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GE, University of Wyoming Developing Research Center to Advance Coal Gasification Technology
14 November 2008
GE Energy and the University of Wyoming are developing the High Plains Gasification Advanced Technology Center to accelerate the commercial use of coal gasification technology.
The new center will include a small-scale gasification system that will enable researchers from GE and the university to develop advanced gasification solutions for Powder River Basin and other Wyoming coals. The research is expected to expand the range of coals that can be used with GE’s integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) technology for power plants. The facility is expected to be operational by 2012.
GE is a world leader in IGCC technology and has been at the forefront of IGCC technology since the Coolwater project, a 120 MW technical demonstration IGCC project started in 1984. GE’s IGCC technology also has operated at the 250 MW TECO Polk I station in Florida for more than 12 years. Today, GE offers a 630 MW IGCC reference plant that produces 75% less SOx, 33% less NOx, 40% less particulate matter, uses 30% less water and offers 90% mercury capture, compared to a traditional pulverized coal plant.
In addition to providing a cleaner alternative for power generation, IGCC is well-suited for carbon capture. GE says that carbon capture technology is in use in its industrial gasification applications around the world today. IGCC technology will offer cost and efficiency advantages for carbon capture and storage, once clear policies and regulations are in place to support storage and an economically viable value is established for carbon, GE says.
In the United States, coal supplies more than 50% of the country’s current electricity generation. Wyoming produces approximately 40% of all of the coal used in the United States to generate electricity.
November 14, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
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Posted by: Henry Gibson | November 14, 2008 at 01:56 AM
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The large, slow speed engines used on ships are the most efficient simple cycle heat energy converters in the world. If combined with coal gasification they can be much more efficient than coal fired steam power plants.
If energy recovery from both the gasification process and the engine cooling and exhaust is done as well, then the efficiency is even higher. Geothermal type equipment can be used.
It is not widely known that CO2 recirculation to the gasification process can also improve the efficiency, but such systems were in use in charcoal powered cars.
Smaller more standard gas engines are also highly efficient.
GE and Wyoming could well investigate such systems in contrast to the lower efficiency slower starting turbine combined cycle systems. Both MAN and WARSILLA make such engines and have run them on gas with diesel as a pilot fuel, but other ignitions have been developed for gas alone.
An ideal test engine would be the INNAS NOAX free piston Chiron. ..HG..