Since free, elemental Hydrogen is required somewhere along the line by some processes for the direct conversion of Coal into liquid hydrocarbon fuels, such as West Virginia University's "West Virginia Process", some information concerning which can be gleaned via:
WVU Hydrogenates Coal Tar | Research & Development; concerning: "Hydrogenation of Naphthalene and Coal Tar Distillate over Ni/Mo/Al2O3 Catalyst; Abhijit Bhagavatula; Thesis submitted to the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Chemical Engineering; Abstract: The hydrogenation of naphthalene and coal-tar distillates has been carried out in a Trickle Bed Reactor, in which the liquid is allowed to flow through the catalyst bed in the presence of hydrogen. A ... trickle bed reactor can be used to hydrogenate coal-derived solvents. The process of converting solid coal to liquid is called liquefaction. Coal is liquefied by reacting with hydrogen. ... Therefore, the process of producing liquid fuels from solid coal necessitates increasing the ratio of hydrogen to carbon. This can be done either by removing carbon or by adding hydrogen";
and, since free Hydrogen is also required by some processes for the recycling of Carbon Dioxide, with it's subsequent conversion into hydrocarbons, such as the century-old Sabatier process now being brought into the space age, as seen in:
NASA Rocket Fuel from CO2 | Research & Development; wherein we're told, that: "Although Mars is not rich in methane, methane can be manufactured there via the Sabatier process: Mix some carbon dioxide (CO2) with hydrogen (H), then heat the mixture to produce CH4 and H20 -- methane and water. The Martian atmosphere is an abundant source of carbon dioxide, and the relatively small amount of hydrogen required for the process may be ... gathered from Martian ice";
and, since West Virginia is sitting on a nearly-unlimited supply of a certain type of slightly unconventional energy, as seen in:
Another Energy Bonanza for Coal Country | Research & Development; concerning: "West Virginia Geothermal; A Large Green Energy Source Beneath Northeastern West Virginia; 2010; New research produced by Southern Methodist University's Geothermal Laboratory ... suggests that the temperature of the Earth beneath the state of West Virginia is significantly higher than previously estimated and capable of supporting commercial baseload geothermal energy production";
we wanted, herein, to document that all of those opportunities, let's call them solutions in waiting, can be brought together in a synergistic way that would be of benefit to everyone in US Coal Country, indeed, everyone in the United States of America.
Given that we have the Coal and the Carbon Dioxide, which we need Hydrogen to do some pretty intriguing things with; and, given that we have the Geothermal Energy, then, good ole' General Electric tells us, in excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch, how we can get that needed Hydrogen:
"United States Patent 7,331,179 - System and Method for Production of Hydrogen
Date: February, 2008
Inventors: Chellappa Balan, et. al., NY and CA
Assignee: General Electric Company, NY
Abstract: A technique is disclosed for a system and method for combined production of power and hydrogen utilizing the heat from a first working fluid heated by a geothermal energy source using a steam generator and an electrolyzer designed to receive the steam produced by the steam generator for the production of hydrogen and oxygen using electrolysis.
Claims: A system for producing hydrogen, comprising: a first heat recovery steam generator operable to produce steam using heat from a first working fluid heated by a geothermal energy source, wherein the first heat recovery steam generator is adapted to transfer heat from the first working fluid heated by the geothermal energy source to water flowing in the first heat recovery steam generator; and an electrolyzer configured to receive the steam produced by the first heat recovery steam generator, wherein the electrolyzer produces hydrogen and oxygen from the steam produced by the first heat recovery steam generator.
A combined hydrogen and power generation system, comprising: a hydrogen production system, comprising: a first heat recovery steam generator operable to produce steam using heat from a first working fluid heated by the geothermal energy source, wherein the first heat recovery steam generator is adapted to transfer heat from the first working fluid heated by the geothermal energy source to water flowing in the first heat recovery steam generator; and an electrolyzer operable to convert the steam from the first heat recovery steam generator into hydrogen and oxygen; and a power generation system, comprising: a second heat recovery system operable to transfer heat from the first working fluid to a second working fluid; an electric generator; and a turbine coupled to the electric generator, wherein the turbine is driven by the second working fluid to power the electric generator to produce electricity.
