[Federal Register: September 26, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 187)]
[Notices]
[Page 55599-55604]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26se03-60]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Notice of Availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation
AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory, Department of Energy
(DOE).
ACTION: Notice of availability of a financial assistance solicitation.
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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue a Financial
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-04NT41898 entitled ``Support of
Advanced Coal Research at U.S. Colleges and Universities.'' Pursuant to
10 CFR 600.6(b), DOE has determined that issuance of this financial
assistance solicitation on a restricted eligibility is necessary and
appropriate.
In support of advanced coal research to U.S. colleges and
universities, financial assistance awards under this Program
Solicitation are intended to maintain and upgrade the education,
training, and research capabilities of our colleges and universities in
the fields of science, environment, energy, and technology related to
coal. The involvement of professors and students generates fresh
research ideas and enhances the education of future scientist and
engineers.
DATES: The solicitation will be available for downloading on the DOE/
NETL's Home page at http://www.netl.doe.gov/business and the IIPS
``Industry Interactive Procurement System'' Internet page located at
http://e-center.doe.gov on or about September 26, 2003. Applications
must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the instructions in
the Program Solicitation and must be received by November 6, 2003.
Prior to submitting your application to the solicitation, periodically
check the NETL Web site for any amendments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jodi L. Collins, MS I07, U.S.
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, 3610
Collins Ferry Road, P.O. Box 880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, E-mail Address: jodi.collins@netl.doe.gov. Telephone Number: (304) 285-1390.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through Program Solicitation DE-PS26-
04NT41898, the DOE is interested in applications from U.S. colleges and
universities, and university-affiliated research centers submitting
applications through their respective universities. Applications will
be selected to complement and enhance research being conducted in
related Fossil Energy programs. Applications will be subjected to a
merit review by a technical panel of DOE subject-matter experts and
external peer reviewers. Awards will be made to a limited number of
applicants based on: The scientific merit of the applications,
application of relevant program policy factors, and the availability of
funds.
Eligibility
To assure this Program continues to support the performance of high
quality fundamental research by professors and students at U.S.
colleges and universities, applications must be submitted by U.S.
colleges, universities, and university-affiliated research institutions
provided the following criteria are met:
[sbull] Principal Investigator or a Co-Principal Investigator
listed on the application is a teaching professor at the submitting
university. If this condition is met, other participants, including Co-
Principal Investigators or research staff, who do not hold teaching
positions may be included as part of the research.
[sbull] Proposals from university-affiliated research institutions
must be submitted through the college or university with which they are
affiliated.
[sbull] At least one student registered at the university is to
receive compensation for work performed in the conduct of research
proposed in the Core and the Innovative Concepts Phase-II Subprograms.
This criterion is not applicable in the Innovative Concepts Phase-I
Subprogram where the grants are of shorter duration and funded at lower
levels to develop unique ideas applicable to coal utilization and
conversion.
[sbull] Under the Innovative Concepts Phase-I Grants, research may
be done by either the Principal Investigator, postdoctoral students, or
graduate students.
Additional restricted eligibility is also imposed on the Innovative
Concepts Phase-II Grants. Only Innovative Concepts Phase-I grantees
will be eligible to compete for subsequent Phase-II continuation of
their Phase-I projects.
Background
FY 2004 Focus Areas/Technical Topics
The current landscape of the U.S. energy industry, not unlike that
in other parts of the world, is undergoing a transformation driven by
changes such as deregulation of power generation, more stringent
environmental standards and regulations, climate change concerns, and
other market forces. With these changes come new players and a
refocusing of existing players in providing energy services and
products. The traditional settings of how energy (both electricity and
fuel) is generated, transported, and utilized are likely to be very
different in the coming decades. As market, policy, and regulatory
forces evolve and shape the energy industry both domestically and
globally, the opportunity exists for university, government, and
industry partnerships to invest in advanced fossil energy technologies
that can return public and economic benefits many times over. These
benefits are achievable through the development of advanced coal
technologies for the marketplace.
