Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science (CFFS)
We have previously reported on the Consortium For Fossil Fuel Science, as linked above, it's work on Coal liquefaction and conversion technology, and some of the CoalTL work conducted individually by the universities that compose it: West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky (where the CFFS is headquartered), the University of Pittsburgh, Auburn University, and the University of Utah.
This will be a lengthy dispatch concerning the CFFS, with multiple enclosed links and one attached file, and we apologize for it's ungainly scope.
The CFFS works, at least in part, under contract to a number of government agencies, including the United States Department of Energy; and, the United States Department of Defense and various of it's component branches.
Further on in this dispatch, we will provide links to some of the many specific CFFS reports made to their contracting agencies that are available. But, if you wish to begin exploring, you can delve into their activities via: Home; Energy; Meetings; Publications; Reports; andContact.
As a focus of this dispatch, we've elected to present some specifics of one CFFS report, as available via:
http://www.cffs.uky.edu/energy/reports/DOD%2012Q%20report.pdf
We are also attaching a complete file from that link, and some, we think intriguing, excerpts from that file are as follows:
"Military Fuels Research Program of the Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science
Quarterly report for the period June 26, 2010 to September 25, 2010
U.S. ARMY TACOM Contract No. W56HZV-07-C-0721
Abstract: The Consortium for Fossil Fuel Science (CFFS), a five-university research consortium, is conducting a basic research program focused on development of innovative and economical technology for producing military fuels from domestic resources, particularly our most abundant resource, coal. The primary experimental approach is C1 chemistry, which uses feedstocks that contain one carbon atom per molecule, including synthesis gas, methane, and methanol, all of which can be produced from coal. Currently, 13 professors and their graduate students and postdoctoral students participate in the research program. The current report summarizes progress made on this research during the period, April 26, 2010 through June 25, 2010. Some of the principal results are briefly summarized below.
Advanced Process Technology for Tunable Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis towards Middle Distillate Fuel Fractions, Christopher B. Roberts, Ram B. Gupta, and Mario R. Eden, Auburn University
Supercritical Water Gasification of Aqueous Switchgrass Biocrude with Ni, Co, or Ru Catalysts on TiO2, ZrO2, and MgAl2O4 Supports, Ram B. Gupta, Christopher B. Roberts, and Mario R. Eden, Auburn University
Simulation and Optimization of CFFS Military Fuels Production Methods, Mario R. Eden, Christopher B. Roberts, Ram B. Gupta
Single Battlefield Fuel from a Modified Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Process, Garima S. Bali, Charles L. Mayne, Richard D. Ernst, Edward M. Eyring and Ronald J. Pugmire, University of Utah
Tailoring Multi-component Catalysts on Carbon Supports for Fischer-Tropsch Products in the Kerosene Range, Dady Dadyburjor and Edwin Kugler, West Virginia University
Production of FT fuels by controlled pyrolysis of waste plastic, Naresh Shah, Gerald P. Huffman, and Frank E. Huggins, University of Kentucky
Structural changes produced in elastomers by different swelling agents, Mohindar Seehra, West Virginia University; Naresh Shah, Frank E. Huggins, and Gerald P. Huffman, University of Kentucky; Ronald J. Pugmire, University of Utah
Importance of Structural/Electronic Characterization of Catalysts in Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis, M. S. Seehra, Department of Physics, West Virginia University, F. E. Huggins, Naresh Shah, and G. P. Huffman, University of Kentucky."
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Keeping in mind that key phrases, like "Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis", are nearly synonymous with Coal liquefaction, though variations of Fischer-Tropsch chemistry do seem to be widely used in petroleum refineries, that should give you some idea of what they've been up to.
Following is a compilation of links to a selection of various reports, and collections of reports, generated by the CFFS and it's member schools to their various contracting agencies over the past decade, which should, upon exploration, reveal even more information concerning the reality of Coal, and Carbon-recycling biomass, conversion technology:
Twelfth Quarter Report (6/26/2010 - 9/25/2010) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Eleventh Quarter Report (3/26/2010 - 6/25/2010) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Tenth Quarter Report (12/26/2009 - 3/25/2010) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Ninth Quarter Report (9/26/2009 - 12/25/2009) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Eighth Quarter Report (6/26/2009 - 9/25/2009) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Seventh Quarter Report (3/26/2009 - 6/25/2009) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
DOE Peer Review Presentation - February 2009
Sixth Quarter Report (12/26/2008 - 3/25/2009) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Quarterly Report (10/1/2008 - 12/31/2008) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Fifth Quarter Report (9/26/2008 - 12/25/2008) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Fourth Quarter Report (6/26/2008 - 9/25/2008) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Quarterly Report (4/1/2008 - 6/30/2008) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Third Quarter Report (3/26/2008 - 6/25/2008) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Quarterly Report (1/1/2008 - 3/31/2008) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Second Quarter Report (12/26/2007 - 3/25/2008) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Quarterly Report (10/1/2007 - 12/31/2007) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
First Quarter Report (9/26/2007 - 12/25/2007) for W56HZV-07-C-0721
Eighth Quarter Report(7/1/2007 - 9/30/2007) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Seventh Quarter Report(4/1/2007 - 6/30/2007) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Sixth Quarter Report (1/1/2007 - 3/31/2007) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Fifth Quarter Report (9/30/2006 - 12/31/2006) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Fourth Quarter Report (7/1/2006 - 9/30/2006) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Third Quarter Report (4/1/2006 - 6/30/2006) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
Final Technical Report (10/1/2002-3/31/2006) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
Second Quarter Report (1/1/2006 - 3/31/2006) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
First Quarter Report (10/31/2005 - 12/31/2005) for DE-FC26-05NT42456
2005 Six month report (10/1/2004-3/31/2005) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
Annual Report (10/1/2003-9/30/2004) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
2004 Six month report (10/1/2003-3/31/2004) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
Annual Report (10/1/2002-9/30/2003) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
2003 Six month report (10/1/2002-3/31/2003) for DE-FC26-02NT41594
Annual Report (5/1/2001-9/30/2002) for DE-FC26-99FT40540
Annual Report (5/1/2000-4/30/2001) for DE-FC26-99FT40540
Annual Report (5/1/1999-4/30/2000) for DE-FC26-99FT40540
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Sort of impressive, ain't it?
Isn't it about time all of this Coal-state public university work, focused in large part on practical Coal conversion technology - and financed in large part by public funds - got a little public exposure?
These schools have done some wonderful work for us - work that could, if reduced to practice, make our nation wealthier and safer; and, make all of us, as individuals, a little more affluent and a lot more secure.