Operation
The ECUST gasifier can accommodate either coal-water slurry feeding, or dry-feeding (via N₂ or CO₂) applications. The entrained flow gasifier incorporates opposed multi-burner (OMB) technology, and a water-quench in a down-flow configuration. Operating conditions are dependent upon dry/wet feed, as well as the end product, but gasifier temperature and pressures fall in the range of 1,300 to 1,400°C, and 1 to 3 MPa.

Demonstration and Early Commercialization
In mid-2000, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China supported 22 ton-per-day (TPD) coal-water slurry pilot gasifier began operations at China’s Lunan Chemical Fertilizer Plant. In 2004, operations commenced for the first OMB coal-water slurry commercial-scale gasifier (750 TPD), located at the ammonia producing Hualu Hengsheng Chemical Co. One year later, a 1,150 TPD gasifier was started up in Lunan. Around the same time, dry-feed testing using CO₂ began at the pilot plant, where promising synthesis gas compositions were produced at a broad range of operating pressures. Carbon conversion rates proven at the pilot scale with dry- feeding using N2 varied between 98 to 99%.

Eleven gasification plants are in operation employing a total of 28 ECUST gasifiers, all of which are located in China. The majority of the plants produce methanol, but several produce ammonia. The four poly-generation plants using the technology roll out the following combinations of products: methanol/ammonia/hydrogen, ammonia/methanol (2 plants), and methanol/power.

There are nine projects in development or construction stages using ECUST gasifier technology (29 gasifiers), eight to be located in China, and one planned for the United States (Valero Energy's Port Arthur Refinery).

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