Issued on: April 19, 1995
Energy Department to Fund 25 New Coal Research Projects at Universities
Goal is to Team Professors, Students in Studying Innovative Concepts to Improve Future Coal Use
Pittsburgh, PA - Twenty-five new teacher/student research teams in 18 states will share $5.3 million in Federal funds this year to explore issues that will be key to advancing the science of coal and how it affects the world environment. The teams were selected from a field of more than 200 that applied for funding in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) annual University Coal Research Program, now in its 16th year.
DOE's University Coal Research Program funds research teams, led by a teaching university or college professor, that conduct fundamental studies of coal and coal-related topics. In 17 of the 25 projects, non-Federal sources will support the research through cost-sharing, totalling $1.34 million.
Projects were selected from 207 proposals with topics ranging from coal to environmental science. Since the program's inception in 1979, it has funded 477 research projects with more than $82 million of research funding committed to improving the scientific understanding and environmental acceptability of coal and the training of a new generation of research scientists and engineers.
As part of the grant requirement, at least one student registered at the university is required to receive compensation from the Federal funds. With the help of these grants, more than 700 students have received science and engineering degrees.
In its call for proposals in October 1994, the Department requested research in eight different technical categories.
The eighth category was for research in a specific, high priority area - "CO2 Ocean Disposal Experimentation." Through experimental research, DOE is trying to ascertain the scientific and technical feasibility of promising methods of oceanic carbon dioxide disposal. The University of Hawaii at Manoa was selected to conduct this research in this year's University Coal Research Program. Its project will run for three years.
Another goal of the program is to promote research collaboration between academia, industry, and government, and to enrich the educational experience for students by expanding their research exposure.
To further this goal two of the other 25 awards were given to joint university/industry projects that team universities with industrial partners in research intended to help solve industrial problems while expanding the educational experience of students.
One joint university/industry award was given to Washington University (St.Louis), which will work with Ohio State University and Exxon Research and Engineering on novel techniques for slurry bubble column hydrodynamics.
A second joint university/industry award went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which teamed with Cornell University, Air Products & Chemicals, and Foster Wheeler to undertake a study on the scale-up of large pressurized fluidized beds for advanced coal-fired power processes.
Cost-sharing of at least 25 percent of a project's total cost is required for these two projects, which can receive up to $400,000 in Federal funds over three years.
The other 22 projects will receive Federal funding of $80,000 to $200,000 for up to five years. Actual grant awards are expected to be in place by July. Winning proposals were selected following a technical review by more than 70 academic, industrial and government coal experts.
The Department of Energy's Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, oversees the program for the Office of Fossil Energy. Synopses of each of the projects can be obtained by calling PETC at 412/892-6126.
Attached is a list of the 25 projects arranged alphabetically by state.
|
Project/Lead Professor |
DOE Funds |
Cost-Sharing |
|
Hindered Diffusion of Asphaltenes at Elevated Temperature and Pressure
James A. Guin
Chemical Engineering
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849-5127 |
$197,237 |
$57,445 |
|
Advanced Solids NMR Studies of Structure and Chemistry
Kurt W. Zilm
Coal Chemistry
Yale University
New Haven, CT 06511-3516 |
$200,000 |
25,000 |
|
Surface Modified Coals for Enhanced Catalyst Dispersion and Liquefaction
Godfried M. K. Abotsi
Chemistry
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, GA 30314 |
200,000 |
0 |
|
Low Temperature VOC Chemistry Combustion Over Manganese and Zinc AlPO4 Molecular Sieves
Rosemarie Szostak
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, GA 30314 |
140,000 |
0 |
|
Laboratory Experiments to Simulate CO2 Ocean Disposal
Stephen M. Masutani
Hawaii Natural Energy Institute
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, HI 96822 |
299,971 |
18,224 |
|
A Novel Approach to Catalytic Desulfurization of Coal
John G. Verkade
Mining and Minerals
Resources Research Inst.
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011 |
200,000 |
0 |
|
A Silica/Fly Ash Based Technology for Controlling Pyrite Oxidation
Vasilios P. Evangelou
Agronomy Department
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0091 |
139,782 |
21,986 |
|
The Scale-up of Large Pressurized Fluidized Beds for Advanced Coal-Fired Power Processes
Leon R. Glicksman
Energy Laboratory
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 |
400,000 |
162,000 |
|
Coal Conversion Wastewater Treatment by Catalytic Oxidation in Supercritical Water
Phillip E. Savage
Chemical Engineering
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2136 |
200,000 |
26,354 |
|
Bubble Column Hydrodynamics
Milorad P. Dudukovic
Novel Techniques for Slurry
Chemical Engineering
Washington University
St. Louis, MO 63130 |
399,999 |
253,981 |
|
Slurry Phase Iron Catalysts for Indirect Coal Liquefaction
Abhaya K. Datye
Center for Micro-Engineered Ceramics
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131 |
199,999 |
0 |
|
Removal of H2S and SO2 by CaCO3 Based Sorbents at High Pressure
Stratis V. Sotirchos
Chemical Engineering
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627 |
200,000 |
15,000 |
|
Thermodynamic Measurements for Coal Model Compounds
Vinayak N. Kabadi
Chemical Engineering
North Carolina A&T State Univ.
Greensboro, NC 27411 |
199,991 |
0 |
|
In Situ Infrared Study of Catalytic Decomposition of NO
Steven S. C. Chuang
Chemical Engineering
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-3906 |
199,965 |
66,655 |
|
Chemistry of Mercury Species and Their Control in Coal Combustion Environments
Pratim Biswas
Civil & Environmental Eng.
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0071 |
196,046 |
50,234 |
|
Cermet Composite Thermal Spray Coatings for Erosion and Corrosion Protection in Combustion Environments of Advanced Coal-fired Boilers
Arnold R. Marder
Energy Research Center
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA 18015 |
188,497 |
198,785 |
|
Wet Solids Flow Enhancement
Hugo S. Caram
Chemical Engineering
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA 18015 |
199,993 |
22,200 |
|
Optimization of Char for NOx Reduction
Jonathan Phillips
Chemical Engineering
Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802 |
140,000 |
0 |
|
Char Crystalline Transformations During Coal Combustion and Their Implications for Carbon Burnout
Robert H. Hurt
Division of Engineering
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912 |
200,000 |
35,000 |
|
Determination of the Forms of Nitrogen Released in Coal Tar During Rapid Devolatilization
Thomas H. Fletcher
Chemical Engineering
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602 |
198,264 |
186,898 |
|
Temperature, Velocity and Species Profile Measurements for Reburning & Advanced Reburning in a Pulverized, Entrained Flow, Coal Combustor
Dale R. Tree
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602 |
199,926 |
90,611 |
|
Comprehensive Investigation of the Liberation Characteristics of Pyrite and Other Mineral Matter from Coal
Ronald Peter King
Comminution Center
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT 84112 |
199,941 |
0 |
|
Novel Carbide and Nitride Catalysts for Upgrading Coal Liquids
Ted S. Oyama
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
and State University
Blacksburg, VA 24061 |
200,000 |
91,824 |
|
Electrokinetic Densification of Coal Fines in Waste Ponds
E. James Davis
Department of Chemical Eng.
BF-10, University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195 |
199,840 |
15,400 |
|
Reduction of Inherent Mercury Emissions in PC Combustion
John C. Kramlich
Mechanical Engineering
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195 |
197,089 |
0 |
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