Skygas™ is the code name for an innovative technology for the disposal/gasification of carbonaceous wastes. It is a newly developed electric arc conversion process that converts solid and semi-solid waste into clean, medium BTU synthesis gas that can be used for steam production or direct fired gas turbine generation of electric power. The composition of the gas (primarily CO and H2) are useful building block chemicals. They can be taken through well-known chemical processing steps to produce products such as methanol and acetic acid, or downstream chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate, acetate esters and many others. The reducing gas may also be combined with nitrogen to produce chemicals such as ammonia and urea.

The electric arcs produced in the primary reactor by three electrodes are sufficiently energetic to cause the generation of ionic reactive species by homolytic bond cleavage. Both the carbonaceous materials and the water molecules can be broken into ionic reactive species. These species will react in a chain reaction with other feed molecules to form still more ionic reactive species and cause the breakage of more chemical bonds. The net result of these ionic homolytic reactions is the conversion of the relatively high molecular carbonaceous feed material into low molecular gas products, primarily carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane.

Carrying out chemical reactions in a Skygas™ reactor has the major advantage of reducing the activation energies of these reactions by the electric arc. Thus, the time required to complete these chemical reactions is greatly reduced. Another major advantage for the Skygas™ reactor is that it is an air-free gasification system. No oxygen is available in the reactor to degrade the feed material through oxidation or to form unwanted oxide pollutants such as SOx, NOx, Dioxins, or Furans which are produced by all oxygen-based processes such as incineration.

Skygas™ is more flexible in waste acceptability than other waste gasification methods. The feed may consist of up to 55% water and may contain metal and plastics without causing processing or environmental problems. Feed variability does not upset the process. Feed contaminants such as sulfur and chlorine are reduced to their acid forms in the reactor. Typical feed materials include wood waste, municipal garbage, agricultural residues/wastes, biomass, coal, petroleum coke, various types of sludge, plastics, and used rubber tires. Almost any feedstock that contains carbon can be used. Not only does moisture not present a problem, the Skygas™ process requires a certain amount of moisture. Moisture acts not only as a source of hydrogen and oxygen for the Skygas™ process, it is also used as the electric arc stabilizer gas. Steam under high temperatures will react with carbon vigorously and thus eliminate the potential for soot formation.

Skygas™ Advantages
-Skygas™ has no stack emissions.
-Skygas™ can gasify a wide range of feedstock's.
-Process can be turned "on" and "off" easily and is convenient for limited shift operation.
-Moisture content causes no problem.
-Feeds can contain up to 55% moisture.
-Produces clean ash in small volumes.
-Produces no dioxins even with added chlorine.
-Tests on feed spiked with PVC showed no evidence of dioxin in either gas or ash.
-Because of very low concentration of CO2 in the product gas, scrubbing is easy and inexpensive.
-Small disposal/gasification plants are practical.
-Skygas™ lends itself to skid-mounted, modular design and construction.
-Initial cost of the Skygas™ process is less than incineration and there is no need for costly air pollution equipment.
-Permitting is much faster and easier based on requirement for chemical processing rather than waste disposal permits.
-Product gas has a much higher heating value than that generated by air gasifiers.
-Skygas™ requires a below average heat equivalent for gasification.

Skygas™ Introduction