[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 239 (Tuesday, December 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77604-77607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31597]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


National Energy Technology Laboratory; Notice of Availability of 
a Financial Assistance Solicitation

AGENCY: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Morgantown, 
Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Financial Assistance Solicitation.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of the intent to issue Financial 
Assistance Solicitation No. DE-PS26-01NT40951 entitled, ``Support of 
Advanced Coal Research at U.S. Colleges and Universities.'' Proposals 
will be subjected to a comparative merit review by a technical panel of 
DOE subject-matter experts and external peer reviewers. Awards will be 
made to a limited number of proposers based on: the scientific merit of 
the proposals, application of relevant program policy factors, and the 
availability of funds.

DATES: The solicitation will be available on the DOE/ NETL's Homepage 
at http:/www.netl.doe.gov/business on or about December 15, 2000. 
Applications must be received at NETL by February 8, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael P. Nolan, MS I07, U.S. 
Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, P.O. Box 
880, Morgantown, WV 26507-0880, E-Mail: [email protected], Telephone: 
(304) 285-4149, Facsimile: (304) 285-4683.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Through Program Solicitation DE-PS26-
01NT40951, the DOE is interested in applications from U.S. colleges and 
universities, as well as university-affiliated research centers 
submitting applications through their respective universities. 
Applications will be selected to complement and enhance research being 
conducted in related Fossil Energy Programs. Applications may be 
submitted individually (i.e., by only one college/university or one 
college subcontracting with one other college/university) or jointly 
(i.e., by ``teams'' made up of (1) three or more colleges/universities, 
or (2) two or more colleges/universities and at least one industrial 
partner. Collaboration, in the form of joint proposals, is encouraged 
but not required.
    Eligibility. Applications submitted in response to this 
solicitation must address coal research in one of the key focus areas 
of the Core Program or as outlined in the Innovative Concepts Phase-I & 
Phase-II Programs.
    Background. The current landscape of the U.S. energy industry, not 
unlike that in other parts of the world, is undergoing a transformation 
driven by changes such as deregulation of power generation, more 
stringent environmental standards and regulations, climate change 
concerns, and other market forces. Energy from coal-fired powerplants 
will continue to play a dominant role as an energy source, and 
therefore, it is prudent to use this resource wisely and ensure that it 
remains part of the sustainable energy solution.
    Clean, efficient, competitively priced coal-derived products, and 
low-cost environmental compliance and energy systems remain key to our 
continuing prosperity and our commitment to tackle environmental 
challenges, including climate change. Technological advances finding 
their way into future markets could result in advanced co-production 
and co-processing facilities around the world, based upon Vision 21 
technologies developed through universities, government, and industry 
partnerships.
    This Vision 21 concept, in many ways is the culmination of decades 
of power and fuels research and development. Within the Vision 21 
plants, the full energy potential of fossil fuel feedstocks and 
``opportunity'' feedstocks such as biomass, petroleum coke, and other 
materials that might otherwise be considered as wastes, can be tapped 
by integrating advanced technology ``modules.'' To accomplish the 
program objective, to advance the science of coal R&D directed at 
resolving our energy and environmental issues, applications will be 
accepted in three program areas: (1) The Core Program and (2) the 
Innovative Concepts Phase-I Program, and (3) the Innovative Concepts 
Phase-II Program.

UCR Core Program

    DOE has allotted $2 million to fund 8 to 10 projects in this 
program area. The goal of this area is to complement and enhance 
applied research conducted in related Fossil Energy Programs. Funding 
is contingent on the length of the project and varies from

[[Page 77605]]

