Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “operating conditions”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Experimental Investigation of Polymer Induced Fouling of Heater Tubes in the First-ever Polymer Flood Pilot on Alaska North Slope

Polymer flooding has been validated in the lab and by successful applications in other countries, such as Canada and China, to be an effective EOR technique for heavy oil reservoirs. Currently, polymer flooding is being pilot tested for the first time in the Schrader Bluff viscous oil reservoir at Milne Point field on Alaska North Slope (ANS). One of the major concerns of the operator is the impact of polymer on the oil production system after polymer breakthrough, especially the polymer induced fouling issues in the heat exchanger. This study investigates the propensity of polymer fouling on the heater tubes as a function of different variables, with the ultimate goal of determining safe and efficient operating conditions. A unique experimental set-up was indigenously designed and developed to simulate the fouling process on the heating tube. The influence of heating tube skin temperature, tube material, and polymer concentration on fouling tendency was investigated. Under each test condition, the test was run five times with the same tube, and in each run, the freshly prepared synthetic brine and polymer solution were heated from 77°F to 122°F to mimic field operating conditions. The heating time and fouling amount were recorded for each run. The morphology and composition of the deposit samples were analyzed by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. It has been found that, in general, the presence of polymer in produced fluids would aggravate the fouling issues on both carbon steel and stainless steel surfaces at all tested skin temperatures (165°F, 250 °F and 350°F), but only higher skin temperatures of 250°F and 350°F could cause polymer induced fouling issues on the copper tube surface and the fouling tendency increased with polymer concentration. At the lower skin temperatures of 165°F, no polymer-induced fouling was identified on the copper tube. A critical temperature that is related to the cloud point of the polymer solution was believed to exist, below which polymer induced fouling would not occur and only mineral scale deposited, but above which the polymer would obviously aggravate the fouling issue. The heating efficiency of the tube would be reduced gradually as more fouling material accumulates on its surface. The ESEM results indicate that if polymer precipitated and deposited on the surface, it would bond to the mineral crystals to form a stronger three- dimensional network structure, and that is why the polymer induced fouling was tougher and more difficult to be removed from the tube surface. The XRD analysis results confirm that the presence of polymer in the fluids can enhance the mineral scale propensity. Overall, the study results have provided practical guidance to the field operator for the ongoing polymer flooding pilot test on ANS. This study may also prove to be valuable for other chemical EOR projects around the world.

Alaska North Slope↗
DOE OSTI2020

Coupling reduced‐order modeling and coarse‐grained CFD‐DEM to accelerate coal gasifier simulation and optimization

Abstract High fidelity three‐dimensional (3‐D) numerical simulations of commercial‐scale coal gasifiers are very time consuming and expensive. This article proposes a reduced‐order modeling approach that uses quasi one‐dimensional (1‐D) CFD–DEM simulation results to serve as an accurate initial condition for the 3‐D simulation, which significantly shortens the physical time from several hours to minutes to achieve steady states. The 3‐D simulation employs a previously validated coarse‐grained CFD‐DEM approach, which further accelerates the simulation. Both 1‐D and 3‐D simulations adopt a particle shrinkage scheme to correctly account for the particle volume change due to chemical reaction and thus provides an accurate bed height. Comparison with available experimental measurements of the bed temperature and synthesis gas composition is used to validate the simulation. The final syngas composition and flowrates are strongly affected by the fuel or gasification agent rate and process operating conditions as expected. This approach is then used to optimize two important operating conditions (air and steam flows) to achieve specific gasifier performance goals for the production of Fischer–Tropsch synthesis gas and production of fuel gas for gas turbines.

