L.S. Fan's "Clean Coal" Technology Gains Further National Attention

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The fact that Professor L.S. Fan's transformational work in chemical looping could have far-reaching economic and environmental impact is not going unnoticed by the media, since the technology shows great promise in being a more environmentally-friendly way to use inexpensive coal reserves while controlling pollutants in a cost-effective manner.

Most recently, the story appeared in the Smithsonian magazine (see below), and earlier this year, it was featured in MIT Technology Review online. It was also a headline on FoxNews.com.

Chemical looping is a one-step process to produce both electric power and high-purity CO2. The process converts carbon-based fuels such as coal, syngas and natural gas to electricity, liquid fuels, and/or hydrogen with low to negative net carbon emissions.

As one of the ultimate technologies in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Carbon Emission Control Technology Roadmap, chemical looping utilizes the reduction-oxidation reactions of an oxygen carrier to segregate the air source fom the fuel. This eliminates the need for energy-intensive CO2 separation systems that require high capital and operating costs.

Fan's research group passed a milestone in developing this technology in the fall of 2012, when its DOE-funded Coal-Direct Chemical Looping pilot plant completed over 200 hours of operation, making it the longest contiguous demonstration of chemical looping technology using solid-fuel feedstock anywhere in the world.

The DOE's National Carbon Capture Center in Wilsonville, AL is currently being developed to host the building and operation of a 25kw pressurized syngas chemical looping pilot unit. It will be used to further prove the operability and economic feasibility of Fan's advanced chemical looping technologies.

In addition to the DOE, Ohio State is partnering with the Ohio Department of Development, Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc., CONSOL Energy Inc., and Clear Skies Consulting, LLC.  

A link to the Smithsonian story appears below:

Could ‘Clean Coal’ Finally Live up to Its Name?

An experimental new technology captures more than 99 percent of the carbon dioxide from burning coal
Smithsonian Magazine (May 23, 2013):

 

 

Not long ago, the phrase “clean coal” seemed like an oxymoron. Coal-fired power plants emit a witch’s brew of air pollutants that, unless it is removed with scrubbers, tarnishes the air, creates acid rain and can cause asthma or heart attacks. And coal plants emit twice the planet-heating carbon dioxide of natural-gas-fired power plants. A new type of reactor, however, one that captures more than 99 percent of the carbon dioxide generated by burning coal, could make “clean coal” feasible.

 

 

 

 

   

 
 
Category: Faculty
Tag: Fan