Liquid Coal

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K.R. Schultz, A.S. Shenoy General Atomics, US The US currently releases 1,900 million metric tons (MMt) of CO2 into the environment each year during production of electricity from coal, and another 1,800 MMt/year by consumption of hydrocarbon transportation fuels. Capture of the CO2 from electric power production and use of it to produce synthetic hydrocarbon transportation fuels (synfuels) to replace petroleum-based fuels could cut this CO2 release in half. Preliminary analysis of the CO2 to Synfuel concept indicates CO2 could be captured from existing fossil-fired electric plants by oxy-firing and condensing the water. CO2 and water can be converted to syngas by electrolysis of water (3H2O => 3H2 + 11/2O2) and the reverse water gas shift reaction (CO2 + H2 => CO + H2O) to get CO + 2H2. The syngas can be converted to synthetic hydrocarbon transportation fuels using the Fischer-Tropsch reaction (CO + 2H2 => CH2 + H2O). If the CO2 released by coal-fired electricity production were converted to synfuels, all our transportation fuel needs could be met, and the CO2 produced from these two sources (roughly 2/3 of US production) could be cut in half. Preliminary economic evaluation indicates that with a modest tax on release of CO2, the cost of producing synfuel could be comparable to current transportation fuel costs (~$2 – 4/gallon). "Coal Gasification Plant" 28 July, 2008 - CONSOL Energy and Synthesis Energy Systems Announce Funding of Front-End Engineering Design Package for W. Virginia Coal Gasification Project "Coal in your car's tank" In the June 9th issue of The New American, Ed Hiserodt writes about Coal to Liquid Fuel Technologies, highlighting the work being initialed by Liquid Coal Incorporated full article

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