Steam co-gasification characteristics of black liquor char and petroleum coke coupled with TiO₂ direct causticization

The isothermal steam gasification experiments of a ternary mixture (BTP) containing black liquor char (BLC), causticizing agent (TiO₂), and petroleum coke (PC) were carried out at 850 °C based on a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and a horizontal fixed-bed reactor. A co-gasification process of BLC and PC coupled with TiO₂ direct causticization was explored from the aspect of reaction rate as well as the characteristics of gaseous products and gasification residues (GR). The results show that in comparison to the weighted average (BTP_theo) of the independent gasification of TiO₂ direct causticized BLC and PC, significant synergistic effects could be aroused during the coupled co-gasification process due to promoting action of mNa₂O·nTiO₂ on gasification of organic carbon. Specifically, the maximum reaction rate of BTP reaches 7.0%/min, which is 2.9 times that of BTP_theo. The content and yield of effective gas components, i.e., H₂+CO, in the gas products, as well as its lower heating value (LHV) of BTP are 81.1%, 2059 mL/g, and 9343 kJ/m³, respectively, which is 6.8%, 137.3%, and 5.5% higher than that of BTP_theo. The carbon conversion and energy output ratio of BTP reaches 95.0% and 1.13, respectively, which is increased by 61.6% and 135.4% relative to the theoretical superposition value. In addition, the relative loss of inorganic salts in BTP during the whole thermochemical conversion process is effectively controlled at a lower level of about 9.4%. Since the Na-containing salts in GR of BTP are mainly mNa₂O·nTiO₂ with higher thermal stability, and GR maintains good particle flowability, it is conducive to downstream alkali recovery.