Energy from coal-fired powerplants will continue to play a dominant
role as an energy source, and therefore, it is prudent to use this
resource wisely and ensure that it remains part of the sustainable
energy solution. In that regard, our focus is on pathways to clean,
affordable energy achieved through a combination of technology
evolution and innovation aimed at creating the most advanced collection
of
[[Page 55600]]
flexible, clean, efficient, competitively priced coal-derived products,
and low-cost environmental compliance energy systems. Subsequently,
this focus remains key to this nation's continuing prosperity and our
commitment to tackle environmental challenges, including climate
change. It is envisioned that these advanced systems can competitively
produce low-cost electricity at efficiencies higher than 60% with coal.
This class of facilities will involve ``near-zero discharge'' energy
plants--virtually no emissions will escape into the environment. Sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxide pollutants would be removed and converted
into environmentally benign substances, perhaps fertilizers or other
commercial products. Carbon dioxide could be (1) concentrated and
either recycled or disposed of in a geologically permanent manner, or
(2) converted into industrially useful products, or (3) by creating
offsetting natural sinks for CO2.
Coal-fired powerplants remain the major source of electricity for
the world while distributed generation, including renewables, will
assume a growing share of the energy market. Technological advances
finding their way into future markets could result in advanced co-
production and co-processing facilities around the world, based upon
Vision 21 technologies developed through universities, government, and
industry partnerships.
Recent improvements within advanced coal-based power systems, in
many ways is the culmination of decades of power and fuels research and
development (R&D). The most advanced systems have the full energy
potential of fossil fuel feedstocks and ``opportunity'' feedstocks such
as biomass, petroleum coke, and other materials that might otherwise be
considered as wastes, can be tapped by integrating advanced technology
``modules.'' These technology modules include fuel-flexible coal
gasifiers and combustors, gas for fuels and chemical synthesis and can
be built in the configuration best suited for its market application by
combining technology modules. Designers of these systems would tailor
their use of the desired feedstocks and produce the desired products by
selecting and integrating the appropriate ``technology modules.''
The DOE goals for these advanced systems are to effectively
eliminate, at competitive costs, environmental concerns associated with
the use of fossil fuel for producing electricity and transportation
fuels. Research objectives for these advanced power systems are based
on three premises: that we will need to rely on fossil fuels for a
major share of our electricity and transportation fuel needs well into
the twenty-first century; that it makes sense to rely on a diverse mix
of energy resources, including coal, gas, oil, biomass and other
renewables, nuclear, and so-called ``opportunity'' resources, rather
than on a reduced subset of these resources; and that R&D directed at
resolving our energy and environmental issues can find affordable ways
to make energy conversion systems meet ever more strict environmental
standards.
To develop and sustain a national program of university research
that advances the previously stated objectives, DOE is interested in
innovative and fundamental research pertinent to coal conversion and
utilization. To accomplish the program objective, applications will be
accepted in three program areas: (1) The Core Program and (2) The
Innovative Concepts Phase-I Program, and the Innovative Concepts Phase-
II Program.
Core Program
The DOE anticipates funding at least one proposal in each focus
area under the Core Program; however, DOE reserves the right not to
fund any of the proposals in a given area if they do not meet
programmatic needs of the agency. Additionally, high-quality proposals
in a higher ranked focus area may be given more consideration during
the selection process. Research in the Core Program is limited to the
following six (6) focus areas and are listed in descending order of
programmatic priority:
Materials for Advanced Fossil Energy Systems
New materials, ideas, and concepts are required to significantly
improve performance and reduce the costs of existing advanced power
systems or to enable the development of new systems and capabilities
for coal combustion and coal gasification, gas separations, hydrogen
storage, high-temperature fuel cells, and advanced turbine systems.
Materials' issues are related to operation in the hostile conditions
created when fossil fuels are converted to energy. These conditions
include high temperatures, elevated pressures, pressure oscillations,
corrosive environments (oxidizing or reducing conditions, gaseous
alkali, chloride or sulfur-containing species), surface coating or
fouling, and high particulate loading. The following topics are of
interest in this solicitation:
(a) Computer-Aided Design of High-Temperature Materials
The quest for high-temperature materials is one of the dominant
themes in materials development for efficient energy systems. High-
temperature materials is a fast-moving research area with numerous
practical applications. Materials that can withstand extremely high
temperatures and extreme environments are generating considerable
attention worldwide; however, designing materials that have low
densities, elevated melting temperatures, oxidation resistance, creep
resistance, and intrinsic toughness encompass some of the most
challenging problems in materials science. The search for high-
temperature materials is largely based on traditional, trial-and-error
experimental methods which are costly and time-consuming. An effective
way to accelerate research in this field is to use advances in
materials simulations and high performance computing and communications
to guide experiments. This synergy between experiment and advanced
materials modeling will significantly enhance the synthesis of novel
high-temperature materials. The studies should only address materials
of interest to fossil energy conversion systems.
