“Clean Coal Technologies” was the subject of the Hot Topic Hour on May 9, 2013
Jose Carlos Sanchez, Project Manager in the Environmental Controls Group of EPRI’s Generation Sector, discussed the “Feasibility of Advanced Coal Cleaning Processes at Power Plants.” Significant advances in combustion-zone and post-combustion environmental controls have occurred over the past three decades, but further technological progress is required to achieve near-zero emissions (NZE) of regulated pollutants at coal-fired power plants. Conventional coal cleaning processes remove sulfur- and/or ash-forming mineral matter to meet specifications set by power producers. Advanced coal cleaning (ACC) involves thermal, mechanical, and/or chemical processing to allow removal of both a higher percentage and a wider variety of problematic constituents, including organic sulfur, mercury, and other hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) precursors. EPRI is studying the feasibility of implementing ACC at power plants. They are examining physical and chemical processes which can remove most of the chlorine and heavy metals. Power plants using the cleaner coal could either meet standards without capital investment or meet more stringent future standards by adopting the technology.
Eric Chung, Senior Manager Power & Utilities Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, Strategic Decisions Group, addressed the question, “Is converting coal to gas the right move? How to make a complex critical asset decision in the face of uncertainty.” He explained the process used to analyze the various options including retirement and upgrading versus adding a gas turbine at an existing site. Timing and flexibility are two important aspects.
Keith Moore, President of Castle Light Energy Corporation, discussed Coal Beneficiation and Clean Combustion System™ (CCS) for coal-fired power plants. Castle Light has a patented Coal Beneficiation and Clean Combustion System™ (CCS) for existing coal-fired power plants. By injecting limestone along with the coal, there is substantial prevention of NOx formation along with SO2 capture. A new development is the ability to treat the sweep gas to upgrade the coal quality and extract oil. The amount of salable oil significantly improves the economics.
Bios, Abstracts and Photos can be seen at: BIOS, ABSTRACTS, PHOTOS - 5-9-13.htm
The individual presentations are as follows:
· Clean Coal Technologies Webinar - Hot Topic Hour May 9, 2013
· The Clean Combustion System by Keith Moore, CastleLight Energy Corp - Hot Topic Hour May 9, 2013
· Feasibility of Advanced Coal Cleaning for Near Zero Emissions by Jose Carlos Sanchez, EPRI
· Is converting Coal to Gas the Right Move, By Eric Chung, Ernst and Young - Hot Topic Hour May 9, 2013