petroleum

synopsis：

Natural gas is a versatile, clean and efficient fossil fuel that plays a vital role in the energy sector. Below we will take an in-depth look at what natural gas is, how it is produced, and its importance in modern society.

What is natural gas?

• Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas that consists primarily of methane (CH4), but also includes other gases such as ethane, propane, and butane.
• It is usually found in underground rock formations, along with oil, in what are known as natural gas fields.
• Natural gas is a clean fuel because it produces fewer carbon emissions during combustion and produces virtually no pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides.

Natural gas generation:

• Natural gas is formed in underground strata and is produced primarily through biological and geochemical processes.
• Biological processes involve microorganisms breaking down organic material and converting it into methane gas.
• Geochemical processes, on the other hand, involve chemical reactions with organic matter in sedimentary rock layers to produce natural gas.

The importance of natural gas:

• Source of Energy: Natural gas is used globally for heating, power generation, oil refining and industrial production, and is an important source of energy.
• Clean Energy: The combustion of natural gas produces fewer carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than coal and oil, making it a cleaner source of energy.
• Heating and Power: Natural gas is widely used for home heating and power generation, and its efficient combustion provides continuous heat and power.
• Industrial Applications: Natural gas is used in industrial processes such as the production of chemicals, glass, and metals to help increase productivity.
• Transportation Fuel: Natural gas is also used to fuel certain transportation vehicles, such as natural gas buses and trucks, to reduce tailpipe emissions.

Biomass boilers vs. natural gas

A biomass gasification boiler is an appliance that produces syngas (usually consisting of carbon monoxide and hydrogen) by heating biomass material and subjecting it to a chemical reaction in an oxygen-deficient or oxygen-restricted condition. This syngas can be considered a gas similar to natural gas as it can be used for similar applications such as power generation, heating and industrial processes.

The following is the basic process of generating syngas from a biomass gasification boiler:

1. Material Preparation: First, the biomass feedstock (e.g. wood, straw, waste paper, etc.) must undergo processing steps such as crushing, shredding and drying in order to turn it into a granular material suitable for gasification.
2. Gasification reaction: The biomass pellets are fed into a gasifier, which is heated to high temperature conditions with a restricted oxygen supply to avoid complete combustion. Under these restricted oxygen conditions, the biomass undergoes a gasification reaction to produce syngas. This syngas consists mainly of carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4) and some impurity gases.
3. Gas Cleaning: Syngas usually contains varying degrees of impurities such as dust, sulfides and nitrogen. Syngas must therefore be cleaned and treated to remove these impurities before use. This is usually achieved through different gas cleaning and filtration processes in Germany.
4. Applications of Syngas: Cleaned syngas can be used for a variety of applications such as power generation, heating, industrial processes and chemical production. It can be burned directly or used as a feedstock to make other chemical products.