(b) Coatings for Coal-Fired Environments
Coatings with superior corrosion resistance in oxidizing,
sulfidizing, carburizing and water-containing environments are needed
to sustain the life of advanced energy systems. They are of particular
interest for improving the corrosion resistance of Fe- and Ni-base
alloys to achieve higher operating temperatures in fossil energy
systems where sulfur and water vapor can cause severe oxidation
problems. For optimum utilization of new coatings, one needs sufficient
data about their potential benefits in terms of lifetime and applicable
environments. In order to address that issue, model coatings need to be
fabricated for corrosion testing and diffusion studies aimed at
developing a comprehensive lifetime evaluation approach for the
coatings. At least one ferritic and one austenitic alloy should be
selected as substrate materials for study. Additionally, nickel-based
superalloys are also of interest.
(c) Materials for Hydrogen Storage
Another critical need of advanced energy systems, is the
development of materials for hydrogen storage. These may include alloys
and intermetallics, sodium and lithium alanates, nanocubes, carbon
nanotubes or other emerging materials. Factors that are relevant for
useful materials are hydrogen storage density and stability at
[[Page 55601]]
commercially relevant conditions of temperature and pressure.
Experimental studies should include analytical methods such as XRD,
SEM, TEM and pressure-composition isotherm measurements to determine
the phase purity, microstructure and hydrogen absorption
characteristics. The investigations should aim to optimize the hydrogen
absorption characteristics, such as the amount of hydrogen absorbed,
the plateau pressure and kinetics by modifying the composition of the
material and its microstructure.
Sensors and Control
DOE/NETL's Advanced Research Program is aimed at bridging the gap
between the basic sciences and applied research as it relates to fossil
energy applications. One area in which this transitional fundamental
type research is needed is in the area of novel high temperature
materials that can be used in the fabrication of miniaturized in-situ
sensing devices for the measurement of various gas species.
Available sensors for measuring gaseous emission of CO,
CO2, HC's, Hg, H2S, NOX, etc. cannot
withstand the high temperature, hostile environments found in advanced
fossil energy systems. Experimental research projects are sought for
the development of materials suitable for the production of low cost
disposable sensors which can be used in a ``plug and play'' fashion for
the detection of various fossil fuel gases under high temperature
(500 [deg]C) and high pressure (200 psi) conditions.
Fundamentally-based research programs focused on new materials
(including material matrices, functionalized or coated substrates,
doped ceramics, nano derived micro structures) such that the bulk
properties of the material can be utilized in miniaturized devices with
sensing characteristics at high temperature are encouraged.
The long term envisioned use of the materials will be to fabricate
low cost micro sensors that can be used and easily replaced after 180-
360 days of exposure to the harsh conditions found in ultra clean
fossil energy applications. Hence the promising candidates identified
as a result of this fundamental research will be explored to address
cost associated with the development and fabrication processes that
would provide sensing devices for commercial applications.
While revolutionary ideas that have the sound scientific basis to
support significant advancements in this area are sought, experimental
studies with material systems in which the sensing properties are
understood are discouraged.
