AndreaBozzo/ceres-open-data-index huggingface dataset:
Development of biological coal gasification (MicGAS process)

Effect of 5% and 10% coal solids loadings was studied in two types of bench scale bioreactors and in chemostat cultures. The bench scale reactors used were rotating biological contactor (RBC) and upflow bioreactors. In RBC, Texas lignite was loaded at 0% and 5% (w/v), while in the upflow and chemostat reactors at 0%, 5% and 10%. Methane, total gas production, soluble carbon and volatile fatty acid production (VFA), as well as microbial growth (measured as cell protein) were monitored. Gas analysis of the headspace from the above mentioned reactors showed higher CO[sub 2] production in experiments with 5% and 10% coal solids (for example, Figure 1). This indicates that acetate degraded into CO[sub 2] but there was not enough hydrogen to carry out the reaction to convert CO[sub 2] to CH[sub 4]. These data obtained confirmed our previous results from laboratory scale reactors, that at coal solids loadings higher than 1%, methane production does not enhance significantly. This phenomena could be due to the production of higher quantities of inhibitory compounds or depletion of factors necessary for methanogenesis.

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Site visit report:  Tennessee Valley Authority John Sevier Power Plant, Rogersville, Tennessee. Final report

This report details the activities, facilities, and equipment used to sample raw feedstock and waste solids at Tennessee Valley Authority's John Sevier Steam Plant. Explanation of sampling locations, deviations from the test plan, sampling techniques (in accordance with the Fossil Energy Waste General Sampling Guideline) and plant design are reviewed.

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Challenge of change:  sixth international ash-utilization symposium proceedings

This symposium dealt with the methods of utilizing or disposing of fly ash, bottom ash, and desulfurization sludges produced by the combustion of coal for power generation. The pozzolanic nature of fly ash makes it a good material for use in concretes, highway construction and maintenance, and as a stabilizer for industrial waste disposal. Other uses are mentioned as well. Quality control procedures and chemical composition of fly ashes are also included. Separate abstracts were prepared for the individual papers. (CKK)

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Geological evolution and analysis of confirmed or suspected gas hydrate localities: Volume 7, Basin analysis, formation and stability of gas hydrates in the Colombia Basin

This report presents a geological description of the Columbia Basin, including regional and local structural settings, geomorphology, geological history, stratigraphy, and physical properties. It provides the necessary regional and geological background for more in-depth research of the area. Detailed discussion of bottom simulating acoustic reflectors, sediment acoustic properties, distribution of hydrates within the sediments, and the relation of hydrate distribution to other features such as salt diapirism are also included. The formation and stabilization of gas hydrates in sediments are considered in terms of phase relations, nucleation, and crystallization constraints, gas solubility, pore fluid chemistry, inorganic diagenesis, and sediment organic content. Together with a depositional analysis of the area, this report is a better understanding of the thermal evolution of the locality. It should lead to an assessment of the potential for both biogenic and thermogenic hydrocarbon generation. 66 refs., 49 figs., 5 tabs.

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Coal-gasification basic research and costs studies. Quarterly report No. 4

Work was continued on basic research and cost studies supporting the Department of Energy's coal gasification program. Two major activities or tasks are being performed. The first activity is the development of a process or processes to produce agglomerates from coal fines suitable for use as a feed to fixed-bed gasifiers. During the Fourth Quarter approximately 70 double-roll briquetting runs and 97 pelletizing runs were performed to evaluate promising binder candidates and to investigate other briquetting and pelletizing variables. All agglomerates were tested for room temperature handling ease (measured by crush-strength and drop-shatter tests) and for stability and performance at gasifier temperatures. The best agglomerates were further evaluated in a modified Burghardt test and in a tumbler test. Ten agglomerate compositions, eight briquettes and two pellets, were run in a small gasifier at American Natural Resources. Most agglomerates performed well in this gasifier. In Task II, the design of a gasification plant with Rockwell Molten Salt gasifiers was completed, and estimates of capital and operating costs were developed. Work on all basic cases has now been completed and only the incorporation of a briquetting facility into the fixed-bed plant design remains to be done.

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Advanced gasification projects. [Support research needs; contains list of advanced gasification projects supported by US DOE]

An analysis of the needs for coal gasification reveals the following principal categories of information gaps that can be filled by programs already in progress or those readily initiated. The gaps are technology base needs required for successful application of both currently available and advanced gasification processes. The need areas are classified as follows: Reactor design/performance, gas cleaning/cooling separation, acid-gas removal/gas shift/gas conversion, wastewater treatment, and general data base on both state-of-the-art and advanced technologies. During the future operating and optimization phases of most of the coal gasification projects, when additional troubles will surface, the technical support program described herein will have provided the additional data base needed to correct deficiencies and/or to advance the state-of-the-art. The report describes US DOE supported projects in this area: brief description, title, contractor, objective, accomplishments, current work and possible application.

