generation ratio
CO2 separation energy
per mole of H2 generated
Temperature level

Fig. 1 Concept of HyPr-RING process
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HyPr-RING(CaO absorptionprocess)Partial combustion(Monoethanolamineabsorption process)393 kJ/mol178 kJ/mol
0.5 mol/mol

393 kJ/mol
84.5 kJ/mol
1 mol/mol

89 kJ/mol

84.5 kJ/mol

973-1073 Kabout 323 K

Clean Coal Technologies in Japan

3. Characteristics of HyPr-RING process
also employed to prevent the eutectic melting of calcium minerals.

Cold gas efficiency

In such cases, unreacted product carbon can be used as a heat

The HyPr-RING process gasifies the easy-to-gasify portion ofosource for CaO reproduction.

coal under low-temperature (600-700 C) conditions intofor CaCO3 calcination.

Coal
1,000 t/dFigure 3 shows an example of a HyPr-RING process

Methane reforminghydrogen and uses the remaining difficult-to-react char as fuelMixingconfiguration with a fluidized-bed gasifier and an internal

Rock hopper

Heatexchange
Cyclonecombustion-type calcining furnace. For product gas compositionof 95% H2 and 5% CH4, the cold gas efficiency proved to beabout 0.76.

Heat exchange

CaO absorbent

Gasifier

reacts with H2O to produce Ca(OH)2, providing heat-to-coalCalcining

At the gasifier inlet, where the temperature is low, CaO firstWatervaporpyrolysis. Then, at a high-CO2 partial pressure region, Ca(OH)2O2
separation

Coal supply
1,000 t/dHeating value
6,690kcal/kg

absorbs CO2 to produce CaCO3, and releases heat. This heatis used for the gasification of char. To prevent CaO from

Cold gasefficiency
0.76

becoming less active due to high-temperature sintering, amethod of absorbing CO2 in the furnace, by way of Ca(OH)2, is

Steam turbine

employed. Gasification at a temperature as low as possible isFig. 3 Analysis of HyPr-RING process

4. Project overview
Table 2 Targets

Under this project, which commenced in 2000, process
configuration identification and FS through testing withbatch/semi-continuous equipment were paralleled with a variety
of factor tests required. In and after FY2003, it is expected that
50-kg/day (coal base) continuous test equipment will be

ItemTarget

1. Gasification efficiency
2. Product gas purity
3. CO2 recovery

1. Cold gas efficiency: 75% or greater
2. Sulfur content of product gas: 1ppm or less
3. High-purity CO2 recovery rate: 40% or

fabricated for continuous testing and then, based on the results,

greater of inputed coal carbon to be recovered(per-unit of energy CO2 exhaust to be lessthan that from natural gas)running tests and a FS of a 5 ton/day-scale pilot plant are to be
carried out in and after 2006 to establish a commercialization
process. Table 2 shows development targets of the project andTable 3 shows, the project timetable.
Table 3 Development timetable
Activity

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

(1) Fundamental test(4) 500-kg/day PDU(5) FS
Pilot plant test
(moving to the 2nd phase)

References

1) Shiying Lin, Yoshizo Suzuki & Hiroyuki Hatano, Patent No. 29791-49, 1999.
2) Energy Technology and the Environment, Editors: A. Bisio and S. Boots, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1995.
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Final evaluation(3) 50-kg/day test facility

Mid-term evaluation

Mid-term evaluation(2) Acquisition of design data2010