Research & Development
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Tuesday - January 27, 2009 |
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We're not suggesting that CO2 generated by burning coal, or, more importantly now, by the processes of converting coal into liquid fuel, isn't, or shouldn't be, a concern. We think, though, there are useful/profitable ways to actually capture and use that CO2, and we should pursue those avenues. However, we shouldn't overly demonize, or fear, CO2, either. It is a naturally occurring substance - and, it occurs in abundance. The CO2 "lake" reported by National Geographic herein might not be all that rare - the profoundly deep and volcanically active continental rift trenches in the oceanic abyss could harbor many of them. The rifts are foci of volcanic activity and the water pressure is more than sufficient there to confine the CO2 and keep it from rapidly fizzing up to the surface. But - guaranteed - at that pressure, the CO2 is dissolving into the water and slowly diffusing away - ultimately making it's way to the surface. This particular CO2 lake was found only because peculiar circumstances allowed it to form, and be confined, at a relatively shallow depth. It's similar, in some respects, to the "river" of liquid CO2 reported near some undersea Icelandic volcanoes - which we're still attempting to verify. In any case, CO2 effluent from either coal-fired power plants, or coal-to-liquid factories, would be a drop in the bucket - to use a trite phrase - compared to natural sources like this. When we see such phenomena, we have to conclude that CO2 geochemistry and meteorology is not really understood. We shouldn't just sit around on our hands - with CoalTL, especially - just because we're afraid of the dark.
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Tuesday - January 27, 2009 |
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A key excerpt: "The discovery of such a high CO ![]() flux at the Champagne site, estimated to be about 0.1% of the global MOR carbon flux, suggests that submarine arc volcanoes may play a larger role in oceanic carbon cycling than previously realized. The Champagne field may also prove to be a valuable natural laboratory for studying the effects of high CO ![]() concentrations on marine ecosystems." This isn't the one we were attempting to track down. But, care to guess why it's called the "Champagne field"? The researchers estimate this one phenomena, alone, could be responsible for one thousandth of the earth's total CO2/carbon atmospheric/oceanic loading. And, this is far, far from the only such vent. Certainly far from the largest. We insist, yet again, that, if coal-to-liquids is the elephant hiding under a lampshade in or living room, then CTL's CO2 emissions are just a pimple on that elephant's butt - compared to Mother Nature's own contributions. But, nevertheless, there are good, constructive, profitable ways to capture and utilize the emissions - if we're willing to quit whining about the problem and put some thought, and effort, into resolving it. |
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Tuesday - January 27, 2009 |
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An informative excerpt: "Much of the buoyant CO2 floats to the top of the chamber and leaks out through the roof, escaping to the atmosphere through surface vents and fumaroles-more than 8,000 tonnes each day." Eight thousand ton(nes) per day of CO2. To frost the cake, the, obviously, British, author wrote "tonnes", which, we think, means that it's ten percent more than would be indicated by our own "tons". Wonder how many similar volcanoes there are in the world? We're checking. Or, would everyone just rather puff some powder over that pimple on the CTL elephant's butt, and get on with it?
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Tuesday - January 27, 2009 |
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Apparently it's not that far-fetched. Much of this CNN piece duplicates what we sent you previously in the MIT article. Sandia National Labs are at work on it, as are some universities and private companies. One of those companies is Carbon Sciences, whose participation in this arena we've previously documented for you. An excerpt : "Carbon Sciences believe they have made a breakthrough with their technology, which they say can transform CO2 back into basic fuel building blocks efficiently. Their biocatalytic process converts CO2 into basic hydrocarbons - C1 (methane) C2 (ethane) and C3 (propane) -- which can then be utilized to make higher-grade fuels like gasoline and jet fuel." As we've been saying, there are ways to make the by-products of coal use - especially those from CTL conversion processes - valuable as raw materials for other processes. Another excerpt, concerning one of our own, respected, national laboratories: "Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico are exploring the idea of using concentrated solar energy to turn CO2 into fuel. The Sunshine to Petrol project is testing a prototype device called the Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (called CR5 for short) which turns CO2 into carbon monoxide which could then form part of a liquid fuel." So, whether or not humans or volcanoes contribute more CO2 to the environment, we don't have to dump any more than we are right now in order to continue using coal, and to broaden it's use as a feedstock for liquid fuel conversion and chemical manufacture. We can, and should, capture and use the Carbon Dioxide. |
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Tuesday - January 27, 2009 |
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One of the many projects funded by our DOE on the practical sequestration and use of CO2 generated by industrial coal processes. An excerpt: "Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico are exploring the idea of using concentrated solar energy to turn CO2 into fuel. The Sunshine to Petrol project is testing a prototype device called the Counter Rotating Ring Receiver Reactor Recuperator (called CR5 for short) which turns CO2 into carbon monoxide which could then form part of a liquid fuel." As we've been saying: There are several ways you can use CO2 to make more fuel. It should be seen as a resource, not a pollutant, and therefore a valuable by-product of coal-fired power plants, and coal-to-liquid conversion processes.
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Page 339 of 350 |
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“The West Virginia Coal Economy 2008” Since the discovery of coal in Boone County in 1742 by John Peter Shirley, West Virginia has substantially benefited from the coal mining industry. Coal mining has been a significant part of West Virginia’s economy in terms of Gross Domestic Product4, employment, wages, and tax revenues. The scope of this report is to quantify the economic impact of the coal mining industry on the West Virginia economy with special emphasis on 2008. West Virginia Coal Economy Joint Finance Committees Presentation - Download PDF
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