A Transient Kinetics Study of Char Gasification in Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen

Transient (unsteady-state) kinetics, a relatively new technique for studying noncatalytic gas/solid reactions, has been used successfully to further our understanding of char (carbon) gasification. It provides the unique capability of separately determining the reaction rate constant (site reactivity or turnover frequency) and the number of active sites participating in the reaction (reactive surface area). Its application to the uncatalyzed gasification of coal-derived chars and polymer-derived carbons is illustrated. In particular, the heretofore elusive quantitative understanding of their reactivity variations with conversion has been achieved for gasification in both carbon dioxide and oxygen.