Yu, Jia↗
DOE OSTI2025

PSA 2025 Presentation: "Modeling and Sensitivity Analysis of a Generation IV Pebble Bed Reactor Using MELCOR 2.2"

Accompanying the advancement of reactor technologies is the need for computational modeling and simulation to predict their behavior under normal operating conditions and accident scenarios. New Generation IV reactor designs which employ non-conventional fuel have a particular need for modeling the behavior and release of radionuclides and other material from the fuel. In this work, MELCOR version 2.2, a system-level safety and accident scenario code developed by Sandia National Laboratories, was used to model a 200-MWth pebble bed modular reactor and calculate the inventories of circulating and deposited graphite, metal dust, and elemental components released from the fuel elements. A base case modeling the reactor under standard operating conditions was calculated using MELCOR and the inventories were extrapolated to 30 years of operation time using a logarithmic regression fit. A sensitivity analysis was also performed in which several key parameters for the base case model were modified to explore the effect of these changes on the inventories calculated by MELCOR. A set of transient scenario simulations for a depressurized loss of forced cooling (DLOFC) accident were also performed. The results of the sensitivity analysis and transient simulations are reported and discussed in relation to the modeling techniques used for this study.

22 - GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Design of a SiC-Si moving packed-bed particle-to-sCO 2 heat exchanger for high temperature concentrating solar power applications

Particle-based concentrating solar power systems integrated with sCO 2 power cycles offer high thermal efficiencies but require durable heat exchangers to transfer heat from high-temperature particles to the sCO 2 working fluid. Here, this study presents the design and optimization of a silicon carbide-silicon moving packed-bed heat exchanger for fabrication via binder jetting additive manufacturing. The heat exchanger was designed to withstand a 20 MPa sCO 2 pressure and operate at particle inlet temperatures up to 750 °C. The final design features 152 sCO 2 channels distributed across 19 plates, with elliptical corners and a minimum wall thickness of 3 mm. Flow restrictors at the sCO 2 channel inlets significantly improved flow uniformity, reducing thermal stresses and achieving a structural reliability of 99 % under representative operating conditions. The heat exchanger delivers a thermal duty of 9 kW and a volumetric power density of approximately 1 MW/m 3 in the channel region. Sensitivity studies confirmed the heat exchanger’s robustness under varying operating conditions, demonstrating its viability as a high-performance alternative to metallic heat exchangers for particle-based high-temperature concentrating solar power applications.

Barua, Bipul [Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), A↗
DOE OSTI2026

Upgrading Biogas through in situ Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Biomethane in Anaerobic Digesters

Organic waste streams generated by wastewater treatment plants, agricultural operations, and food processing industries represent an important yet underutilized opportunity for renewable energy production in the United States. Through anaerobic digestion, these waste streams can produce biogas, a mixture primarily composed of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), that can be upgraded to pipeline-quality natural gas. However, most existing upgrading technologies remove CO2 from biogas rather than utilizing it, leaving a significant portion of the potential energy unused. This project investigates a novel biological upgrading approach that converts CO2 into additional CH4 by supplying hydrogen (H2) to specialized microorganisms capable of performing hydrogenotrophic methanation. The main challenges associated with biological biogas upgrading are related to hydrogen supply, gas-liquid mass transfer, and process stability. First, due to the high cost of hydrogen gas, it is preferable that H2 be produced on-site using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power. Second, hydrogen has low solubility in liquids, which limits its availability to microorganisms and requires strategies to improve gas dissolution and transfer within the reactor. Third, process inhibition may occur as a result of increased pH caused by CO2 consumption or elevated H2 partial pressure, both of which can negatively affect methanogenic activity. Although research in these areas has advanced during the course of this project, these challenges have not yet been fully resolved. To date, the biological systems that have achieved the highest methane concentrations are typically ex-situ reactors, where operational conditions can be more easily controlled. For this reason, the findings of the present project remain highly relevant. The project goal was to develop an innovative system that can accomplish biogas upgrading via biological conversion of CO2 to CH4, in a novel hybrid approach that combines the advantages of both in-situ and ex-situ systems. The proposed system employs a three-phase upflow anaerobic bioreactor with H2 delivery through a gas-permeable membrane, enabling efficient hydrogen transfer and microbial conversion. Under optimized operating conditions, the system achieved 99% H2 consumption and 90% CO2 conversion. A subsequent gas cleaning stage was implemented to further improve gas quality and meet target purity standards. The upgraded gas composition reached 97.7% CH4, 2.2% CO2, and 0.97% O2, while H2S concentrations remained below detection limits. In addition, a flue gas-driven inorganic thermoelectric generator (TEG) system was designed and experimentally validated as a potential source of electricity for H2 production. The system consisted of six TEG modules connected in series and achieved an open-circuit voltage of 4.5 V and a maximum power output of 224 mW at a temperature difference of approximately 53.5 °C, demonstrating effective conversion of waste heat into electrical power under simulated flue gas conditions. Finally, a comprehensive techno-economic analysis was completed to evaluate the capital and operating costs associated with the proposed system. The results provide important insights to guide future scale-up, optimization, and potential deployment of integrated biological biogas upgrading technologies.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Data-driven analysis and prediction of wastewater treatment plant performance: Insights and forecasting for sustainable operations