Measurement and Technology for Gasification
To sustain our nation's economic growth, utilization of our most
abundant fossil energy resource, coal, in an efficient and
environmentally responsible manner is needed. Consequently, the DOE is
supporting the development of advanced technology power plants that
offer higher efficiency, lower emissions, and reduced capital and
operating costs. Gasification technologies are key to addressing
several of the advanced technologies issues of clean production of
electric power, hydrogen for the new ``hydrogen economy,'' and
industrial chemicals or refined fuels while reducing the impacts on
water resources, solid waste disposal, and capturing carbon dioxide
(CO2) that is generated in the use of fossil fuels. To meet
the demands of the Hydrogen Initiative, the requirements for fuel cell
and advanced turbine power units, and to meet the increasingly
stringent environmental regulations, the synthesis gas produced by
gasification will need to be cleaned to tighter specifications. At the
same time, the gasification and gas cleanup processes will need to have
reduced costs, improved reliability, and the ability to be readily
integrated for increased efficiency. These improvements will enable the
integration of advanced concepts for high-efficiency power generation
and pollution control into a class of fuel-flexible facilities capable
of operating with near zero environmental emissions. Based on
gasification, there are a variety of configurations to meet differing
market needs, including both distributed and central generation of
power. The development and optimization of advanced coal gasifiers will
be critical to the success of this program. This topic seeks to develop
key support technologies and measurement techniques for these
gasifiers. Grant applications are sought only in the following
subtopics:
a. Advanced Refractory Systems for Gasification Systems
Refractory liners in high temperature slagging gasifiers are known
to undergo significant deterioration over a relatively short period of
time, requiring considerable maintenance. Depending upon the operating
temperature of the gasifier, plant size, and the feedstock, refractory
liners last only 6-18 months and cost over $1 million in materials,
manpower, and lost revenues to replace. Therefore grant applications
are sought to develop advanced refractory systems or new materials with
an expected useful life of three or more years. Of particular interest
are materials with the ability to withstand multiple feed stocks such
as coal, biomass, and petroleum coke, and materials that contain no
chromium.
b. On-Line Flow and Composition Measurements for Gasification Systems
The ability to measure, control, and quickly respond to
fluctuations in the flow quantities and composition of feed streams to
gasifiers and in the synthesis gas product stream can be crucial to
maintaining performance to design standards and keeping the production
of gasifiers on-stream at high capacity factors. Real-time and on-
stream measurements are likely to be helpful in identifying systems
upsets and responses to protect downstream equipment. Grant
applications are sought to develop robust on-line measurement and
control systems for (1) feeding abrasive and eroding solids across
pressure barriers to 1000 psi into gasifiers, and for (2) product
synthesis gas streams at high temperatures (to 2500 [deg]F) and high
pressure (to 1000 psi) laden with aggressive particulates. Gasifier
feeds are typically water slurries with loadings of 50 to 70% solids,
or pneumatically fed dry pulverized solids. The feed may contain coal,
pet coke, coal-pet coke mixtures (typical 50-50%), water as slurry
agent, or biomass (typically 10-20%). On-line measurements of feed
quantities and composition should address attributes such as particle
size distribution, particle loading, coal/pet coke/biomass composition
changes, and amount of water. The synthesis gas product will typically
contain bulk constituents (CO, CO2, H2,
H2O, CH4), major contaminants (H2S,
COS, NH3, Cl), and trace contaminants (Hg, As, Se, V, Ni).
On-line measurement of any or all of these constituents at gasifier
exit conditions of high temperature and pressure will enable more
direct control of the operation of the gasifier.
c. Novel CO2 and/or Hydrogen Separation Technology
One vision of clean energy in the future is to make hydrogen from
coal in an ultra-clean production plant. In this vision, coal is
gasified using oxygen, and the resultant syngas (mostly CO,
H2 and H2O) is then turned into a stream of
predominantly H2 and CO2 through the water-gas-
shift reaction. The purpose of hydrogen separation technology is to
economically transform this mixed gas into two pure streams: One of
H2, and one of CO2. The mixed gas stream is
expected to be 450-500 [deg]F and 300 psi. Most current projects in
[[Page 55602]]
hydrogen separations are membrane processes. The only non-membrane
process is the hydrate process, which must operate at low temperatures.
This solicitation seeks completely novel CO2 and/or
H2 separation technologies, with particular interest in
technologies that maintain CO2 pressure and do not require a
significant drop in temperature.
