Hydrogen Enriched Catalytic Coal Gasification (HCC)

About

India's National Coal Gasification Mission aims to achieve 100 million tonnes (MT) of coal gasification capacity by 2030 to start with, transforming domestic coal into clean energy, fuels, and chemical feedstocks. Coal gasification plays a pivotal role in reducing import dependence, enhancing energy security, and enabling a low-carbon industrial transition through syngas-based production of methanol, ammonia, urea, DME, acetic acid and other critical chemicals. This mission focuses towards India becoming self reliant and self sufficient (Atma-Nirbhar Bharat) in low carbon hydrogen production with an aim towards –
- Minimizing Natural Gas Import
- Export of energy in the form of hydrogen-based molecules
- Minimizing subsidies on account of food security
Amid this national push, our Hydrogen Enriched Catalytic Coal Gasification (HCC) technology – a US-patented pioneering process – delivers a next-generation pathway for clean coal utilization. Operating at moderate temperatures and pressures, HCC uses a proprietary catalyst to enhance hydrogen yield by ~15%, minimize tar formation, and improve overall carbon conversion efficiency. This breakthrough makes coal-to-chemicals and coal-to-hydrogen projects more efficient, modular, and environmentally sustainable – supporting India's 100 MT by 2030 gasification vision with indigenous, high-performance technology.

Salient Features of the Catalyst

Catalyst Function

A proprietary catalyst enhances hydrogen yield by ~15% in the fixed-bed coal gasification process.

Syngas Composition Impact

H₂ content rises from 40–45 vol% to ~46–52 vol%, improving the H₂/CO ratio (typically at 1.7–2.0 at temperature of 1050–1100°C) ideal for downstream synthesis.

Reaction Enhancement

Promotes water–gas shift and steam reforming, reducing CO, tar, and char, thus improving syngas quality and plant uptime.

Operational Benefits

Enables lower steam-to-oxygen ratio, better thermal balance, and potentially lower operating temperature/pressure.

Economic Outcome

Higher H₂ yield boosts methanol and derivative output per ton of coal; marginal catalyst cost is offset by higher efficiency and reduced downtime.

Overall Result

Delivers cleaner, hydrogen-rich syngas with better process sustainability and energy integration suited to Indian high-ash coal.

Chemical Reactions

Section	Reaction / Description	Equation
1. Fixed Bed Gasifier Reactions
	Partial Oxidation	C + ½O₂ → CO
	Complete Combustion (minor, for heat)	C + O₂ → CO₂
	Boudouard Reaction	C + CO₂ → 2CO
	Water-Gas Reaction	C + H₂O → CO + H₂
	Methanation	C + 2H₂ → CH₄
	Water-Gas Shift (in gas phase, equilibrium influenced)	CO + H₂O ⇌ CO₂ + H₂
2. Catalyst Column (WGS + Hydrogen Boost)
	Water Gas Shift (main reaction)	CO + H₂O → CO₂ + H₂
3. Methanol Synthesis Reactor
	Primary Reaction	CO + 2H₂ → CH₃OH
	Secondary Reaction	CO₂ + 3H₂ → CH₃OH + H₂O
4. DMEA Synthesis Reactor
	Methanol carbonylation (simplified)	2CH₃OH + CO → CH₃OCH₂OCH₃ + H₂O₂
	Alternate Route	via methylamine
5. Acetic Acid Plant
	Methanol carbonylation	CH₃OH + CO → CH₃COOH
6. Urea Plant
	Urea synthesis	2NH₃ + CO₂ → NH₂CONH₂ + H₂O₂

Output Streams

Conclusion

Incorporating a proprietary catalyst boosting hydrogen yield by 15% into the fixed bed gasifier operating at 10 bar and 900–1100°C positively shifts syngas composition toward higher hydrogen content (~50 vol% H₂). This improves downstream synthesis efficiency, reduces operational issues from tar, and may allow optimized steam usage, leading to better overall process economics and sustainability under Indian coal conditions.
The integrated plant's revenue increases annually, driven by 10–20% market price escalation, with methanol (~42%) and DMEA (~34%) dominating contributions; enhanced pricing of urea and acetic acid further strengthens cash flow and project viability.

Hydrogen Enriched Catalytic Coal Gasification (HCC)

India

Mumbai

Delhi

United Kingdom

Hitchin