Research Team: Mudit Narain, Salem Esber, Howard Herzog, Jim Katzer, Greg McRae

Sponsors: Sloan Foundation, Research Council of Norway, MIT

Summary:
The Future of Coal Process Modeling Team is using Aspen Plus ® chemical process simulation software to develop flowsheet models for coal-based power generation technologies with and without carbon dioxide capture. The technologies include conventional air-fired pulverized coal boilers, oxygen-fired boilers, and integrated gasification combined cycle power plants. The group will later study advanced generation techniques such as chemical looping combustion, polygeneration, and coal to liquid fuels processes. The results will be used to help estimate costs and efficiencies under a consistent set of assumptions, and will allow the identification of issues to target for improvement in capture technology. This effort is part of a larger study on "The Future of Coal" through the 2050 timeframe. A final study report is expected to be published in March 2007.

Publications to date:
MIT Interdisciplinary Study, "The Future of Coal – Options for a Carbon Constrained World," March (2007). <LINK>

Esber, G.S., "Carbon Dioxide Capture Technology for the Coal-Powered Electricity Industry: A Systematic Prioritization of Research Needs," M.I.T. Masters Thesis, (2006). <PDF>