https://www.princeton.edu/pei/energy/publications/texts/case_study.pdf
Coal can provide for all, quite literally all, of our nation's energy requirements.
That is:
Not only can we, obviously, generate electricity with Coal, but, we can also concurrently supply all of our needs for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels - - through known and established technologies for Coal gasification and Coal liquefaction.
And, we can do so in ways that might be beneficial for our environment.
Those statements are a bit of an extrapolation from the assessment we present to you herein, since the assessment applies to "coal-rich" areas of China.
But, the concept, and the potentials, should be intriguing to anyone interested at all in the economic health and the national security of the United States of America.
First, by way of introduction, we remind you of the concept most often referred to as "Polygeneration", or, "Co-Production" as discussed, for one example, in our report of:
USDOE Promotes Coal for the Coproduction of Power and Fuels | Research & Development | News; concerning report of the USDOE-sponsored research project: "Clean Coal Technology: Coproduction of Power, Fuels and Chemicals; 2001; United States Department of Energy; National Energy Technology Laboratories; Executive Summary: Coproduction of power, fuels and chemicals offers an innovative, economically advantageous means of achieving the nation’s energy goals. Coproduction involves the integration of three major building blocks: Gasification of coal ... fuels to produce synthesis gas (syngas); Conversion of a portion of the syngas to high-value products such as liquid fuels and chemicals; Combustion of syngas to produce electric power. In coproduction, the relative amounts of syngas used for power generation or converted to fuels and chemicals depend on market demands. The goal of coproduction is to fully utilize the feedstock and maximize revenue streams. By permitting operation of the gasifier at full capacity to make syngas for either power generation or fuels and chemicals production, coproduction makes more efficient use of capital than when producing power alone";
wherein the United States Department of Energy explained how hydrocarbon synthesis gas, a blend of Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen, made via the gasification of Coal, could, as circumstances warranted, be either combusted to generate electrical power, or, catalytically condensed, via long -known and well-established processes, into "high-value products such as liquid fuels and chemicals".
And, such polygeneration concepts have more recently been technically validated through the issuance of United States Patents on formal descriptions of the process, as in our report of:
September, 2012, Coal and CO2 to Liquid Fuel and Electric Power | Research & Development | News; concerning: "United States Patent 8,268,896 - Co-production of Fuels, Chemicals and Electric Power; 2012; Assignee: Gas Technology Institute, Des Plaines, IL; Abstract: A method and system for co-production of electric power, fuel, and chemicals in which a synthesis gas at a first pressure is expanded using a stand-alone mechanical expander or a partial oxidation gas turbine, simultaneously producing electric power and an expanded synthesis gas at a second pressure after which the expanded synthesis gas is converted to a fuel and/or a chemical.Claims: A method for co-production of fuels, chemicals, and electric power".
Almost predictably, the above United States studies and developments in Coal science and thinking were derivative of Coal utilization technology initially established in Germany, as in, for one example, our report of:
Germany Coal to Electricity, Methanol and Vinyl Acetate | Research & Development | News; concerning:
"United States Patent 4,663,931 - Power Generating Station with and Integrated Coal Gasification Plant; 1987; Assignee: Kraftwerk Union, AG, Mulheim (Germany); Abstract: Power generating plant with an integrated coal gasification plant, with a heat exchanger and gas purification plant connected to the coal gasifier, with a gas turbine and steam power generating plant part connected to the heat exchanger and gas purification plant, and with a methanol synthesis plant".
And, we've further reported many times that the nation of China has embarked on a massive re-industrialization project, centered on the more complete use of her own abundant Coal resources, to supply her own needs for electricity and for liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals, as seen for only one example in:
Obama White House Says China Coal-to-Liquids = US Jobs | Research & Development | News; concerning a press release from President Obama's administration: "The White House; Office of the Press Secretary; January 19, 2011; FACT SHEET: U.S.-China Commercial Relations; China is a key market for U.S. exports. Those exports are generating jobs in every corner of the United States and across every major sector. These involve some of our country’s largest companies, but also an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises. ... These cross-border collaborations, both public and private, underpin the expanding U.S.-China commercial partnership, contributing to economic growth and development in both countries. A number of these transactions highlight the increased collaboration in such areas as clean energy and green technologies. Examples of some of the deals associated with this visit include: General Electric-Shenhua Gasification Joint Venture: GE and China Shenhua Energy Company Limited (Beijing, China) have formed a joint venture company in order to combine GE’s expertise in gasification and cleaner power generation technologies with Shenhua’s expertise in building and operating gasification and power generation facilities. The joint venture will seek to advance cleaner coal technology solutions for industrial chemicals, fuels, and power generation. GE estimates approximately $150 million in U.S. exports over the first five years of the joint venture, mainly related to technology licensing, engineering, and R&D support. Additionally, the joint venture has potential to generate $1.5 to 2.5 billion in U.S. exports over the long term".