Here this study presents a comprehensive performance and forecasting analysis of the As-Samra wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Jordan, with two main objectives. Firstly, a thorough evaluation of the plant's performance is conducted. The analysis involves independently assessing historical operational conditions, plant production, and their statistical correlations using various statistical techniques. The second objective focuses on developing a data-driven forecasting approach to predict the plant's production one month in advance, using multiple machine learning models. The results highlight the effectiveness of principal component analysis (PCA) in simplifying operational data, revealing distinct operational clusters, and identifying seasonal production patterns while showing correlations between operational conditions and overall power production. The support vector machine (SVM) forecasting model emerged as the top performer, showcasing the potential of a hybrid forecasting approach. The findings offer valuable perspectives for enhancing operational efficiency, refining production planning, and ultimately improving the environmental impact of the plant.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Intelligent Prediction of States in Multi-port Autonomous Reconfigurable Solar power plant (MARS)

In power electronics, prediction of states may be used for identification of faults, determination of aging of components, identification of bad data measurements, among others. Prediction of states in power electronics have broadly been based on: (a) physics-based models, (b) data-driven models, and (c) hybrid models. In this paper, data-driven approaches are presented for intelligent prediction of states in multi-port autonomous reconfigurable solar power plant (MARS) and compared. The data-set needed to train the data-driven models based on artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms has been identified and the trained models are evaluated under different extrapolated normal and abnormal operating conditions. The AI algorithms include nonlinear auto-regressive exogenous model (NARX), spiking neural networks (SNN), and decision tree. The models are compared and contrasted. The best model (NARX) is evaluated under different normal and abnormal operating conditions that have indicated accurate prediction.

Debnath, Suman↗
DOE OSTI2023

Apparatus and system for controlling power to an air conditioning compressor for a vehicle

A climate control system for vehicles includes an internal combustion engine that may be coupled to selectively power a first motor generator, and an air conditioning compressor that may be selectively powered by one or both of the first motor generator and a second motor generator, or by the internal combustion engine. The system may include a rechargeable battery, and a vehicle controller having a vehicle state circuit structured to determine a vehicle operating condition value and a state-of-charge value of the rechargeable battery, and a coupling determination circuit structured to provide an internal combustion engine-first motor generator coupling command in response to the vehicle operating condition value and the state-of-charge value. In response to the internal combustion engine-first motor generator coupling command being provided as coupled, the internal combustion engine may power the first motor generator.

Kumar, Mahesh Madurai↗
DOE OSTI2026

Seasonal performance evaluation of zero-superheat active refrigerant charge control for variable-speed heat pumps

Heat pumps account for a significant portion of electricity consumption in buildings, making their energy efficiency a critical area of research. Control optimization is recognized as an effective approach for enhancing the efficiency of building HVAC systems. Specifically, since the efficiency of heat pumps increases with reduced superheat and the optimal refrigerant charge level varies with operating conditions, zero-superheat active charge control is a promising strategy to maximize the system’s COP. However, due to its complexity, this control strategy remains in the research phase and has only been tested under limited operating conditions. This paper proposes a methodology to evaluate the seasonal performance improvement of zero-superheat active charge control across a full range of heating conditions in buildings. The methodology includes the development of an optimal controller that utilizes an accumulator to store excess refrigerant and manages the active charge level at zero superheat through subcooling control, as well as the creation of a detailed physics-based heat pump model. Targeted a 3-ton variable-speed heat pump with R410A refrigerant, we selected ten U.S. cities representing different climate regions for seasonal performance evaluation. Our simulations indicate that, depending on the climate conditions, the optimal control strategy could achieve energy savings ranging from 5.8 % to 8.0 % over the entire heating season. These results suggest that zero-superheat active charge control, combined with coordinated compressor and fan speeds, could substantially improve the energy efficiency of heat pump systems while maintaining the required heating capacity.

