Clean Combustion &

Coal Gasification

Ian J. Potter Ph.D

Vice President Energy
Canadian Coal Distribution

Source: Coal Association of Canada

 Coal in Alberta (GT)
Remaining Ultimate Utlimate in
Production
Reserves Potential place
Low and Medium Surface 0.2 0.6 1.2 2.7
Bituminous Underground 0.1 0.6 2.0 18.0
High Volume Surface 0.1 1.8 7.5 10.0
Bituminous Underground 0.0 0.9 150.0 490.0
Surface 0.7 8.3 9.3 14.0
Subituminous
Underground 0.1 21.1 460.0 1,400.0
Total 1.2 33.3 630.0 1,934.7

• Considerable resources sub-surface

• Alternatives to coal are costly
• Older units shut down
– New units high efficiency conventional
– Start of shift to new technology
• Security of supply should be at forefront of policy
 New Generation - Conventional
• Supercritical Pulverized Coal
Combustion (SPCC)
– up to 24.5 MPa and 600°C
steam conditions
– ηthermal 41 to 45%
– 23% reduction CO2
emissions of CO2 for an
equivalent amount of
electricity.
– Improvement in NOx, SOx
and particulate emissions
per unit of electricity
• Proven, commercially
available technology
– 450MW TransAlta/EPCOR Source: EPCOR
Genesee 3
– Commissioned in 2005
– $695M on time and on
budget
Alberta/Canada Coal Research Program
• Devon Energy Research Centre 1979 to 1995
• Major coal research program in coal
processing and upgrading, included
– coal cleaning
– pulverizing
– beneficiation by agglomeration
– and direct liquefaction of coal and co-processing
of coal and bitumen to produce liquid
hydrocarbons
• The decline of the program was due to major
cuts in funding
 Cleaner Coal

“technologies designed to enhance both the

efficiency and the environmental
acceptability of coal extraction, preparation
and use for power generation and other
products”
Sustainable Coal Utilization
• It’s not just climate change
• Air Emissions
– NOx, SOx, Particulate Matter, Ozone, Mercury,
Unburnt hydrocarbons, greenhouse gases
• Water Emissions
– Quality and Quantity Assurance.
• Solid Waste Management
– Ash, Slag, Tailings
• Thermal Management
– maximizing energy utilization
 Coal and CO2+ Reduction Measures
Zero Emissions

Under development
Up to 99%
Carbon capture and storage. Significant international research,
development and demonstration efforts ongoing. US DOE
Reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide

FutureGen project aims to have a demonstration plant operational

within 10 years

Up to 25% Advanced Technologies

Very high efficiencies and low emissions from innovative technologies such
as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), pressurized fluidized bed
combustion (PFBC) and in the future integrated gasification fuel cells
(IGFC). IGCC and PFBC operational in USA, Japan and Europe

Operating Commercially
Efficiency improvement in existing plants
Conventional coal-fired sub-critical generation has improved
Up to 22%

significantly in its efficiency (38-40%) so reducing emissions – plants

operating around the world. Supercritical and ultra-supercritical plant
offer even higher efficiencies (already up to 45%) – plant operating
successfully in Japan, USA, Europe, Russia, China and Canada.

Coal Upgrading
Up to 5%

Includes coal washing/drying, briquetting.

Widespread use throughout the world

Technology Innovation
 The Future for Coal
Canadian Coal to
Energy Opportunities

Deep Underground
Mineable
“Unmineable”

Old Underground
Surface
Mines

Power Generation Gasification Coal Mine Methane Coalbed Methane

Conventional CO2 Enhanced

Polygeneration
Pulverized Coal Coalbed Methane

Super & Ultra Supercritical

Power Generation Methanogenesis
Pulverized Coal

Fluidized Bed
Coal to Liquids In-Situ Gasification
Combustion

Gasification

Carbon
Dioxide
What is Gasification
The Gasification System

Source: www.gasification.org
Gasification as a “Future” Technology
• Interest in gasification as a
future technology is
increasing significantly
• What has changed?
– Increase in natural gas and
petroleum prices
• coal is abundant, widely
available and has a
relatively stable price
• petroleum coke and
residues are low or negative
cost Growth in World Gasifier Capacity
– Domestic fuel security and (106 Nm3 syngas/day)
fuel price stability
(www.gasification.org)
– Reduced impact on the
environment
• lower pollutant emissions
Alberta/Canada Coal Research Program

