US DOE to Award Up to $2M to Support of Advanced Coal Research at US Colleges and Universities

16 October 2009

The US Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is soliciting (DE-FOA-0000146) applications for the University Coal Research (UCR) Program. Research is being sought to improve fundamental understanding of the chemical and physical processes that govern coal conversion and utilization, by-product utilization, and technological development.

For this year, research is limited to three broad areas:

Computational Energy Sciences: Multiphase Flow Research. Multiphase flow is prevalent in fossil fuel processes, appearing in processes such as coal gasifiers, reactors used for post- and pre- combustion CO2 capture, and emerging technologies such as chemical looping combustion that help efficient CO2 separation.

It is necessary to reduce the cost and time required to scale-up such reactors, and physics-based or computational fluid dynamic (CFD) models are sought to help with the scale-up. The flows in multiphase reactors invariably span multiple time and length scales and pose enormous computational and experimental challenges.

For example, the granular flow in a fluidized bed may range from incompressible to hypersonic, while the granular media may undergo a phase change similar to a gas-to-solid transition, all within the same reactor. The volume fraction, stress, and energy typically fluctuate spatially and temporally with amplitudes comparable to the mean. The interaction of the phases with boundaries is often complex and poorly understood. Because multiphase flows may not exhibit a clear separation among the spatial and temporal micro-, meso-, and macro- scales, advanced multi-scale theories may be needed to analyze them. Therefore, it is critical to understand and be able to model gas-solids systems for building highly efficient, near-zero emission fossil energy plants.

Material Science: Computer-Aided Development of Novel New Materials for Energy Conversion from Coal. Novel materials that can withstand high temperatures and extreme environments are dominant themes in materials development for efficient energy systems. Basic requirements are elevated melting temperatures, high oxidation and corrosion resistance, the ability to resist creep, and high toughness, and encompass some of the most challenging problems in materials science.

Sensors and Controls: Nano-derived Materials for the Formation of Multi-Dimensional Sensing Structures for the Selective Detection of Fossil Energy Gases at High Temperatures. Innovative research is sought in the identification and development of nano-derived, multi-dimensional, multi-functional sensor materials that will support the development of high temperature (500 °C-1500°C) micro and nano gas sensors. Non carbon based nano structures are of interest for high temperature operation in environments containing oxygen including those that permit the use or incorporation of active sensing materials such as metal oxides. The formation of multi dimensional sensor structures using ceramics, optically responsive materials, and piezoelectric type materials suitable for high temperature environments are of interest. Materials which function in less than 25% of the targeted temperature range (500 °C -1500 °C) should not be included in the proposed work.

High temperature gas sensing will contribute to the full-scale implementation and operation of highly efficient near zero emission power generation technologies such as advanced combustion, gasification, turbines, gas cleaning, and carbon capture technologies.

Common Fossil Energy derived gases include Hydrogen (H2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Oxygen (O2), Water vapor/Steam (H2O), Methane (CH4), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulfur Oxides (SOx), and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). Successful research in high temperature sensor materials will facilitate the design and development of novel sensor structures including sensorbots, injectable sensors, and sensor nets.

The UCAR Program began in FY 1979.

Comment

This seems to be the hard science that will be needed to determine if clean coal will ever become a reality. It would be great if it came to be, as we have over a century of coal avilable in the US, but we are a long way from that reality now.