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SRI International Research Identifies Environmentally Friendly Process to Make Coal-Based Liquid Fuel

Menlo Park, California

Research from SRI International has identified a promising new way to produce liquid transportation fuels from coal without consuming water or generating carbon dioxide. Based on data from bench-scale tests, SRI engineers estimate that the capital cost for a full-scale plant using SRI’s process would be less than half that of a conventional coal-to-liquids (CTL) plant that uses a process called Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS). FTS produces only a small fraction of the hydrocarbons needed for fuel and requires extensive recycling.

SRI’s new process uses natural gas “The implications of this research fuel under the revised Renewable to provide the hydrogen needed are expansive, including enhancing Fuels Standard of the Energy to convert coal to syngas US energy security through the Independence and Security Act (a mixture of carbon monoxide use of domestic carbon sources,” of 2007. The Act requires alternative and hydrogen). Syngas is first said Robert Wilson, Ph.D., director, fuels to meet a standard of converted into methanol, which Chemical Science and Technology 50-percent reduction of greenhouse can then be efficiently processed Laboratory, SRI International. “The gas emissions compared to to make transportation fuels. process can also dramatically other fuels. reduce the environmental footprint Using natural gas eliminates associated with alternative The SRI process was recently the need to add water as a source transportation fuels.” presented at the 28th Annual of hydrogen, reduces the need to International Pittsburgh Coal add energy to drive the gasification SRI performed a series of analyses Conference in a presentation titled, reaction, and results in the use of to examine the environmental “Coal Gasification with Methane a smaller gasifier. In conventional impact of the technology under Reforming: A Novel Environmentally CTL approaches, energy is supplied several scenarios. Based on these Benign CTL Process” by Ripudaman by burning a portion of the coal analyses, if diesel were produced Malhotra, associate director of feed, which then produces carbon using biogas as the source of SRI’s Chemical Science and dioxide. SRI’s approach makes it methane, the resulting product Technology Laboratory. economical to use carbon neutral would qualify as an alternative electricity, such as nuclear, hydro, The effort or project depicted is supported by DARPA under Contract No. HR0011-10-0049. The views and or solar as a source of conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the official policies, either expressly or implied, of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or the additional energy. U.S. Government.

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– – FGAS H2 H2O Case Excess kg/s/kg- XCHAR, XCHAR, T,°C P, atm Time, s H2, % XCH4, % XCOAL, % P = 30 atm Index H2O, % coal/s % % = 4 s 1 1500 54.7 15 1 14.6 2.44 89.8 67.7 15.2 20.4 2 1500 54.7 15 2 22 2.48 92.8* 98+ 46.1 53.9 3 1500 54.7 15 4 24.5 2.49 97.0* 98+ 58.6 41.4 4 1500 54.7 30 1 13.5 2.68 90.6 69.5 14.6 24.6 – 5 1500 54.7 30 2 19 2.7 95.8 98+ 42.3 57.7 6 1500 54.7 30 4 22.9 2.72 98.8* 98+ 53.4 46.6 7 1500 69 15 1 14.6 2.44 89.7 67.9 15.7 20.4 8 1500 69 15 2 22 2.48 92.9 98+ 48.2 51.8 – 9 1500 69 15 4 24.5 2.49 97.0* 98+ 56 44 10 1500 69 30 1 13.5 2.68 91.9 69 15.4 22.8 11 1500 69 30 2 19 2.7 95.8 98+ 44.3 55.9 12 1500 69 30 4 22.9 2.72 99 98+ 54.1 45.9

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About SRI International

Silicon Valley-based SRI International, Energy Research at SRI How to Work with Us a nonprofit research and development organization, performs sponsored SRI’s Center of Excellence in SRI works with clients on R&D for governments, businesses, and Energy is the focal point for collaborative research projects, foundations. SRI brings its innovations our commitment to addressing applying our intellectual and to the marketplace through technology important energy problems, from technical skills to particular licensing, new products, and spin-off developing alternative energy problems or applications and ventures. SRI is known for world-changing sources to using conventional pursuing solutions to meet the resources in a more sustainable defined requirements. Our core innovations in computing, health and manner. expertise is solving complex pharmaceuticals, chemistry and materials, problems for commercial and sensing, energy, education, national Drawing on expertise across government clients. SRI routinely defense, and more. SRI’s R&D divisions, the Center leads multimillion dollar brings solutions to commercial projects and has the requisite Headquarters and government organizations infrastructure for cost accounting, SRI International worldwide. Clients benefit from our legal compliance,and project 333 Ravenswood Avenue scientific expertise and practical management. SRI also operates and Menlo Park, California 94025-3493 know-how, ranging from basic and manages large-scale facilities for the 650.859.2000 applied research to developing and U.S. Government. testing advanced systems. Additional U.S. and international locations Contact Us www.sri.com SRI develops technologies for the production, storage, distribution, Barbara Heydorn Stay Connected and use of conventional and Director, Center of facebook.com/sri.intl emerging energy sources. Our Excellence in Energy extensive scale-up experience SRI International twitter.com/SRI_Intl helps clients bring ideas out of the [email protected] youtube.com/user/innovationSRI lab and into the field, quickly and 650.859.5717 cost-effectively. linkedin.com/company/sri-international Chris Lantman Contact the Center at goo.gl/rv3iX Sr. Director, [email protected] and visit us Business Development on the web at www.sri.com/energy. SRI International [email protected] 650.859.5725

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