$80,000, $140,000, or $200,000 for a project performance period of 12, 
13-24, or 25-60 months, respectively for institutions submitting a 
single application. Additionally, an institution teaming with two other 
colleges or universities or two colleges/universities teaming with at 
least one industrial partner is eligible to receive $400,000 in funding 
for a 36-month project. Joint University/Industry applications must 
specify a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) cost sharing of the 
total proposed project cost. At least one student must receive 
financial assistance throughout the duration of the grant.
    Under the Core Program, research in this area is limited to the 
following six (6) Core Focus Areas and is listed numerically in 
descending order of programmatic priority.
    1. Advanced Sensors for Vision 21 Systems--US DOE is interested in 
unique approaches in developing advanced sensors and control systems 
for advanced efficient energy production with zero emission, and 
related by-product production as envisioned in Vision 21 plans. Future 
energy production facilities may operate at high temperature 
environment, real-time temperature measurement (to 3000  deg.F) of 
flame, and surfaces (including slags) is needed. Miniaturized 
temperature sensors that can perform these tasks are a plus. 
Eliminating fine particulate is critical for gasification and for 
emission control. Grant applications are sought for proposals to 
develop particulate sensors capable of measuring concentration, size, 
and distribution of fine particulate. Particle sizes of interest are 
from a fraction of a millimeter down to microns. In addition, sensors 
for measuring trace contaminants in fuels and/or carbon dioxide from 
advanced gas separation processes would be needed to eliminate any 
interference with their utilization. Sensors using new mechanisms and 
with digital output that can be connected into control systems would be 
preferable. The intended applications are energy production related 
including advanced combustion facilities, gasifiers, turbines, flue gas 
cleanup and monitoring, fuel cells, and carbon sequestration, etc.
    2. Materials Development for Advanced Systems Through Nanostructure 
Science and Technology--Nanostructured materials are believed to have 
the potential to revolutionize the way materials are created and used. 
Any material (metal, ceramic, polymer, glass, composite) created from 
nanoscale building blocks (clusters or nanoparticles, nanotubes, 
nanolayers, etc.) that are themselves synthesized from atoms and 
molecules, can be assembled to form novel structures with unique 
properties unlike those exhibited by materials composed of 
microstructures. Thus with the ability to synthesize and control 
materials in nanometer dimensions, new materials with unprecedented 
performance properties can be designed [1].
    This focus area seeks proposals that will emphasize synthesis, 
characterization, or engineering development of nanoscale materials 
that have direct application to advanced power and ultra-clean fuels 
systems, such as those described in the Vision 21 Program. The DOE-NETL 
is particularly interested in those projects that seek a new and 
improved understanding of the relationships between nanostructures and 
properties and how these can be manipulated to improve efficiencies and 
performance. For example, nanostructured alloys may hold the potential 
to be competitors to some oxide dispersion-strengthened ferritic alloys 
currently being considered for high-temperature heat exchanger tubing, 
or ultrahigh temperature materials such as the Laves phases 
intermetallic alloys (e.g., Cr-Cr2Nb or Cr-
Cr2Ta).
    Grant applications are sought for proposals to develop novel, 
ultrahigh temperature nanostructured alloys and that explores 
structure/property relationships would be of great interest. Other 
areas of programmatic interest include using nanostructured materials 
as advanced environmental barrier coatings, elucidating a better 
understanding of the fundamental mechanisms in plastic/elastic 
deformation and fracture of nanostructured materials, synthesizing, 
characterizing or using nanostructured carbons, or other similar 
derivatives, as hydrogen storage materials or in gas (H2, 
CO2, CO, CH4, etc.) separation processes.

References

    [1] Siegel, R., Hu, E., Roco, M. ``Nanostructure Science and 
Technology: A Worldwide Study, WTEC Panel Report on Nanostructure 
Science and Technology: R&D Status and Trends in Nanoparticles, 
Nanostructured Materials, and Nanodevices,'' NSF Cooperative 
Agreement ENG-9707092, International Technology Research Institute 
at Loyola College, Maryland, August 1999 (also see 
www.itri.loyola.edu/nano/final/).