Partitioning and Mechanism Studies for Mercury and Associated Trace
Metals Within Coal-Fired Processes
Understanding mercury chemistry and process-related speciation
mechanisms and transformations in laboratory experiments provide
necessary steps to first understanding partitioning and subsequently
developing mercury removal processes for advanced power systems, i.e.,
industrial and coal-fired applications for PC-boilers, cyclone boilers,
tangentially-fired boilers, fluidized-bed boilers and gasification
processes. Past research has shown a reasonable link between mercury
speciation and several parameters including the various constituents of
fly ash (i.e., unburned carbon/ LOI); fly ash properties (such as fly
ash alkalinity); and process specific information (coal rank, boiler
type, flue-gas temperature, Cl concentration, NOX
concentration, sulfur compounds, and CO/CO2 concentrations).
Grant applications are sought to further understand partitioning and
chemistry of mercury and other trace metal and organic substances in
coal-fired (bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite) systems.
Specifically, modeling or experiments using statistical analysis of
these identified parameters on chemical intermediaries and mechanisms
is sought.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) Sealing Systems
A secure future for our Nation depends on the continued
availability of reliable, affordable, and environmentally-safe
technologies for production of energy from advanced power systems, such
as fuel cells. Solid oxide fuel cells are capable of operating on a
variety of fossil fuels, including coal derived synthesis gas.
Currently, numerous SOFC design concepts are under development by
industry. These industrial developers have identified sealing as a top-
priority technical barrier in their efforts to commercialize advanced
power generation systems based on solid oxide fuel cell technology and
operating on coal and other fossil fuels. These seals have a demanding
set of imposed performance criteria due to the extreme SOFC operation
environment. The seals must prevent the mixing of fuel and oxidant
streams as well as prevent reactant escape to the surrounding
environment. The seal material must have a low electrical conductivity
and be mechanically and chemically stable under reducing/oxidizing/wet
conditions, as well as with oxidizing and reducing environments
separated by the seal. Of particular importance is the ability to seal,
with adequate bond strength, materials (e.g. Fe-Cr alloys, Ni-YSZ
cermet and LSM) with differing coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE),
and do so while exposed to temperature transients over a range from
room temperature up to SOFC operating temperature ([sim]850 [deg]C). In
addition, the seals must accommodate the thermal expansion of the fuel
cell caused by temperature gradients in the direction of fuel flow, the
result of the electrochemical reaction, without imposing excessive
stresses within the cell. In the case of auxiliary power unit (APU) and
mobile applications, the seals must be resistant to thermal shock in
order to permit a rapid ([sime]10 minutes) transition from ambient to
operating temperature, and in the latter case, vibration. The seal
material must be capable of a service life of more than 40,000 hours
and hundreds of thermal cycles for stationary systems, or at least
5,000 hours and 3,000 thermal cycles for transportation systems.
Current state-of-the-art sealing concepts utilizing glass or glass-
ceramic materials have been largely successful in meeting performance
requirements in the short-term. The viscous, wetting behavior of glass
facilitates hermetic sealing, and glass-ceramics avoid viscous flow and
uncontrolled, progressive crystallization during operation. The
properties of these materials (CTE, Tg for glasses) can be
affected via composition/structure modifications. Furthermore, glasses
are relatively inexpensive and easily fabricated.
However, long-term performance under thermal cycling has been
unsatisfactory. Glasses and glass-ceramics are brittle; consequently,
thermal stress-induced bulk microcracking of the seal, resulting from
as few as one start-up/shut-down/start-up cycle, may cause unacceptable
reactant leakage. Furthermore, these stresses are affected by a host of
factors, including the cell/interconnect/seal geometry and the unique
component material properties of the particular SOFC stack design. The
potential for seal fracture is exacerbated by the potential chemical
reaction of glass with metal interconnects, resulting in the formation
of interfacial compounds and/or extensive porosity in the glass near
the glass/metal interface.
Glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic-filled glass composite, metal-filled
glass composite and/or ceramic-filled metal composite based seal
materials and systems are sought with significantly improved long-term
durability under SOFC operating conditions, with particular emphasis
placed upon the ability of the seal or seal system accommodate
dimensional changes of cell components resulting from thermal
transients (shock) and thermal gradients. Material composition and/or
structure modifications may potentially possess the capability to
accommodate larger displacements, local dimensional variations and
material movement. In addition, these materials must be chemically and
physically stable in a high temperature reactive environment. The seal
material must be compatible with the cell and interconnect materials of
the particular SOFC system design. The ultimate objective is the
development of an economically-practical seal material/system that can
provide hermetic sealing under all operating conditions for the life of
planar SOFC stacks.