Guo, Fangzhou↗
DOE OSTI2024

Computational Analysis of the Effect of Structured Packing Design on Absorption Column Hydrodynamics for Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Applications

Solvent based post-combustion carbon capture technologies have a potential for reducing carbon emissions from fossil-fuel-fired power plants and industrial sources where CO2 emissions are inherently harder to mitigate, such as steel or cement industries. A prominent technology to achieve this is by retrofitting absorption columns to the existing infrastructure. While these systems have been among the less costly alternatives for carbon capture, they still impose a considerable energy penalty to the operation of power plants or industrial facilities. The optimization of CO2 capture rate in solvent-based absorption process is complex as it depends on several factors including CO2 solubility, solvent reaction kinetics and temperature effects on the solubility, reaction rates, surface tension, and thermophysical properties of the solvent and the flue gas. The overall heat and mass transfer also depends on the hydrodynamics, which in turn, is affected by the packing geometry. In the current work, we systematically quantify the effects the design of the structured packing has on the column hydrodynamics, by performing detailed CFD simulations for different geometrical configurations and operating conditions. We then obtain relationships between the key hydrodynamic metrics, such as liquid holdup, interfacial area, wetted area, and pressure drop to the parameters defining the packing geometries and identify new more effective packing designs for the given operating conditions.

Shah, Yash Girish↗
DOE OSTI2021

Evaluating the Case for Reduced Precious Metal Catalysts in Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers are a key technology in decarbonizing hydrogen production. Though the market for PEM electrolyzer systems is growing, there are concerns that the cost and availability of precious metal catalysts utilized in today’s commercial systems can limit deployment. Herein, we show that while the availability of Ir should not impede deployment in the near term, the inelasticity of the Ir commodity price is cause for immediate concern. Here we emphasize that diversifying catalyst materials, even with other precious metals, can reduce system costs and mitigate supply chain risk. Furthermore, we analyze the trade-offs between catalyst capital cost and catalyst activity for a range of operating conditions (i.e., capacity factor, electricity price). The framework presented herein is a first step toward establishing performance targets (i.e., activity, stability, material cost) for reduced precious metal and non-precious metal catalysts as a function of PEM electrolyzer operating conditions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Mechanistic aspects of plasma-enhanced catalytic methane decomposition by time-resolved operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy

To study mechanistic aspects of plasma-enhanced catalysis, methane is decomposed by a supported Ni catalyst assisted by an Ar/O 2 atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). Here, the time-resolved surface response of the Ni catalyst is investigated by operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) using various experimental settings. Catalyst temperatures of room temperature (RT) and 500 °C and nozzle-catalyst surface distances of 3, 5 and 8 mm were examined, and the amount of O 2 of the Ar/O 2 gas mixture flowing through the APPJ was either 0 or 0.5%. A synergistic effect of surface bonded C-O was observed during the exposure of the Ni catalyst to the APPJ for low oxygen operating conditions (pure Ar jet). Surface bonded C-O formed only when there was plasma present and the C-O signal was enhanced for higher catalyst temperature. When the supported Ni catalyst was subjected to the plasma-generated particle fluxes using highly oxidizing conditions, the presence of surface bonded C-O was suppressed. The plasma-catalytic CO and CO 2 production in the gas phase measured downstream mirrored the surface behavior of C-O bonds when the plasma source operating condition was changed from a low oxygen portion to a high oxygen portion at high catalyst temperature (500 °C). CH n (n =1, 2, ) species on the catalyst surface were also studied by DRIFTS, and CHn destruction was found to correlate with C-O formation. In particular, the time-resolved CH n response showed a possible conversion process of CH n to C-O when the Ni catalyst was exposed to the plasma source. This finding may indicate a plasma-mediated regeneration of the catalyst by plasma-catalyst surface interactions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Faradaic efficiency in protonic-ceramic electrolysis cells

