How is a gasification system used to generate electricity?
Linked with modern combustion and steam turbine-generators, gasification is one of the most efficient, environmentally benign means available for producing electricity from various feedstocks. While natural gas combined cycle systems exceed gasification systems in power generating efficiency, the relatively high price and declining availability of domestic natural gas resources make gasification increasingly attractive as a power generation option for power producers.

In the power production process (seen in a representative diagram below), purified syngas from the gasification side of the plant or “gasification island” is supplied to the power side of the plant or “power island.” The syngas is mixed with air and ignited to drive the combustion turbine directly in a combined thermal and mechanical process that is converted to electrical power by the generator. The electrical power from the generator then is fed to the electrical grid for distribution.

Waste heat from the combustion turbine is then used to boil water in the heat recovery steam generator and create the steam to drive a steam turbine with its own generator set. Combined cycle operation makes possible an energy conversion efficiency that is about one-third greater than that possible using a gas turbine only.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle System (IGCC)

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