Herein, we learn that the above concepts - with specific regard in this case to China - have been further studied and reviewed by Princeton University, with the result being the description of a "Syngas City", wherein an entire region's total needs for all forms of energy and for the raw materials for a chemical manufacturing industry, in other words almost it's entire economy, can be supplied and sustained through a basic core industry of Coal gasification.
Comment follows excerpts from the initial link in this dispatch to:
"Case-study of a Coal Gasification-based Energy Supply System for China
Zheng Hongtao, et. al., Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Eric D. Larson, Princeton Environmental Institute, Princeton University, NJ, USA
‘‘Syngas city’’ (SC) is a concept for a coal gasification-based energy supply system that deploys gasification-based polygeneration technologies to meet energy needs of coal-rich areas. This paper summarizes an assessment of the projected environmental impacts of implementing a SC strategy for Zaozhuang, Shandong Province, China. A SC scenario and a ‘‘business-as-usual’’ (BAU) scenario are developed for the Zaozhuang area considering the time-frame 2000 to 2020. A comparison of these scenarios is used to assess whether the SC concept for Zaozhuang could reduce air pollution and promote further economic development while meeting projected demand for energy services. On the basis of socio-economic assumptions, sectoral energy-demand projections are developed. Assumptions are made about expected rates of market penetration of dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol, two clean fuels derived via coal gasification. Emissions of air pollutants in the SC scenario are compared with those in the BAU scenario. Policies to promote the SC concept and technologies in China are proposed.
Polygeneration systems, based on coal gasification, can produce a variety of energy products in an economically affordable way, for example clean synthesis gas and electricity, high-value-added chemicals, high-value-added fuels for vehicles, residential and industrial uses, and other possible energy products.
Gasification enables conversion of coal with very low levels of air pollution compared to most existing coal combustion technologies in China.
SC concepts are applicable to the many regions in China with large coal mines, where the exhaustion of
high-quality low-sulfur coal reserves presents enormous challenges. Mining enterprises are eager to find uses for
high-sulfur coal whose sale government regulations prohibit at present. Managers of the mining enterprises are
without exception interested in SC, which may help prevent mass unemployment and attendant social unrest.
This paper summarizes an assessment of the environmental impacts of implementing a SC strategy for Zaozhuang, Shandong Province, China. Zaozhuang ... is a major industrial region that is heavily reliant on coal. It produces
about 20 million tonnes (Mt) of coal annually with exploitable reserves of 4.5 billion t (Gt).
It is also home to the Lunan Fertilizer Factory that operates Texaco coal gasifiers making synthesis gas that is converted to methanol using conventional gas-phase synthesis technology.
(As we've many times documented, the old, once-familiar "Texaco", as above, since absorbed into the Chevron organization, has a long history of investment in Coal gasification technology. See, for one of the later examples of their work, a polygeneration Coal gasification technology developed by them specifically, as in our report of:
Texaco Coal to Synthetic Fuels and Electrical Power | Research & Development | News; concerning: "United States Patent 4,099,383 - Partial Oxidation Process; 1978; Assignee: Texaco, Inc., NY; Abstract: Sensible heat in the hot effluent gas stream leaving a partial oxidation gas generator for the production of gaseous mixtures comprising H2 +CO, i.e. synthesis gas ... is used at maximum temperature to heat a stream of heat transfer fluid ... . The heat transfer fluid serves as the working fluid in a turbine that produces mechanical work, electrical energy, or both. ... Optionally, by-product superheated steam may be produced at high temperature levels for use in the gas generator and as the working fluid in an expansion turbine. The high steam superheat temperatures results in higher conversion efficiencies. ... Summary: At a great economic benefit, a portion of the synthesis gas may be used as said heat transfer fluid. ... The remainder of the synthesis gas may be reacted over a catalyst to produce chemicals. For example, a stream of synthesis gas having a mole ratio (H2 /CO) in the range of about 2 to 12 and at a temperature in the range of about 400 to 750 F may be passed through a chamber containing methanol catalyst to synthesize methanol".)