Abstract Proton-conducting ceramics (e.g. doped barium zirconates or cerates) are typically mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs). The electronic conduction, typically in the form of positively charged small polarons or electron holes, leads to ‘electronic leakage.’ In an ideal steam-electrolysis cell, one gas-phase H 2 molecule is produced from every two electrons delivered from an external power source. In other words, such ideal behavior achieves 100% faradaic efficiency. However, the electronic flux associated with MIEC membranes contributes to reduced faradaic efficiency. The present paper develops a model that predicts the behavior of faradaic efficiency as a function of electrolysis-cell operating conditions. Although the model framework is more general, the paper focuses on the behavior of a cell based upon a BaCe 0.7 Zr 0.1 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3 − δ (BCZYYb) membrane. The study predicts the effects of operating conditions, including temperature, pressure, and gas compositions.

Zhu, Huayang↗
DOE OSTI2024

Integrated Steady-State System Package for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Analysis Using Multi-Dimensional Thermal Hydraulics and Dimensionless Turbopump Treatment

Nuclear thermal propulsion is an evolving technology that can be utilized for long-distance space travel. This technology yields the advantage of a high thrust and specific impulse, but requires an examination of the potential design adjustments necessary to enhance its feasibility. The development of nuclear thermal propulsion requires a comprehensive understanding of the system-level behavior during transient and steady-state operation. This paper extends our previous research by including the proper handling of turbomachinery with multi-channel thermal hydraulic simulations only for steady-state solutions. The system-level approach presented here enables the treatment of the turbopump components through non-dimensional analysis that eliminates the assumption of constant efficiencies. All the other components within the system (e.g., reflector and core) can be discretized to multiple channels and layers, in which the full thermal hydraulic solution is established. The approach chosen here enables the realistic modeling of the propellant flow within the expander cycle by capturing the pressure losses, mass flow rate splits, and enthalpy gain for various operational conditions. The verification of the package is completed through point comparisons of previous investigations into similar system designs. Furthermore, sensitivity studies are used to benchmark the capabilities of the package and investigate solution variations due to the perturbation of operational conditions and regimes. The sensitivity studies performed here are important to capture variation in flow characteristics (e.g., temperature, pressure, mass flow rates) for different design objectives such as the thrust and specific impulse. This work demonstrates that system-level simulations lacking multi-channel capability and proper turbomachinery treatment may yield higher uncertainties in understanding the engine’s response and characteristics to changing various requirements. This is extremely important when screening the design space of such propulsion systems and when transient simulations are required.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2025

An analysis of physics limited dispatch of nuclear renewable integrated energy systems using deep reinforcement learning and dynamic modeling

Previous approaches to dispatching nuclear integrated energy systems (NIES) have focused on the profitability and flexibility of these systems to operate on energy grids with highly variable pricing. However, due to the complexity involved in modeling and designing these systems, there has been less emphasis on ensuring that these dispatch strategies are physically achievable. It is imperative to develop methods that allow the system to remain within the desired NIES operating conditions and perform this based on realistic limited forecasted information. This research employs next generation artificial intelligence, namely deep reinforcement learning (DRL), and a dynamic system model written in Modelica to find a safe and profitable dispatch strategy for a solar nuclear hybrid design. The DRL agent is shown to find a novel dispatch strategy that manages both power ramping and power levels while respecting operational limits. This DRL-based dispatch is compared to other dispatching strategies including an optimal design solution from mixed integer linear programming (MILP). It is found that incorporating the physics of such a tightly coupled NIES limits the profitability of the MILP-based dispatch strategy. As a result, the MILP solution overestimates the design’s generated revenue. In contrast, DRL significantly reduces the number of breaches of safe operational conditions during energy arbitrage while maintaining profitability. Furthermore, this work paves the way for a more detailed assessment of NIES profitability and could be used to aid operator decisions on future NIES projects.

