Since the beginning of the second half of 2024, the global methanol market has shown a steady rise in prices. In the Asia-Pacific region, prices increased by 18% in the third quarter compared to the same period last year. This change in economic conditions has sparked renewed interest in a resource-saving reactor developed by scientists from St. Petersburg Mining University of Empress Catherine II. The reactor produces syngas, which can subsequently be processed into methanol.
The project was developed at the Educational Center for Digital Technologies. Until February 2022, the work was carried out as part of a joint scientific program with Freiberg Mining Academy, one of the world's leading research centers in coal gasification. St. Petersburg Mining University has been engaged in coal-related scientific projects almost since its founding in 1773. In 1916, it established Russia's first laboratory for studying ore and coal beneficiation. By the 1930s, a scientific school specializing in underground mining of coal and ore deposits, mine construction, and mining mechanics had taken shape.
In 2017, the rector of St. Petersburg Mining University and Professor Bernd Meyer, former rector of Freiberg Mining Academy, published a bilingual monograph titled "Syngas Production: Current State and Implementation Prospects in Russian Industry."
Among recent achievements is the development of specialized software and the production of several sets of innovative augers for coal mines in Kuzbass and the Komi Republic at the "Mining Tool" company site.
The innovative model of the resource-saving reactor for syngas production ranks among the most promising developments of St. Petersburg Mining University. It has received high recognition at several prestigious scientific exhibitions, including a gold medal and first-degree diploma at the XXXVII International Innovation Exhibition "HI TECH 2021," a diploma at the VIII Annual National Exhibition "VUZPROMEXPO-2021," a bronze medal and diploma at the XXV Moscow International Salon of Inventions and Innovative Technologies "Archimedes-2022," and a silver medal and second-degree diploma at the XXXVIII International Innovation Exhibition "HI TECH 2022."
The intellectual property rights of the developers of the resource-saving reactor for syngas production are confirmed by two utility model patents: "Multizone Fluidized Bed Gasifier" and "Gasifier for Processing Low-Grade Carbon-Containing Solid Raw Materials." The first of these technologies allows a 17-20% reduction in electricity consumption compared to the commercial product currently offered by SIEMENS.
To model the gasification process, scientists used modern interdisciplinary approaches involving software packages such as Ansys Fluent and Rocky DEM for process simulation, and Aspen Plus and Aspen Hysys for technological chain modeling. Developers determined that the most cost-effective scheme involves establishing production facilities near coal-fired power plants, using the thermal and electrical energy they generate. Calculations were performed specifically for Kuzbass coal. Further syngas processing into higher value-added products, such as methanol, ammonia, synthetic fuel, and others, is expected to significantly enhance the project’s economic efficiency.
The technology allows incorporating coal-containing waste along with coal as raw material. Russian Railways has already shown interest in reducing disposal costs for used wooden sleepers. These sleepers are treated with various toxic substances that pollute the air and soil when burned, making their disposal costly.
Currently, more than 170 million tons of coal are gasified annually worldwide, which is roughly half of Russia's yearly coal production. From 2015 to 2025, the combined thermal capacity of such facilities increased from 147 to 500 gigawatts. In addition to SIEMENS, major engineering companies like Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions also develop coal gasification technologies. Industrial gasifiers are operational in countries such as Japan, Germany, South Africa, and others.
«Most gasifiers operate in a specific mode. Simplifying, this could be a flow-type gasifier where combustion occurs within the raw material stream, or gasification in a dense or fluidized bed, where particles remain suspended. We propose combining both approaches – gasification in a dense and fluidized bed. The advantage is the ability to process coarser raw materials, reducing preparation costs. Moreover, we managed to lower the raw gas temperature and increase conversion. In other words, we can increase syngas output while minimizing waste, including the solid soot phase», – explained Ilya Beloglazov, Associate Professor at the Department of Process Automation and Production at the Mining University.
In the developers' future scientific plans is the installation of a pilot-scale gasifier, possibly at the university's educational site "Sablino," in collaboration with an interested industrial partner to test an efficient production scheme for various types of raw materials.
The development can be successfully implemented at enterprises such as the Siberian Coal Energy Company, Kuzbassrazrezugol, and "Siberian Anthracite." Major foreign companies include China's China Shenhua Energy, India's Coal India, Australia's BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, and South Africa's Sasol Limited. The latter, for example, successfully engages in both coal mining and its processing into synthetic fuel for automobiles.