“Clean Coal” Electric Power with Complete Carbon Dioxide Recycling (Note 1)

June 2014 by W.P. Krebs, Krebs & Sisler L.P.

 

The abundant low cost coal resources of the United States are presently threatened by regulations designed to prohibit their use as fuel.  Obviously there is great value in overcoming the problems related to burning coal for energy production.

 

In 1978, we began research on the emission and efficiency problems of coal-fueled power plants.  Economical solutions have now been worked out.  They should reduce power plant complexity and be practical for new plants scaled from 50 to 300 megawatts (MW) of electric capability.  The first demonstration plant awaits funding with a capital requirement of about $250,000,000.

 

The coal-fueled oxygen-fired condensing boiler, as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,907,845, will provide improved efficiency for electric power plants and eliminate the need for smoke stacks and cooling towers.  It makes possible the complete recovery of combustion-generated CO2 and water vapor while recycling the CO2 to useful biomass as in U.S. Patent No. 8,673,615.  If rotary kiln combustion is also adopted, coal pulverizers are eliminated and replaced by a coal crusher with the kiln feeding into the condensing boiler.  Cryogenic air separation is required to supply oxygen.

 

Cryogenic air separation is costly.  However, the added capital and operating costs required to displace the use of air for fuel combustion are more than offset by the very large fuel and oxygen savings achieved in this system when compared to air-fired combustion.

 

Further information on these technologies was published by Business Wire May 14, 2014 entitled “Krebs & Sisler LP Receive Patent for Recycling Carbon Dioxide (CO2)” and September 13, 2010, “Krebs & Sisler LP Announces a New CO2 Water Purification Method.”  These releases may be found by searching Krebs and Sisler LP at www.Google.com.  Also see www.KrebsandSislerLP.com or phone W.P. Krebs at 1-312-236-9724.

 

Note 1:  CO2 recycling in nature slowly converts carbon (C) to biomass and releases oxygen (O2) to enrich the air we breathe.  CO2 recycling will be rapid and profitable when it is employed in the process cited above.  The dispute about CO2 being a pollutant threatening climate change or an indispensable nutrient for plant, human and creature life will finally be resolved.