A Review on Botswana Coal Potential from a Pyrolysis and Gasification Perspective

Authors

  • Mmoloki Makoba
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
  • Daniel Erich Botha
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
    Pyro Carbon Energy (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 211 AAH, Gaborone, Botswana
  • Mpho Thabang Rapoo
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
  • László Zsolt Szabó
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
    Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, Arany János street no. 11, RO-400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  • Thapelo Shomana
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
  • Paul Serban Agachi
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
    Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Babeș-Bolyai University, Arany János street no. 11, RO-400028 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

  • Edison Muzenda
    Affiliation
    Department of Chemical, Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Private Bag 0016, Palapye, Botswana
https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.12909

Abstract

Coal pyrolysis and gasification are promising options for the future of Botswana as the country has large coal reserves with severe limitations in terms of export options. Coal characterization facilities will be required in order to harness its full potential and methods such as proximate, ultimate and chemical structure analysis (FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques) were investigated. The paper presents a brief history of pyrolysis and gasification, typical types of the reactors as well as factors that influence product selection for Botswana coal. Coal pyrolysis and gasification are complex processes and it is difficult to define the mechanisms of product formation. However, there are several kinetic models that are relevant to the sub-bituminous coal of Botswana which were proposed by researchers to describe the formation of the compounds and mathematical models that were validated by other researchers on mass and heat transfer as also presented herein.

Keywords:

sub-bituminous coal, pyrolysis, gasification, characterization, kinetics

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Published Online

2020-07-06

How to Cite

Makoba, M., Botha, D. E., Rapoo, M. T., Szabó, L. Z., Shomana, T., Agachi, P. S. “A Review on Botswana Coal Potential from a Pyrolysis and Gasification Perspective”, Periodica Polytechnica Chemical Engineering, 65(1), pp. 80–96, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3311/PPch.12909

Issue

Vol. 65 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Articles