Financial assistance applications are sought to research and
develop glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic-filled glass composite, metal-
filled glass composite and/or ceramic-filled metal composite based seal
materials and systems to address planar SOFC sealing needs. Of
particular interest are novel seal concepts focusing on seal material
composition and structure with an emphasis on attaining long-term
durability under typical SOFC operating conditions. Emphasis in this
solicitation is on investigating and developing viable sealing
materials for us with synthesis coal gas compositions feed to SOFC.
Current Solid-State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program goals
require a seal service life of more than 40,000 hours and hundreds of
thermal cycles for stationary systems, or at least 5,000 hours and
3,000 thermal cycles for transportation systems. Effective sealing
concepts must perform under high temperature, chemically reactive
conditions and need to accommodate thermal transient/gradient-induced
movement of cell and stack components and enclosures while minimizing
transmission of structural loads to delicate cell components. Proposed
approaches should combine analysis and experimentation to establish
theoretical limits, and to evaluate the practical limit of the sealing
concept. Manufacturability and
[[Page 55603]]
cost are also critical factors in meeting SECA program goals.
Turbine Combustion: Flashback
In support of the Turbine Program, advanced power systems has goals
of very low plant emissions (NOX less than 2-ppm) and
turbine combustors capable of stable operation with fuel compositions
ranging from natural gas to a broad range for syngas. Although syngas
has wide composition variability, the following gives an example of
representative properties for a fuel gas from oxygen blown coal
gasification: 25% H2, 40% CO, 20% H2O, and 200
BTU/ft3 lower heating value.
The primary goal for the research is to provide fundamental
information and data, or computational tools, that will enable design
of turbine combustors with improved stability and emissions. Proposed
research should give highest priority to addressing fuel composition
and variability issues associated with use of syngas and alternate
fuels in gas turbine combustors.
Flashback is an issue for premixed combustors, both in terms of
increased emissions and hardware damage. Proposals are sought in this
topic for achieving premixing without excessive pressure drop and
suitable fuels with a variety of flame speeds, including syngas and
hydrogen. Research of interest includes:
[sbull] The effect of syngas compositions and percentage
concentrations of higher hydrocarbons in natural gas on the propensity
of a premixed flame to flashback. Of particular interest is the
propensity to flashback in the presence of combustion oscillations
(either self-excited or externally driven).
[sbull] Measurement of flashback characteristics representing
various fuels and fuel compositions (IGCC syngas, natural gas
composition variations, liquid fuels, etc.), especially for high
pressures and in the 700 to 950K temperature range. Of special interest
is the effect of higher concentrations of H2 in syngas on
flashback.
Innovative Concepts Phase-I Program
The DOE anticipates funding at least eight awards under the Phase-I
Program. In the twenty-first century, the challenges facing coal and
the electric utility industry continue to grow. Environmental issues
such as pollutant control, both criteria and trace pollutants, waste
minimization, and the co-firing of coal with biomass, waste, or
alternative fuels will remain important. The need for increased
efficiency, improved reliability, and lower costs will be felt as an
aging utility industry faces deregulation. Advanced power systems, such
as a Vision 21 plant, and environmental systems will come into play as
older plants are retired and utilities explore new ways to meet the
growing demand for electricity.
Innovative research in the coal conversion and utilization areas
will be required if coal is to continue to play a dominant role in the
generation of electric power. Innovative Concepts applications will be
accepted in any of the six (6) focus areas listed in the Core Program
above or the four (4) technical Innovative Concepts Phase-I Program
areas listed below. The focus areas under the IC program are not listed
in any programmatic priority.
Innovative Concepts Phase-I Technical Topics
Water Impacts From Coal-Burning Power Plants
Producing electric power from coal has impacts to water quality
from the beginning of the process, mining the coal, to the disposal of
ash remaining after the coal has been combusted. Coal mining has left
large amounts of overburden wastes that contain sulfide minerals that
weather to form sulfuric acid. Many of these areas are causing problems
with water quality and re-vegetation. It is estimated that 10,000 miles
of streams in the United States are affected by acid mine drainage. The
EPA has initiated a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to restore
impaired water bodies, some of which are degraded from past mining.
