Contact Us | Disclaimer | Advertise
|
Home: Coal Energy: A Clean Coal Power Plant With CO2 Sequestration
Coal Power Plant with SequestrationDr. Robert E. Buxbaum,President, REB Research & Consulting. <p>On a cost of energy basis, there are few fuels as attractive as coal for non-mobile power production. Western coals cost less than $30/ton: far less than oil or natural gas at $135/bbl and $12/MMBTU respectively. There is far more chemical energy in a ton of coal than in a barrel of oil. The one problem with coal is that its normal combustion is "dirty." That is, coal combustion releases more carbon dioxide (CO2) and noxious gas than combustion of other, "cleaner" fuels. These gases have been associated with health problems and global warming. Both presidential candidates have proposed capping CO2 release, while decrying the high price of imported energy. 
The process shown above shows a $1 per million BTU as the energy cost for coal, that is about 1/12 the energy cost of natural gas and about 1/30 the energy cost of gasoline. The coal would be gasified to at high pressure and temperature to hydrogen and carbon monoxide, e.g. by the General Electric, Radient gassifier. The sulfur content (H2S) is then removed in a clean-up stage, as is typical with heavy oils and tar sands. Following this, we would propose a high pressure water-gas shift (WGS) membrane reactor. In the reactor, we extract the original hydrogen content while reacting the carbon monoxide and moisture in the coal gas to carbon dioxide and more hydrogen for extraction through them membrane. The hydrogen is extracted through the membrane at a relatively low pressure, 2 atm or so, appropriate for use in a microturbine or fuel cell. The carbon dioxide content remains at high pressure, making underground sequestration that much easier. Carbon dioxide is a liquid at room temperature at the pressure of the GE Radient output. <p>My company, REB Research, is among the companies making hydrogen separators and membrane reactors like the one in the diagram. Under the FutureGen mandate, the DoE has offered to provide up to $600,000,000 of matching funds for a clean coal, demonstration project of 300 MW size where the CO2 is sequestered, and not released to the atmosphere. Used gas wells are attractive geological formations for CO2 sequestration because there is ample evidence that gases can stay down there for millions of years without extensive leakage. With several coal gassifier designs, it is possible to gassify biomass with the coal to further lower the fuel cost and make the power plant a net consumer of CO2; this might be a next-step version of the FutureGen design. Information on the DoE's hydrogen-from-coal program can be found at: http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/fuels/hydrogen/Hydrogen_from_Coal_R%26D.html Coal ArticlesShare Your Article!Do you have an article? Share it! What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
APES
Not rated yet
Michael Trueblood
Not rated yet
Blog- Jessica Hedwall
Not rated yet
Blogging Um Yes! For the environment ofcourse!
Not rated yet
Mrs. J's Blog-Eric Bledsoe
Not rated yet
Curry's Thoughts
Not rated yet
Josh's Intelligence.
Not rated yet
Mrs. Joyner's Blog
Not rated yet
"clean coal" :)
Not rated yet
the idea...
Not rated yet
Mrs. Joyner's Blog Cameron Kapec
Not rated yet
Speak now, or forever hold your peace!!!
Not rated yet
sounds good for now!
Not rated yet |
|
|
|
Powered by Site Build It! | Copyright © 2007-2012 www.Eco20-20.com