    3. Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells--Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) are a 
very promising energy conversion technology for utilization of fossil 
fuels. A new Department of Energy initiative the Solid State Energy 
Conversion Alliance (SECA) is currently focused on providing the 
technology to commercialize 400/kW SOFC systems by 2010. It is 
envisioned that this technology will provide a key component in an 
integrated coal based Vision 21 power plant. The high temperatures of 
operation (necessary for adequate ionic conductivity and kinetics) 
conventionally require layered ceramic materials in a solid state 
configuration. Research opportunities exist in making high power 
density SOFCs a commercial reality. Topics being considered for this 
solicitation are new compatible intermediate temperature material 
combinations (500-800  deg.C) for the cell structure, new sulfur and/or 
oxygen tolerant anode materials, and new cathode materials with good 
kinetics in the intermediate temperature range. In addition, research 
addressing the integration of SOFC's into a Vision 21 coal-based power 
plant is of interest.
    Grant applications are sought for proposals to develop intermediate 
temperature material sets for Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells or addressing SOFC 
integration issues in Vision 21 coal-based power plants. The 
intermediate temperature range of interest is 500 deg.C to 800 deg.C 
although an individual concept does not have to be applicable to the 
entire range. The concepts and materials proposed must be compatible as 
part of a fully functional SOFC stack with a lifetime of 40,000 hours. 
The concepts and materials must be economically compatible with a 2010 
SECA cost goal of $100/kW for the fuel cell stack and a $400/kW total 
system cost. Proposals can address one or all of the research issues, 
as well as the stated lifetime, compatibility, and economic criteria.
    4. Modeling of Molecule-surface Interactions--Recent advances in 
modeling algorithms and computational capabilities have permitted some 
development of highly detailed computational models of molecule-surface 
interactions. Such models are of great interest to those developing 
catalytic materials because the models may suggest more fruitful 
directions and eliminate unproductive pathways. Further development 
will permit predictive models that may be able to chemically describe 
the ideal catalyst for a desired reaction pathway. Grant applications 
are desired for application and validation of such models to catalytic 
systems that would produce synthetic fuels or chemicals from coal based 
synthesis gas.
    5. Liquid Transportation Fuels/hydrocarbon Reformulation--Fuel cell 
power may provide a viable pathway for the transportation industry to 
deploy high efficiency, ultra-low emissions vehicles. Two sources for 
the hydrogen fuel include centralized production or

[[Page 77606]]

on-board production of hydrogen through reforming of liquid hydrocarbon 
mixtures. The latter route could enable nearer-term utilization of fuel 
cell power until a hydrogen distribution infrastructure is established. 
Coal-derived Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) liquids are candidate hydrogen 
carriers for the vehicle's refoming units because of their favorable 
hydrogen to carbon ratio and near-zero sulfur content. Other chemicals 
such as methanol or chemical mixtures other than F-T liquids may also 
have advantages as hydrogen sources. However, the chemistry involved in 
reforming these hydrocarbons needs to be better understood, 
particularly the nature of the by-products.
    Grant applications are sought for proposals to investigate the 
kinetics and thermodynamics of the reforming chemistry associated with 
converting a selected hydrocarbon (other than methane) or hydrocarbon 
mixture to hydrogen and byproduct species. A combination of modeling 
and laboratory research is also needed to provide the basis for more 
comprehensive evaluations of the merits of utilizing selected hydrogen 
carriers for fuel cell applications.
    6. Modeling of Refractory Materials in Coal Gasification Systems--
Refractories represent a critical material for the commercial operation 
of future Vision 21 Systems. Refractories for public utility systems 
constitute less than 1 percent of all refractories produced, with coal 
gasification systems comprising only a small part of this total. Much 
of the research for coal gasification systems was conducted in the 
1980s and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Refractory 
manufacturers have little incentive to develop materials for a coal 
gasifier market that may exist 10-15 years in the future.
    Specific examples of refractory needs in fossil fuel power 
generation include higher temperature applications in slagging 
gasifiers, materials able to withstand both oxidizing and reducing 
environments, high thermal conductivity materials for use in areas 
where rapid heat transfer is necessary (to increase operating 
efficiency), and materials with sufficient thermal shock resistance to 
withstand both scheduled and non-scheduled shut downs. Grant 
applications are sought for proposals to develop refractory material 
models which consider the combined effect of chemical or phase changes 
in the material and thermal cycling on the stress state of the 
refractory.