Coal washing is used to remove pyritic sulfur and other impurities that
could be emitted into the air; however, wastewater from this process
may release these substances to water bodies. A large quantity of water
is used in power plants to condense the steam leaving the turbine.
Once-through cooling systems can damage aquatic life and add heat to
streams. The EPA has developed new regulations under the Clean Water
Act, section 316(b), to reduce once through cooling usage of water and
improve cooling water intake structures. Re-circulating cooling towers
require the addition of biocides and corrosion inhibitors, which may be
released to water bodies during blowdowns. Wet scrubbing of air
pollutants from flue gas generates a large quantity of wastewater. Ash
ponds have the potential for creating run-off problems and groundwater
infiltration. Research opportunities for improving water quality
associated with coal combustion for power generation include: (1) Novel
active and passive treatment technologies to address acid mine
drainage; (2) Innovative solutions to restoring abandoned mine lands to
enhance watersheds; (3) Improved intake and outflow structures for
cooling water; (4) Novel uses for waste heat from power plant cooling;
(5) Advanced water-related sensors and controls at power plants to
minimize adverse impacts to water quality; (6) Novel treatment
techniques for scrubber wastewater; and (7) Novel techniques for
reducing coal-washing waste and ash pond runoff.
Mercury and Associated Trace Metal Chemistry Studies Within
NOX Control Systems
By the year 2010, it is estimated that over 50% of coal-fired
utilities will install either selective catalytic reduction or
selective non-catalytic reduction units to meet NOX emission
limits. Understanding mercury chemistry and process-related speciation
mechanisms and transformations related to NOX control
systems would provide necessary information to develop more effective,
less costly mercury removal processes for industrial and coal-fired
boilers. Past research has shown a probable relationship between degree
of mercury oxidation and age of NOX catalyst, coal rank,
size (or residence time) of NOX control vessel, degree of
NOX conversion, amount of SO2 converted to
SO3, and ammonia slip. Grant applications are sought to
further understand partitioning and chemistry of mercury and other
trace metal and organic substances in coal-fired (bituminous,
subbituminous, and lignite) systems utilizing SCR/SNCR or ammonia
injection. Specifically, statistical analysis clarifying the importance
of each of these identified parameters and/or their interactions on
chemical intermediaries and mechanisms is sought.
Novel Uses of the Calcium Sulfate and Calcium Sulfite-Based FGD
Material
In order to clean up sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants,
many utilities have installed either wet or dry flue gas
desulfurization (FGD) systems. Currently, the majority of this FGD
material is disposed of into landfills. However, there are some
utilities that market this material.
The largest reuse market of the material is in wallboard
manufacturing processes.
It is estimated that in order to meet future stringent air
pollution requirements, many additional utilities will install this
technology in the next decade. Grant applications are
[[Page 55604]]
requested that will look at novel uses of the calcium sulfate and
calcium sulfite-based FGD material.
Development of Advanced SCR Catalysts
National NOX emissions may be capped at levels well
below current emissions under proposed multi-pollutant control
initiatives to address continued concerns about secondary fine
particles (including those formed by reactions with NOX) and
ozone. Such proposals would essentially extend the current
NOX State Implementation Plan Call to twelve months and
expand it to all 48 contiguous states. While selective catalytic
reduction (SCR) is the workhorse for the largest units of the existing
generating fleet in meeting current NOX regulations, future
more stringent requirements drive the need to lower the cost of this
technology. Accordingly, development of advanced SCR catalyst
technology that is cheaper and has fewer balance-of-plant issues than
current SCR technology could offer a lower cost option for the smaller
units. In order to adapt SCR technology to hard to retrofit boilers,
three options are proposed for research:
a. Development of a more reactive catalyst than current
commercially available catalysts that would require a smaller reactor
with less catalyst and able to operate at higher gas velocities to
achieve NOX removal efficiencies of 90%.
b. Development of a catalyst that would operate at low dust
conditions and temperatures experienced after the particulate removal
device to achieve NOX removal efficiencies of 90%.
c. Development of a catalyst for items (1) or (2) that has a dual
function of oxidizing elemental mercury.