14 - SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Operando X-Ray Diffraction During High Temperature Electrolysis

This work presents the design, development, and deployment of an operando X-ray diffraction (XRD) system for high-temperature electrolysis (HTE), enabling real-time characterization of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) under true operational conditions. The integration of an HTE test stand within a synchrotron radiation environment, mimicking the conditions of a laboratory setup, aims to enhance our understanding of the degradation processes affecting the performance and longevity of SOECs. Utilizing a custom furnace and a high precision motor stack assembly at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), the system revealed unparalleled insights into the structural evolution of SOEC components through various operational stages, including initial heat ramp, cell reduction, fuel ramp, and wet electrolysis. Initial results demonstrate the significant impact of the initial heating and cooling on secondary phase formation within the SOEC, highlighting the utility of operando XRD for developing more efficient and durable hydrogen production technologies.

08 HYDROGEN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measuring the Effects of Wake Steering With Nacelle-Mounted Scanning Lidar

In large wind plants, wakes from upwind turbines affect downwind turbines by reducing wind speeds and increasing turbulence. Wake steering may mitigate this effect by deflecting the wakes of upwind turbines away from downwind units. Here, we characterize the impact of wakes from yawed turbines at a commercial-scale wind plant under varying atmospheric and turbine operating conditions. Six months of nacelle-based lidar measurements were collected as part of a field campaign in 2019-2020 in the northern US Great Plains to test the effectiveness of wake steering. We separate these lidar scans by atmospheric stability and turbine operating condition to summarize how yawed wind turbine wakes vary with these input parameters in the atmospheric boundary layer. We summarize the impact of wake steering on various wake characteristics including velocity deficit, wake width, and wake center as retrieved from these lidar data. Yawed wakes have significantly different centerline characteristics compared to unyawed wakes, with large regions of meander in the mid wake region. Yawed wakes are also deflected farther than unyawed wakes in less turbulent conditions with velocity deficits persisting further downstream in stable atmospheric conditions. Overall, yawed wind turbine wakes are larger and wider in lower wind speed environments, and yawed wakes are deflected farther in less turbulent conditions, suggesting that wake steering is most effective in stable atmospheric stratification.

17 WIND ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Development and Characterization of Densified Biomass-plastic Blend for Entrained Flow Gasification (Final Technical Report)

Supported by the U.S. DOE NETL Award DE-FE0032043, this project was a collaborative effort. Project participants included the University of Kentucky Institute for Decarbonization and Energy Advancement (UK IDEA), Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering department (UK BAE), and Wabash Valley Resources, LLC. The goal of this final technical project report is to comprehensively summarize the work conducted on project DE-FE0032043. In accordance with the Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO), the University of Kentucky (UK) (Project Prime Recipient) has developed and studied a biomass/plastic fuel with a hydrophobic surface area less than 10 m 2 /m 3 that is suitable for oxygen-blown entrained flow gasification with slurry feed. The project involved the utilization of an existing thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)-mass spectrometer (MS), 1.5” drop tube furnace, 1 ton per day (TPD) coal gasifier, and high-pressure extruder operated at UK. The pilot-scale production of blended material was done at the Polymers Technology Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Parametric testing and solid fuel blend slurry performance validation was completed using the UK entrained flow gasifier with multiple opposed burners to narrow the major near-term technical gaps that impede gasification of biomass and carbonaceous mixed wastes such as plastics in order to achieve net-negative CO 2 emissions. Project results validated the UK approach to address the major technical challenges on the biomass/plastic pretreatment and gasification. Previously, this has been limited in application to fluidized-type or moving bed-type gasifiers due to the high-water uptake of porous biomass containing hydroxyl groups during the conventional slurry preparation, resulting in a highly viscous, un-pumpable slurry. The biomass pretreatment with plastic developed for this project demonstrates advantages in cost and flexibility, which include: 1) the development of a blended solid fuel slurry with 55-60 wt% solids and comparable heating value to 100% coal-based water slurry; 2) the collection of gasification kinetic data and identification of preliminary operating conditions by performing thermogravimetric analysis, gasification experiments by using a 1.5” drop tube furnace; and finally 3) the demonstrated gasification of the blended solid fuel in the UK entrained flow gasifier with a long-lasting stable solid fuel blend slurry, dataset detailing operating conditions, and characterization of slag phase formation and solidification. The lab-scale data and experience obtained during this project encourages the development of technologies and commercial approaches to enable a hydrogen-based energy economy while achieving net-negative CO 2 emissions through gasification of coal, biomass, and carbonaceous mixed wastes such as plastics.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