[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 56 (Thursday, March 21, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11624-11625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-6842]



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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Morgantown Energy Technology Center; CRADA Opportunity 
Announcement

AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE), Morgantown Energy Technology 
Center.

ACTION: Notice of CRADA opportunity announcement.

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SUMMARY: The Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) is offering 
partnering opportunities with United States companies in the area of 
hot gas desulfurization for developers of transport reactor systems, 
system integrators, and developers of novel sorbents. The vehicle for 
the partnering is a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement 
(CRADA). CRADAs offer private sector partners the opportunity to share 
in outcomes of development activities and also offer the option for 
protection of CRADA-generated data. These agreements do require the 
partner to share in the cost and do not involve METC funding of the 
partner's activities.
    The Utility Industry and METC agree that IGCC technologies being 
demonstrated under the CCT program will play a significant role in 
supplying U.S. electricity during the next century. As the markets for 
such plants expand to replace today's older plants and to supply demand 
for additional electricity, the sales of cost-effective, hot gas sulfur 
removal sorbents, and related process systems could be substantial. The 
proposed CRADA is expected to accelerate commercial availability of 
improved, lower-cost, hot gas desulfurization sorbents for transport 
reactors. By closely linking test planning, operation and analysis as 
performed by METC with sorbent preparation, and analysis as performed 
by the CRADA Participant; enhanced R&D effectiveness is achievable.

DATES: Proposals received by March 29, 1996, will be evaluated, in 
order of importance, for: a) monetary value of industry contribution; 
b) proposer qualifications; and c) merits of commercialization plan. 
Any or all proposals may be accepted or rejected as deemed to be in the 
best interest of the Government. Pending content of proposals received, 
negotiation with one or more Participant is planned immediately 
following proposal evaluation. The target date for completion of a 
negotiated draft agreement is April 12, 1996, such that a final 
agreement can be executed by May 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Parties interested in this CRADA opportunity are requested 
to submit a proposal by March 29, 1996. Additional information is 
available on METC's Internet Homepage at ``http://www.metc.doe.gov'' or 
by contacting Dr. Rodney J. Anderson, Technology Transfer Program 
Manager, U.S. Department of Energy, Morgantown Energy Technology 
Center, P.O. Box 880, 3610 Collins Ferry Road, Morgantown, WV 26507-
0880; Telephone: (304) 285-4709.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A METC on-site facility--the Transport 
Reactor Facility--is being commissioned with testing operations to 
begin by mid-1996. This facility will operate with either simulated or 
actual gasifier coal gas at high pressure and high temperature to

[[Page 11625]]
test sulfur removal sorbents in transport-flow regimes. Test objectives 
are to qualify sorbents for demonstration in commercial-scale Clean 
Coal Technology (CCT) projects such as the Sierra Pacific Power 
Company, an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) technology.
    The test reactor is designed as a single pass system to explore 
various aspects of hot gas desulfurization in the transport regime. The 
reactor is constructed from 0.334-inch i.d. Incoloy 800 tubing with a 
nominal 28-foot reaction length. It operates at temperature up to 
1500 deg.F (816 deg.C), pressures from 100-600 psig (0.7-4.1 MPa (ga)), 
a residence times from 2-10 seconds, solids feed rates from 0.5-10 lb/
hr (0.23-4.54 kg/hr), gas feed rates from 200-1000 scfh (5.7-28.3 
scmh). Preheated gases and solids mix in a nozzle at the bottom of the 
reactor. Reactant gas enters the nozzle concentrically and 
countercurrent to the solids flow to promote thorough mixing. The 
mixture reacts and flows upward in a transport flow regime through the 
reactor. Five zones of heaters line the vertical section of the reactor 
and provide temperature control. The reaction can be quenched at either 
of two vertical injection ports to allow variable reactant residence 
times. Quenching at the lower port gives a reaction length of 12 feet 
(3.67 meters) whereas quenching at the upper port provides a reaction 
length of 28 feet (8.6 meters). Reactor facility investment is 
approximately $4 million. Proposals require the Participant to provide 
a cost estimate and description of work scope that the Participant is 
proposing to perform, supply, and/or fund. The Participant may propose 
to compensate METC for work performed by METC, however METC cannot 
reimburse the Participant for work performed by the Participant. As a 
minimum, the Participant's contribution shall be: sorbent development 
and supply, and a portion of sorbent analytical work. Test operation 
shall be performed by METC personnel; however, Participant personnel 
may be present during testing and may perform most other test 
activities. Additionally, the Participant shall describe its 
qualifications for sorbent development and supply consistent with the 
CRADA objective and for the work scope proposed to be performed by the 
Participant. Qualifications for transport reactor design and commercial 
offering should be provided, if appropriate. Also, the Participant 
shall describe its long range plan for supplying projected quantities 
of hot gas desulfurization sorbent to the marketplace. Product pricing 
and performance parameters should be provided as a function of market 
projections. Elaborate proposals are not required nor expected. It is 
recommended that the proposal not exceed 25 pages.
James J. Grabulis,
Director, Acquisition & Assistance Division, Morgantown Energy 
Technology Center.
[FR Doc. 96-6842 Filed 3-20-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P