In both cases, it is suggested to have the reducing agent to be
other than an ammonia-based reagent or methane due to their balance-of-
plant issues, availability, and cost. Utilization of combustion gas
constituents such as carbon monoxide would be a plus. In all cases, an
economic goal of developing the technology at \3/4\ the levelized cost
of the current state of the art SCR technology should be established.
The proposal of the successful applicants should be able to
demonstrate knowledge of the process conditions of a coal-fired utility
boiler equipped with low NOX burners for the targeted area
of catalyst development.
Innovative Concepts Phase-II Program
The DOE anticipates funding two to four awards in the Phase-II
Program. The goal of the Phase-II Program, the principal R&D effort of
the IC Program, is to solicit research that augments research
previously funded through the Phase-I Program. Only the institutions
receiving a Phase-I grant awarded in fiscal year 2002 will be eligible
to submit an application for continuation of their Phase-I projects.
The following institutions are eligible to participate in the Phase-II
Program in FY04:
Drexel University
--``Ultrasensitive High-Temperature Selective Gas Detection Using
Piezoelectric Microcantilevers''
University of Albany
--``Feasibility of a SOFC Stack Integrated Optical Chemical
Sensor''
University of Nevada
--``Advanced Heat Exchanges Using Tunable Nanoscale-Molecular
Assembly''
University of Pittsburgh
--``A Novel Concept for Reducing Water Usage and Increasing
Efficiency in Power Generation''
The Pennsylvania State University
--``Reaction Mechanism of Magnesium Silicates with Carbon Dioxide
in Microwave Fields''
Arizona State University
--``Simultaneous Mechanical & Heat Activation: A New Route to
Enhanced Serpentine Carbonation Reactivity & Lower CO2
Mineral Dequestration Process Cost''
University of Utah
--``Carbon Dioxide Sequestration by Mechano-chemical Carbonation of
Mineral Silicates''
Iowa State University
--``Development of a Catalyst/Sorbent for Methane Reforming''
University of Maine
--``Inorganic Membranes''
University of North Dakota
--``Advanced Heterogeneous Reburn Fuel from Coal and Hog Manure''
The University of Mississippi
--``Heterogeneous Reburning by Mixed Fuels''
University of North Dakota
--``Mercury Oxidation via Catalytic Barrier Filters''
University of Pittsburgh
--``Engineered Coal Reburning in Oxidizing Environments''
Once released, the solicitation will be available for downloading
from the IIPS Internet page. At this Internet site you will also be
able to register with IIPS, enabling you to submit an application. If
you need technical assistance in registering or for any other IIPS
function, call the IIPS Help Desk at (800 683-0751 or E-mail the Help Desk personnel at IIPS_HelpDesk@e-center.doe.gov. The solicitation
will only be made available in IIPS, no hard (paper) copies of the
solicitation and related documents will be made available. Telephone
requests, written requests, E-mail requests, or facsimile requests for
a copy of the solicitation package will not be accepted and/or honored.
Applications must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the
instructions and forms contained in the solicitation. The actual
solicitation document will allow for requests for explanation and/or
interpretation.
References
1. T. Schwickert, P. Greasee, A. Janke, R. Conradt, and U.
Diekmann, in Proceedings of IBSC 2000, Albuquerque, pp. 116-122
(2000).
2. K.L. Ley, M. Krumpelt, R. Kumar, J.H. Meiser, and I. Bloom,
J. Mat. Res., 11, 1489-1493 (1996).
3. N. Lahl, K. Singh, L. Singheiser, K. Hilpert, and D. Bahadur,
J. Mat. Sci. 35, 3089-3096 (2000).
4. L. Blum, L.G.J. de Haart, I. Vinke, D. Stolten, H.P.
Buchremer, F. Tietz, G. Bla[beta], D. St[ouml]ver, J. Remmel, A.
Crammer, and R. Sievering, in 5th European Solid Oxide Fuel Cell
Forum, Lucerne, Switzerland, ed. J Huijsmans, pp. 784-790 (2002).
5. Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance website, http://www.seca.doe.gov/
Issued in Morgantown, WV on September 16, 2003.
Dale A. Siciliano,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 03-24350 Filed 9-25-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-M