GAS-L: Impure oxygen

[Reedtb2@cs.com]

Dear Vern and all:

If all you want is a higher energy gas, an oxygen gasifier produces 12 MJ/m3
gas rather than air gasification's 6 MJ gas, and so any degree of oxygen
enrichment will move that way.  (However, the Otto cycle was first developed
for 6 MJ gas, and it  ran a million vehicles 1942-45, so why bother).  

One reason to "bother" is to make producer gas, a mixture of CO and H2 from
which you can make

methanol
ammonia
gasoline
diesel
etc.  

In this case 95% O2 isn't good enough and you will begin to make methyl amine
and your fuel will smell like fish.  

TOM REED

In a message dated 3/20/01 11:40:11 PM Mountain Standard Time,
VHarris001@aol.com writes:

>  
>  Pure oxygen is expensive (although getting cheaper thanks to non-
>  cryogenic processes) but low purity oxygen (less than 95% O2) or oxygen
>  enriched air (greater than 28% O2) are much cheaper, thanks to pressure
>  swing adsorption techniques and membrane technologies.
>  
>  This is really all you need for gasification ... especially if you just
>  need to improve your gas heating value just above that necessary for
>  stable gas turbine combustion.
>