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Decontamination systems information and research program

It is estimated that over 3700 hazardous waste sites are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Energy (DOE). These sites were primarily generated from 45 years worth of environmental pollution from the design and manufacture of nuclear materials and weapons, and contain numerous types of wastes including: (1) volatile, low-volatile and nonvolatile organics, (2) radionuclides (e.g., uranium, plutonium and cesium), (3) nonradioactive heavy metals (e.g., chromium, nickel, and lead), and (4) toxic chemicals. These contaminants affect several media including soils (saturated and unsaturated), groundwater, vegetation, and air. Numerous and diverse DOE hazardous waste sites can be enumerated from soils contaminated by organics such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE) at the Savannah River site to biota and vegetation contaminated by radionuclides such as radiocesium and radiostrontium at the Oak Ridge site. Over the next 30 years, the Department of Energy (DOE) is committed to bringing all its facilities into compliance with applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws and regulations. This clean-up task is quite complex involving numerous sites containing various radioactive, organic and inorganic contaminants. To perform this clean-up effort in the most efficient manner at each site will require that DOE managers have access to all available information on pertinent technologies; i.e., to aid in maximum technology transfer. The purpose of this effort is to systematically develop a databast of those currently available and emerging clean-up technologies.

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Advanced coal-fueled gas turbine systems

Westinghouse's Advanced Coal-Fueled Gas Turbine System Program (DE-AC2l-86MC23167) was originally split into two major phases - a Basic Program and an Option. The Basic Program also contained two phases. The development of a 6 atm, 7 lb/s, 12 MMBtu/hr slagging combustor with an extended period of testing of the subscale combustor, was the first part of the Basic Program. In the second phase of the Basic Program, the combustor was to be operated over a 3-month period with a stationary cascade to study the effect of deposition, erosion and corrosion on combustion turbine components. The testing of the concept, in subscale, has demonstrated its ability to handle high- and low-sulfur bituminous coals, and low-sulfur subbituminous coal. Feeding the fuel in the form of PC has proven to be superior to CWM type feed. The program objectives relative to combustion efficiency, combustor exit temperature, NO[sub x] emissions, carbon burnout, and slag rejection have been met. Objectives for alkali, particulate, and SO[sub x] levels leaving the combustor were not met by the conclusion of testing at Textron. It is planned to continue this testing, to achieve all desired emission levels, as part of the W/NSP program to commercialize the slagging combustor technology.

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Crosslinking dry xanthan gum for profile modification in oil reservoirs: Final report

When large areas of oil saturation remain unswept in a petroleum reservoir, profile modification is necessary to redirect injected fluids into areas of high oil saturation. Gels made from xanthan biopolymer that is produced and transported to the field site as a liquid broth have been used for profile modification in many field projects. This report discusses the use, for profile modification treatments, of xanthan biopolymer that is produced and transported in dry, solid form. The report is divided into three sections. Section I covers mixing procedures, section II covers crosslinking procedures, and section III addresses injection strategies. The effects of reactant concentrations, pH, and salinity on crosslinking were investigated. The optimal conditions for crosslinking the powdered xanthan were identified for gel injection and for in situ gelation. The optimal concentration of polymer was found to be in the 1400 to 2000 ppM range. The transition zone from solid to pourable gels occurs at about 20 ppM chromium concentration. 20 refs., 10 figs., 14 tabs.

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Physical gas stream cleanup: Technology status report

This report is a summary of the status of particulate control technologies for use at high temperatures and high pressures. The technologies are being developed under the Physical Gas Stream Cleanup Program that is administered by the US Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology Center. The intended uses of the particulate control technologies are to protect components in advanced coal systems, such as integrated gasification combined cycles, pressurized fluidized-bed combustion combined cycles, gasification molten carbonate fuel cells, and direct coal-fueled turbines. The use of particulate control technologies for these advanced energy conversion systems requires separation and collection of particles at temperatures in excess of 1000/sup 0/F and at pressures in excess of 7 atmospheres. These temperature and pressure regimes represent a drastic departure from those of conventional technologies. The Physical Gas Stream Cleanup Program seeks to establish a technical and economic data base that will demonstrate the feasibility of high-temperature, high-pressure particulate control. Particulate control concepts and their corresponding research and development projects are described in this report. These projects include subpilot-scale tests of an electrostatic precipitator, a ceramic cross-flow filter, and a screenless granular-bed filter on a 30-inch diameter pressurized fluidized-bed combustor. Bench-scale tests will also be conducted using a ceramic cross-flow filter, a ceramic bag filter, and an electrostatic precipitator on a 6-inch diameter fluidized-bed gasifier. Additional research involves laboratory evaluation of acoustic agglomeration, turbulence characterization and suppression in cyclones and characterization of ceramic fabrics for bag filters. Each project and significant accomplishments in FY 85 are described. 14 refs., 25 figs., 5 tabs.

