American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) announced two significant memorandums of understanding (MOU) regarding technologies that would reduce CO2 emissions from coal powered electric power plants.
The first MOU is with Babcock and Wilcox Company, a unit of McDermott International, Inc.(NYSE: MDR) to pursue the viability of retrofitting power plants with oxy-coal combustion (oxycombustion) to existing power plants to reduce CO2 and other emissions. Under the terms of the MOU the companies will assess the application of oxy-coal combustion as a retrofit to an existing AEP plant, and work toward the development of the first oxy-coal commercial validation project in the United States.
The second MOU is with Alstom (Paris: ALS) to bring Alstom’s chilled ammonia process for CO2 capture to full commercial scale of up to 200 MW by 2011. The technology has the great advantage versus other technologies of being fully applicable not only for new power plants, but also for the retrofit of existing coal-fired power plants.
B&W Oxy-Coal Combustion
Oxy-coal combustion uses pure oxygen for the combustion of coal in electricity generating plants. In this system, nitrogen that comes in with the air for the combustion process is eliminated. As a result, the exhaust gas is a relatively pure stream of CO2 that is ready for capture and sequestration or alternate uses such as enhanced oil recovery. Use of this technology is expected to result in near-zero emissions from coal-fired electric-generating facilities. B&W has established a collaboration agreement with American Air Liquide, Inc. for the continued development of the technology.
During the summer of 2007, B&W will complete a pilot demonstration of the oxy-coal combustion technology at its 30MWth Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF) in Alliance, Ohio.
In addition, as part of the MOU, B&W and AEP will evaluate and select the most suitable existing AEP plant location for the commercial application of the oxy-coal combustion technology. B&W will provide unit performance and design approximations for potential carbon capture uses, perform preliminary site equipment layouts, prepare a detailed scope of work, and develop schedule- and budget-price estimates.
The feasibility study is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2008.
In addition to the work under the MOU with AEP, B&W’s Canadian subsidiary, B&W Canada, is working with a major Canadian utility to develop a supercritical pressure, pulverized coal-fired boiler and to assess the feasibility of proceeding to the construction phase on a new, near-zero-emissions, 300MW power station using the oxy-coal combustion technology. In that unit, recovered CO2 would be sold for enhanced oil recovery operations and eventually sequestrated underground in stable geologic formations.
A detailed description of tests conducted in a 5 million BTU/hr B&W pilot combustor are described in this paper. In these tests NOx emissions were significantly lower by nearly 65% when compared to air-blown combustion, and the CO2 content in flue gas was increased from 15% to 80% in O2-fired mode. The flue gas volume exiting the boiler was reduced by nearly 70%, thereby improving the economics of efficient capture, reuse, and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Because relative air infiltration was higher than would be expected in a commercial sized units even better results would be expected in commercial plants.
Swedish energy giant Vattenfall is building the first CO2-free coal-fired power plant, a 30 MW Oxyfuel pilot plant (previous post).
Alstom’s Chilled Ammonia Process
Alstom’s post-combustion process uses chilled ammonia to capture CO2. This process dramatically reduces the energy required to capture carbon dioxide and isolates it in a highly concentrated, high-pressure form. In laboratory testing sponsored by EPRI and others, Alstom’s process has demonstrated the potential to capture over 90% of CO2 at a cost that is far less expensive than other carbon capture technologies. The isolated CO2, once captured, can be used commercially or stored in suitable underground geological sites.
The project will be implemented in two phases. In phase one, Alstom and AEP will jointly develop a 30 MWth product validation plant that will capture CO2 from flue gas emitted from AEP’s 1300 MW Mountaineer Plant located in New Haven, West Virginia. It is targeted to capture up to 100,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The captured CO2 will be designated for geological storage in deep saline aquifers at the site. This pilot is scheduled for start-up at the end of 2008 and will operate for approximately 12-18 months.
In phase two, Alstom will design, construct and commission a commercial scale of up to 200 MW CO2 capture system on one of the 450 MW coal-fired units at its Northeastern Station in Oologah, Oklahoma. The system is scheduled for start-up in late 2011. It is expected to capture about 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 a year, commercially validating this promising technology. The CO2 captured at Northeastern Station will be used for enhanced oil recovery.
A Powerspan process, previous post, that uses an amonia based solutions to capture SOx, NOx,CO2, Hg and particulates from power plant flue gas have or will be demonstrated at FirstEnergy's R.E. Burger Plant in Shadyside, Ohio. Powerspan has conducted initial laboratory testing of the CO2 absorption process, which demonstrated 90 percent CO2 removal under conditions comparable to a commercial-scale absorber. Initial cost estimates indicate that the ammonia-based process could cost less than half of the next lowest-cost CO2 capture technology currently under investigation.
The Alstrom process uses chilled ammonia, which was not mentioned in descriptions of the Powerspan process, so this may be an improvement over that process. One could speculate that a heat pump could be used to chill the ammonia, which absorbs the CO2, and then the heat from condensation of the refrigerant could be used to regenerate the ammonia, releasing the CO2 for sequestration.
Both of these technologies fit in with the goals of MIT's Future of Coal report, previous post, in fact oxycombustion was mentioned specifically as a potential technology that could reduce CO2 emissions.
