Thursday, February 02, 2012

GASIFICATION & IGCC NEWS

China to build compact
coal gasification demo
unit for P&W Rocketdyne

After decades of US development 
Chinese agree to take on commercial 
demonstration of rocket-based coal
gasification technology.

From Pratt&Whitney Rocketdyne Press Release


CANOGA PARK, Calif., Feb. 2, 2012 – Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne (PWR) has signed a negotiation framework agreement with two Chinese energy industry companies to design, construct and operate a commercial-scale advanced gasification demonstration plant in China’s central eastern Henan Province. 

PWR, developer of the so-called "advanced compact gasification technology", says that the agreement is a "key step toward commercializing technology designed to lower the cost of coal gasification and provide an alternative fuel source that reduces water use and carbon dioxide emissions."


Under the framework agreement, Zhongyuan Da Hua Group Company Ltd. and East China Engineering Science & Technology Company will share development costs for construction and operation of a demonstration plant with PWR.

Zhongyuan Da Hua Group Company Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Henan Coal Chemical Industry Group Co. Ltd., a state-owned enterprise in China Henan Province. Henan Coal, the 2nd largest coal company in China specializes in coal-to-gas projects. 

East China Engineering Science & Technology Company, has more than 40 years of experience in coal/chemical production facility engineering, procurement and construction, and has completed more than 2,000 projects throughout China and 10 other countries.
 
According to PWR, its advanced rocket-based gasification technology provides a higher-efficiency and lower-cost alternative to current gasification systems.  Estimates are that the capital cost using PWR technology would be 10 to 20 percent less than conventional gasification plants .  In addition, it is expected that carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by up to 10 percent and water usage by up to 30 percent. 

The PWR technology has been under development for decades.  Early phases of R&D enjoyed the support of the US government.  More recently, PWA  has collaborated with ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, with Canada’s Alberta Innovates – Energy & Environmental Solutions (EES) and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunities (DCEO).   PWR has also granted a worldwide license to Zero Emission Energy Plants, Inc. (ZEEP) to use the technology in the development of commercial facilities.

PWR, a part of Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. company and
a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.


For more information, go to: www.PrattWhitneyRocketdyne.com.