• 1979-1995
• Canadian Coal Gasification Consortium
– evaluation of Canadian coals in Shell, Texaco, E-
Gas and Lurghi gasifiers
– fluid dynamic and equilibrium simulations of
gasifiers
– metal-slag interactions in gasifiers
 Advantages of Gasification
• Fuel flexible
– bitumen, resid, coke, coal, municipal waste
• Product flexible
– H2, chemicals from H2 and CO, electricity,
steam
• Dramatically lower emissions of NOx,
SO2, particulate and mercury
• Lower water consumption
• CO2 capture ready
 Polygeneration Potential of Gasification

Coal, coke, etc. Town Gas

Power & Steam (low cost/low grade gas)
(Electricity)
Gasification CO2
(EOR, sequestration, ECBM)
Naphtha
Synthesis Gas Ammonia
H2
(upgrading) & Urea
Waxes (fertilizer)

Dimethyl Ether
Methanol
FT Diesel Car Fuel - aerosol propellant
- refrigerant
- fuel in welding

Methyl Acetate
- cellulose
Acetic Acid - lacquers/paints Ethylene & Propylene
- food preservative - perfume - food ripening agent
- cellulose - pharmaseuticals - plastics
- lacquers - synthetic flavoring - fibers
- plastics - solvents
- rayon - coatings
- solvents
Acetic Anhydride
- cellulose acetate
- fiber
- pesticides
- aspirin/acetaminophen
Adapted from Eastman Chemicals
 Barriers to “Polygeneration”
• Capital cost – upwards of $2 billion for a
gasification plant
• Business integration- will likely require
multiple partners – change of “business
focus”
• Technological/operating risk
• Public ‘suspension of disbelief’ (carbon is
dirty)
• Environmental regulation – or uncertainty
• Competition for skilled manpower
Where do we place the CO2?
CO2 pipeline
natural gas
pipeline
oil pipeline

Coal Mine

Coalbed
Methane
Reservoir

Oil Reservoir
Gas Reservoir

Saline Aquifer

Where it came from!

ARC Strategic Direction in Coal
• Rationale
– Cleaner coal technologies such as supercritical boilers and
gasification systems have been successfully developed by
several major companies
– CANMET CETC – Ottawa
• Gasification test facility
• ARC focus:
– Support for adapting cleaner coal technologies to Alberta
conditions
– Built on, rather than re-invented, the work completed in the
Alberta Canada coal program and
– Using the extensive technology development efforts of the
various equipment suppliers
– Providing a toolbox of specialized advice for business and
policy decision making in cleaner coal
 Current ARC RD&D Activities
• Coal mining.
– Investigation into low environmental damage coal extraction
techniques (hydraulic mining)
• Coal combustion and gasification characterisation
technical advice and support to industry, industry
groups and governments
• Technology assessment and advice to Alberta
Environment for coal fired power station emissions
standards
• Geological Sequestration
• Reclamation
• Economic and Process Modelling
– Techno-economic models for coal based polygeneration
systems
– Models are currently being tested with industry and their
business case opportunities.
 Summary
• There is still a place for conventional coal technology
• Options will be specific in each case:
– Economics
– Environmental regulations
– Coal type available
– End use
• Coal will continue to be a major component of the worldwide energy
industry due to it’s abundance, availability and affordability
• Many energy companies now have gasification as part of their
business lexicon and want to get off the high cost of natural gas
• Given the resources we have in Canada, we should strive to be world
leaders to make this technology work to serve our needs
• This will require significant collaboration among industry, government
and technology providers
• Gasification is an enabling technology to move us from where we are
closer to where we want to be
Contact Information
Dr. Ian J. Potter
Vice President Energy
Alberta Research Council
Tel: (780) 450-5401
Email: potter@arc.ab.ca