When CO2 is used for oil recovery, how effectivly is it sequestered, if at all? Is there any information available on this subject?
Posted by: Tim | March 17, 2007 at 11:50 AM
With the one of the largest install bases in the world, clean-coal technology will continue to be a top priority. I am surprised there is no mention of this technology being deployed in China. With their rising levels of air pollution and extreme use of coal for most energy solutions, I am sure the Chinese government would welcome this with open arms. As 2008 approaches sooner by the minute, Beijing is trying to do everything to "clean up its act". I will comment on this on my blog, www.energyspin.com in the next couple of weeks. Cheers!
Posted by: Francesco DeParis | March 17, 2007 at 01:44 PM
Ontario Hydro (Canada) is another potential user of the three recent technologies to capture and convert CO2 a into useful byproduct.
Since releasing tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere is still free of charge, coal fired power plants have no economical advantage to spend $ millions to capture + convert CO2 into useful byproducts.
When releasing CO2 will cost $20+/Ton, it will become another story. Short of that, not much will be done.
Posted by: Harvey D. | March 17, 2007 at 07:25 PM
I used to live 'downwind' PPL’s Montour power plant.
http://www.pplweb.com/ppl+generation/ppl+montour.htm
Our air quality was pristine and this before adding the recent controls.
“PL marks the completion of $600 million environmental improvement project at Montour power plant”
I found two things interesting about this improvement. The initial and continuing cost,
“30 permanent new jobs at the Montour plant to operate and maintain the scrubbers and related equipment”
The recycling of pollution,
“The byproduct is synthetic gypsum, which will be used by United States Gypsum Co. to manufacture drywall at a $180 million manufacturing facility across the road from the Montour plant in Washingtonville. The drywall plant is expected to create 150 permanent jobs for the community surrounding the plant.”
Posted by: Kit P | May 31, 2008 at 03:39 PM
tiffany & coスウォッチ グループ ジャパンはこのほど、東京?銀座のニコラス?G?ハイエック センター内に「ティファニー ウォッチ ショールーム」をオープンした。男性向けの「アトラス ジェント スクエア クロノグラフ」、女性向けの「ティファニー ジェメア」をはじめ、希少性の高いアイテムも展示、販売される。Tiffany Rings
国内初のティファニー ウォッチ専門店となる同ショールームには、新作ウォッチがいち早く店頭に並ぶだけでなく、さまざまなフェアやイベントも開催される予定となっている。時計の専門知識を持つスタッフにより、利用客の要望にもきめ細かく対応するという。ティファニー 激安
同ショールームでも販売される「アトラス ジェント スクエア クロノグラフ」は、最高のムーブメントとして広く認められるフレデリック?ピゲ製自動巻キャリバー1285を搭載。さらに頑丈な40mmのステンレス スティール ケースとスポーティなデザインにより、毅然とした男の魅力を演出している。Tiffany ネックレス
「ティファニー ジェメア」は、18カラットのホワイトゴールドで作られた樽型のケースが特徴で、たくさんのダイヤモンドを散りばめた宝飾時計に仕上がっている。ダイヤモンド1列のモデルとダイヤモンド2列のモデルのほかに、時計の表面に610個のダイヤモンド(3.12カラット)を敷き詰めたフルパヴェのモデルも用意。Tiffany locksこれらの3モデルを、直径22mm / 18mmの2パターンで展開する。ティファニー
その他、ショールームのオープンを記念し、日本初登場となる「ステートメント ウォッチ」「5thアヴェニュー ウォッチ」なども特別展示されるティファニー。
アメリカを代表する世界のプレミア?ジュエラー、ティファニーは1837年の創設以来、時を越えて多くの人々を魅了してきた。ティファニーのジュエリー、シルバー、ウォッチ、そのデザインの数々は何世代にもわたって世界中で愛され続けている。ティファニー 通販
Posted by: ティファニー 激安 | January 20, 2011 at 01:02 AM
生薬
Posted by: 生薬 | May 09, 2011 at 06:05 AM
アバクロ
Posted by: アバクロ | May 09, 2011 at 06:07 AM
RMT
Posted by: RMT | May 09, 2011 at 06:10 AM
その他、ショールームのオープンを記念し、日本初登場となる
Posted by: マークバイマークジェイコブス | December 12, 2011 at 03:07 AM
I wonder if this has gone into effect with the coal powered electric power plants.
Posted by: Furniture Stores Burbank | December 13, 2011 at 08:07 PM
The second MOU is with Alstom (Paris: ALS) to bring Alstom’s chilled ammonia process for CO2 capture to full commercial scale of up to 200 MW by 2011. The technology has the great advantage versus other technologies of being fully applicable not only for new power plants, but also for the retrofit of existing coal-fired power plants.
Posted by: モンクレール | December 14, 2011 at 04:47 AM
wonder if this has gone into effect with the coal powered electric power plants.
Posted by: アバクロ | December 14, 2011 at 05:10 AM
Using and reusing energy uses energy at the same time. We need all that we can to restore much needed energy. We also need all the help we can get by applying the concepts involved above.
Posted by: CGS cat back exhaust | December 29, 2011 at 01:41 AM