(We won't be able to do an adequate job of explaining it, but: The Geothermal Steam can generate electricity, and, then, while still hot and thus easier to electrolyze into Oxygen and Hydrogen, some that Steam, after it has generated electricity, can be broken down into O2 and H2 by using just some of the electricity it has generated. It's a pretty nifty concept.)
A method of utilizing heat from a geothermal energy source for a combined hydrogen and power generation system, comprising: extracting a first part of heat from a geothermal energy source to produce steam in a first heat recovery steam generator, comprising transferring heat generated from the first working fluid heated by the geothermal energy source to water flowing through the first heat recovery steam generator; directing the steam to an electrolyzer for electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen; extracting a second part of heat from the geothermal energy source and transferring the heat to a second working fluid in a second heat recovery system; applying the second working fluid to a turbine coupled to an electric generator for producing electricity; and recycling the heat within hydrogen and oxygen produced by the electrolyzer in a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger.
(Our excerpts from the Claims section are actually quite abbreviated. There is a lot of internal heat exchange and recycling within the system, a great deal of energy conservation. And, our take on it is that we could generate quite a lot of Hydrogen without subtracting too much from the overall production of electricity. There would be plenty of juice left to pump into the grid; thus taking a little burden off our Coal; and, allowing us then to direct more Coal into something like the West Virginia Process, as cited above, to make "liquid fuels from solid coal", using the Hydrogen generated herein by GE from our abundant Geothermal energy.)
Summary and Description: In accordance with one aspect of the present technique, a system for producing hydrogen is provided. The system includes a first heat recovery steam generator operable to produce steam, using heat from a geothermal energy source and an electrolyzer in fluid communication with the first heat recovery steam generator. The electrolyzer receives the steam produced by the first heat recovery steam generator for the production of hydrogen and oxygen.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present technique, a system for a combined hydrogen and power generation system includes a hydrogen production system for the production of hydrogen and oxygen using the heat from the geothermal energy source, and a power generation system for the production of electricity using the heat from the geothermal energy source."
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Well, it is a "combined hydrogen and power generation system". We get both Hydrogen, which we can utilize to convert both Coal and Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbons, and, some electricity, a little of which we could use to power the mining and processing of the Coal, or, the harvesting and processing of the CO2.
And, don't forget, there is another product from the Water electrolysis: Oxygen.
Which Oxygen, O2, we could direct to yet another process, such as that seen in our report of:
Conoco 2011 Coal + CO2 + H2O + O2 = Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 7,959,829 - Gasification System and Process; 2011; Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company; Abstract: A system and process for gasifying carbonaceous feedstock (and) producing ... synthesis gas. The process is applicable to any particulate carbonaceous material. Preferably, however, the particulate carbonaceous material is coal which, without limitation, includes lignite, bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, or any combination thereof. Additional carbonaceous materials are coke from coal, coal char, coal liquefaction residues, particulate carbon, ... biomass, concentrated sewer sludge, bits of garbage, rubber and mixtures thereof";
wherein it is used to support the partial oxidation of Coal, in combination with Carbon Dioxide-recycling wastes, and even CO2 itself, to form a blend of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen "synthesis gas", which "syngas" would be suitable for catalytic chemical condensation, as via the now-generic Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, into a range of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products.
Taken all together, it is an opportunity to utilize a Coal Country environmental energy resource, geothermal heat, to help enable the conversion of our abundant Coal, our some-say-too abundant CO2, and, some of our CO2-recycling and renewable wastes, into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons that we now squander our national wealth and ruin our environment to acquire.
President Obama, in his just-delivered State of the Union Address, emphasized the importance of renewable, or at least sustainable, energy development. Herein is one way to go about it that is synergistic with our existing Coal extraction industries;
And, it can all be accomplished right here in West Virginia, in the very heart of United States Coal Country.