Municipal officials of Zaozhuang are interested in pursuing a SC strategy as an important part of the municipal
development plan. The implementation of the SC strategy in Zaozhuang could provide a leading model for surrounding areas with large coal mines ... .
The objective of the work reported here is to assess environmental implications of SC strategies. In this paper,
we develop SC and business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios for Zaozhuang considering the time-frame to 2020, using
2000 as a reference year. We assess the extent to which Zaozhuang could reduce air pollution while meeting a
level of demand for energy services that is consistent with its economic growth aspirations. The scenario analysis in this paper is only intended to consider plausible scenarios to illustrate the possibilities with polygeneration, not to exhaustively describe all possible polygeneration scenarios. We consider only three clean energy carriers that can be made via gasification: dimethyl ether (DME), methanol, and electricity. Other fuels could also be made (e.g., Fischer-Tropsch or FT liquids, H2), as well as chemicals.
(The authors provide a lengthy analysis of scenarios, complete with charts, graphs and tables, demonstrating how electricity and liquid fuels and substitute natural gas (in this case in the form of dimethyl ether, DME), made from Coal can supply, economically, all the fuel and power needs of the Commercial, Agricultural, Industrial, Residential and Transportation economic sectors. The data presented are intriguing and well-worth contemplation. However, they don't lend themselves well to condensed excerpts for the purposes of our report herein.)
We conclude that the syngas city strategy shows great potential to utilize high-sulfur coal cleanly; great potential
to reduce the outdoor and indoor emissions of air pollutants, which will be of great benefit for people’s health
and for improving living standards; great potential to reduce imports of petroleum fuels.
The SC approach holds great promise for sustainable development in coal-rich areas."
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Well, we reckon we could use a little "sustainable development in" our own, United States of America "coal-rich areas", couldn't we?
Again, as per our earlier comments, the major portion of the report is given over to graphical presentations of data, and discussions of the data, that are impossible to translate into excerpts for the purposes of this dispatch.
That data is worth a look, though, as it helps to illustrate and support the basic concept herein proposed, wherein a central industry of Coal gasification could, in essence, supply the entire energy, and some of the material, needs of an entire economy.
And, the review didn't even take into account other potentials, like that seen in our report of:
Illinois Converts Coal Conversion Ash into Cement | Research & Development | News; concerning: "United States Patent 4,396,432 - Process for Converting Coal to Gaseous Fuel with Production of Portland Cement as a By-product; 1983; University of Illinois Foundation, Chicago; Continuous process for converting coal to gaseous fuel with production of Portland cement as a by-product comprises the step of pelletizing a mixture of finely divided coal and limestone, heating (coking) the pellets in a reducing gas atmosphere to liberate volatile fuel products, and converting a substantial proportion of the residual carbon in the pellets to CO and hydrogen by the water-gas reaction, the inorganic constituents of the coal being simultaneously converted to Portland cement clinkers";
wherein the mineral by-products of the sort of Coal gasification industry assessed by Princeton University and their Chinese colleagues herein could be transformed into the materials of construction for "Syngas City".
Further, should you take the time to examine the full report, as accessible via the link, you'll find that those Princeton and China authors unfortunately waste some space discussing the geologic, or other, sequestration of any Carbon Dioxide generated as a byproduct from the Coal Gasification.
That, when, as seen in our report of:
Princeton University November 20, 2012 CO2 to Ethanol | Research & Development | News; concerning:
"United States Patent 8,313,634 - Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Organic Products; 2012; Assignee: Princeton University, NJ; The invention relates to various embodiments of an environmentally beneficial method for reducing carbon dioxide. The methods in accordance with the invention include electrochemically or photoelectrochemically reducing the carbon dioxide in a divided electrochemical cell ... to produce therein a reduced organic product. Government Interests: This invention was made with United States government support from National Science Foundation Grant No. CHE-0616475. The United States Government has certain rights in this invention. A method of converting carbon dioxide to ... ethanol";
Princeton University actually has some far better ideas about what to do with any byproduct CO2; ideas which could lead to even further enhancements in what would seem to be the already-prosperous, and energy self-sufficient, Coal-based economy of "Syngas City".