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Theoretical development of flow into a well through perforations

A theoretical solution to flow into a well via perforations is synthesized using Green's functions. The solution is three dimensional and applies to steady-state single phase homogenous flow. The complete solution for a cylindrical perforation involves double infinite summation and triple integration and is difficult to compute. A useful approximation is made by treating the perforation as a line-sink; this reduces the solution to a double infinite summation and a single integration. The solution contains expressions of Bessel functions and their derivatives. The infinite summation is over the order and the argument of these functions. An array of eigenvalues are first computed from an implicit equation. These engienvalues are then used for computation of a solution. The solution involves five physical parameters: wellbore diameter, perforation diameter, perforation length, perforation density (vertical spacing ) and phasing (angular spacing). These parameters influence the cost as well as the efficiency of a well completion. A sensitivity analysis can be done for an optimization of the completion design using this analytical solution. Perforation length is the most important parameter and performance improves with increasing length. Initially, even a small increase in length gives a significant improvement. Perforation density is an important parameter, but beyond an optimum number of shots per foot there is little gain in productivity ratio. This result will lead to a saving of cost, since a higher shot density is generally used by industry. The phasing of perforations influences the performance. A phasing of 90{degrees} in the same horizontal plane or along a spiral gives a significant advantage over 0{degrees} phasing, and this improvement increases with an increase in perforation length. 38 refs., 35 figs., 5 tabs.

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Enhanced oil recovery through in-situ generated surfactants augmented by chemical injection

Experimental and theoretical studies were conducted to advance understanding and predictability in the successful application of the combined surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding for tertiary oil recovery. An experimental investigation of the buffered surfactant-enhanced alkaline flooding system chemistry was undertaken to determine the influence of the various species present on interfacial tension and phase behavior. The minimum in interfacial tension and the region of spontaneous emulsification correspond to a particular pH range, so that by buffering the aqueous pH against changes in alkali concentration, low interfacial tension can be maintained when the amount of alkali decreases due to the influence of external factors, such as divalent ions, acids, rock consumption, and dispersion. Reflected light micro-interferometry study was conducted to observe stratification in thin liquid films (associated with emulsion and foam systems) formed from micellar solutions of nonionic surfactants, such as ethoxylated alcohols. We show in the case of micellar solutions of nonionic surfactants that the stratification which results in the enhanced stability of films (and therefore the colloidal dispersion) is very sensitive to temperature. A new microwave interference dielectrometer was developed for characterizing oil-in-water and water-in-oil macroemulsions. The apparatus is readily applicable to either on-line or laboratory measurements. The dielectric properties of macroemulsions in the microwave frequency region were analyzed using interaction potential models and effective medium theories. 151 refs., 60 figs., 4 tabs.

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Statistically designed study of the variables and parameters of carbon dioxide equations of state

Carbon dioxide is used widely in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes to maximize the production of crude oil from aging and nearly depleted oil wells. Carbon dioxide also is encountered in many processes related to oil recovery. Therefore, accurate representations of the properties of carbon dioxide, and its mixtures with hydrocarbons, play a critical role in a number of enhanced oil recovery operations. One of the first tasks of this project is to select an equation of state to calculate the properties of carbon dioxide and its mixtures. In doing this, we have taken into account the equation's simplicity, accuracy, and reliability in representing phase behavior and thermodynamic properties of mixtures containing carbon dioxide with hydrocarbons at conditions relevant to enhanced oil recovery. We also have determined the thermodynamic properties that are important to enhanced oil recovery and the ranges of temperature, pressure and composition that are important. Twelve equations of state were chosen for preliminary studies to be evaluated against these criteria. All of these equations were tested for pure carbon dioxide and eleven were tested for pure alkanes and their mixtures with carbon dioxide. The ALS equation and the SED equation were selected for detailed statistical analysis. 51 refs., 37 figs., 13 tabs.

