Gasification is the process by which solid organic matter is converted into a highly flammable synthesis gas in a partially oxidising environment.
The energy industry has many years experience of combustion as a power generation method, but has limited experience of the hazards created during the production of synthesis gas (syngas) by gasification. These hazards, however, are well understood in the chemical process industries, whereby safety techniques have evolved to ensure the safe design, construction and commissioning of plants. Capitalising on this experience is essential to ensure that the emerging waste to energy industry is not derailed by the type of major incidents that have occurred on a number of occasions in the chemical industry.
