Thursday, February 26, 2009

Gasification of Biomass, Coal, Waste

I admire a fine piece of machinery when I see it. The ceramic heat exchanger / gasification device can take any organic matter and turn it into syngas to run the gas turbine.
When fired up in August, it will be the world's first biomass-powered turbine engine designed to produce electricity. And the research, design and manufacture of the system will be provided by Heat Transfer International, a Kentwood company formed three years ago, based on 30 years of experience. _Source
Ze-gen is another company specialising in gasification of waste streams.
Ze-gen, Inc. is a renewable energy company that is emerging as a leader in the development of advanced gasification technology for converting wood debris and other solid waste streams into a synthesis gas (syngas) mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas. This syngas is a renewable fuel which can be used to offset consumption of fossil fuels in conventional power and industrial facilities. Ze-gen recently secured $20 million in Series B financing, and is poised to be the market leader in the environmentally friendly re-purposing of waste streams into renewable energy. For more information and to watch a Ze-gen feature on the Science Channel, visit www.ze-gen.com. _BW
Several companies are working on gasification technologies for coal, since that is the best way of capturing CO2 for compliance with costly new Milli Vanilli energy regulations. But coal gasification (as IGCC) is worthwhile in its own right, with or without CO2 capture. Particularly when combining IGCC (for example) with CHP, coal gasification makes perfect sense for a clean energy bridge toward a sustainable energy future in the US. Now, another clean coal technology is making claims for superiority over IGCC. Is it true?
Based on high pressure oxy-fuel chemistry, TIPS combines the combustion of carbonaceous fuels, including coal, oil, natural gas, municipal waste and biomass, into energy with near-zero air emissions and no smoke stack. In addition, it effectively captures carbon dioxide ("CO2") in clean, pressurized liquid form ready for sequestration or beneficial reuse, such as enhanced oil recovery. The TIPS technology promises to achieve greater fossil-fuel power plant thermal efficiency due to its novel and patented process design. Coupled with the recovery of pipeline quality liquid CO2, TIPS is expected to have an economic and environmental edge over competing carbon capture technologies. _Source
TIPS is referred to as a combustion process, but it takes place under pressure with recovery of CO2 as a liquid under pressure. Until I see more substantial information, TIPS looks a bit too much like an overhyped gimmick resting firmly upon carbon hysteria and global climate scam. IGCC is a proven technology, and can be used with or without CO2 capture. Wait and see.

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