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An assessment of the reserve growth potential of the Clear Fork Platform carbonate play in Texas

This report is part of a coordinated series of research efforts designed to prepare preliminary evaluations of important components of the domestic unrecovered oil resource. Integrated geologic, engineering, and economic evaluations in this series estimate future reserve additions from this unrecovered mobile oil (UMO) resource under various circumstances. Individual studies consider the effects of changes in oil prices and advances in production technology on the economic recovery potential of the UMO. This report discusses and compares the approaches and results of the individual studies. Several recovery technologies are evaluated, including the use of waterflooding in conjunction with infill drilling to displace and produce UMO at decreased well spacings. The overall analysis series was conducted at a detailed reservoir level and at a generalized regional level. At the reservoir level, detailed analysis of three individual Texas reservoirs fully delineated the resource and the potential for UMO recovery in each reservoir under a variety of development situations. Results were extrapolated to groups of reservoirs with common depositional histories, collectively known as   plays.''At the regional level, reservoirs in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico were analyzed to determine the resource volume, potential recovery, and the costs and benefits associated with this recovery. This analysis relied on the geologic classification of individual reservoirs, specific rock and fluid properties, and production and development histories to quantify the resource and to assess its potential for UMO recovery potential. The initial methods and results at both levels were compared in order to calibrate and to modify the final approach at each level and can now be used as a guide in future analyses. 22 refs., 19 figs., 17 tabs.

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Multinuclear NMR approach to coal fly ash characterization

This report describes the application of various nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to study the hydration kinetics and mechanisms, the structural properties, and the adsorption characteristics of coal fly ash. Coal fly ash samples were obtained from the Dave Johnston and Laramie River electric power generating plants in Wyoming. Hydrogen NMR relaxation times were measured as a function of time to observe the kinetics of hydration for the two coal fly ashes at different temperatures and water-to-cement ration. The kinetic data for the hydrated coal fly ashes were compared to the hydration of portland cement. The mechanism used to describe the kinetic data for the hydration of portland cement was applied, with reservation, to describe the hydration of the coal fly ashes. The results showed that the coal fly ashes differ kinetically from that of portland cement and from each other. Consequently, both coal fly ashes were judged to be poorer cementitious materials than portland cement. Carbon-13 NMR CP/MAS spectra were obtained for the anhydrous coal fly ashes in an effort to determine the type of organic species that may be present, either adsorbed on the surface or entrained.

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Detailed studies of novel regenerable sorbents for high-temperature coal gas desulfurization: Final report

The novel sorbent systems considered in this program are bulk mixed oxides of copper, aluminum and iron, as well as zinc and titanium oxide mixtures capable of removing H/sub 2/S from a level of 0.5--1.0 mol % in coal-derived gases down to a few parts per million, ppM(v). The latter sorbents were examined up to 650/degree/C (1200/degree/F), which is the operating temperature of molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC), primarily in regard to stabilization of ZnO against reductive metallation (and vaporization). Both types of sorbent systems also address another application, namely, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power generation where the hot coal gas (after removal of contaminants) is used to drive a gas turbine. The CuO-based sorbents are developed for an extended range of operating temperatures (up to 1500/degree/F). Objectives were to (1) examine reduction stabilization effects imparted on CuO and ZnO by additives such as Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and TiO/sub 2/, respectively; (2) prepare different sorbent compositions in porous granular form, and test them under similar conditions of sulfidation-regeneration in a lab-scale quartz reaction system; (3) evaluate and select most promising sorbents on the basis of performance stability, H/sub 2/S removal efficiency, sulfur capacity, and regeneration characteristics; (4) prepare selected sorbents in the form of 1/8''extrusions combining suitable pore structure and good mechanical strength; and (5) carry out cyclic sulfidation-regeneration tests with selected sorbent extrusions at 650/degree/C and examine the structural stability and performance regenerability of sorbents after extended use. 32 refs., 59 figs., 26 tabs.

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Development of an advanced, continuous mild gasification process for the production of co-products

The primary objective of this project is to develop an advanced continuous mild gasification process and product upgrading processes which will be capable of eventual commercialization. The program consists of four tasks. Task 1 is a literature survey of mild gasification processes and product upgrading methods and also a market assessment of markets for mild gasification products. Based on the literature survey, a mild gasification process and char upgrading method will be identified for further development. Task 2 is a bench-scale investigation of mild gasification to generate design data for a larger scale reactor. Task 3 is a bench-scale study of char upgrading to value added products. Upon successful completion of Task 2 and Task 3, optional Task 4 will be implemented in which a 1000 pound per hour demonstration facility will be built and operated. Task 4 also includes a technical and economic evaluation based on the performance of the mild gasification demonstration facility. This quarter, char coking tests were continued in the effort to find the proper conditions to make form coke that will meet commercial specifications for metallurgical coke. New facts were obtained showing the effect of briquette composition, coking heat rates and other factors on coke specification such as CSR, CSI and stability. There is still a gap between the actual specifications and desired specifications. After thorough consideration the decision was made to adopt an interfolded twin screw design for the continuous reactor. 3 refs., 3 figs., 6 tabs.

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