UCR Innovative Concepts Phase-I Program

    DOE has also allotted $0.25 million to fund up to five, $50,000 12-
months Innovative Concepts Phase-I projects. The goal of this area is 
to solicit unique approaches to address fossil energy-related issues 
that represent ``out-of-the-box'' thinking and not simply incremental 
improvements to accelerate solutions to energy and environmental 
problems. Like the Core Program Area, single and joint applications are 
invited, however, no additional funding is provided for team 
applications. Unlike the Core Program, student participation in the IC 
Phase-I proposed research is strongly encouraged, however, not 
required.
    Innovative research in the coal conversion and utilization areas 
will be required if coal is to continue to play a dominant role in the 
generation of electric power. Technical topics like the ones identified 
below are potential examples of research areas of interest, however, 
the areas identified were not intended to be all-encompassing. 
Therefore, it is specifically emphasized that other subjects for coal 
research would receive the same evaluation and consideration for 
support as the examples cited in the following Innovative Concepts 
Phase-I Technical Topics:
    Mercury and Other Trace Emissions in Advanced Power Systems--
Attractive features of Advanced Power Systems include the ability to 
accommodate a wide variety of fuel and waste feedstocks and converting 
the hydrocarbon-based input to simple nonhazardous byproducts. 
Gasification Systems, in addition, can produce consistent high-quality 
synthesis gas products that can be used as a building block for 
chemical manufacturing processes. Laboratory measurements and 
development of sampling techniques for mercury in reduced gasification 
conditions, provide first steps to understanding partitioning and 
removal of mercury and other trace matter in such environments. A 
recent study indicated that gasification could convert hazardous 
materials to nonhazardous gases and ashes, and as such justifies a 
separate treatment relative to incineration in the context of 
environmental protection and economics.
    Grant applications are sought to further understand partioning and 
removal of mercury and other trace metal and organic substances in 
Advanced Systems and possible effects due to hot-gas cleanup devices on 
such trace matter. Objectives of understanding processes involving 
mercury and other trace matter must intend to ultimately help in 
minimizing and controlling trace emissions.
    Thermodynamic Measurements for Mixtures of Asymmetric 
Hydrocarbons--Knowledge of the thermodynamics and phase behavior of 
mixtures of short-chain and long-chain (i.e., those C20 and 
higher) alkanes is central to the understanding and comprehensive 
modeling of three-phase, Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) reactors. Subsequent 
process operations and reactor performance is strongly dependent on the 
composition of the wax phase, whose composition is constrained by the 
vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) that exists in the reactor. Knowledge of 
such vapor-liquid equilibrium values is also necessary for an 
understanding of retrograde condensation for examining wax 
precipitation in natural gas reservoir pipelines and many applications 
in petroleum processing, such as propane deasphalting.
    Thermodynamic models (i.e., equations of state) developed for 
hydrocarbon mixtures, and used for years, are poor predictors of VLE 
data when the mixtures contain alkanes longer than C20. 
Attempts to circumvent this problem by use of equations of state 
developed for polymer-solvent systems have also been inadequate for 
modeling these asymmetric mixtures of hydrocarbons. Clearly, there is a 
need for a generalized thermodynamic model that can be applied to these 
systems.
    Grant applications are desired for measurement of vapor-liquid 
equilibria for mixtures of light and heavy hydrocarbons, under 
appropriate conditions of temperature and pressure, so as to provide 
the basis for a comprehensive equation-of-state that would address such 
mixtures and their applications to hydrocarbon processing.
    Carbon Sequestration--The potential effects of increasing 
atmospheric CO2 levels are of major worldwide concern. If 
left unabated, increasing anthropogenic CO2 emissions are 
expected to double atmospheric CO2 levels by the middle of 
the century. One alternative for managing CO2 emissions, 
which maintains the many benefits of coal-fired power, is carbon 
sequestration: the capture and secure storage of CO2 before 
it is emitted to the atmosphere. However, major challenges must be 
overcome before suitable carbon sequestration technologies can be 
developed. These technologies must be environmentally benign, 
economically viable, safe and effective. They must also provide 
permanent containment to avoid creating negative

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environmental legacies for future generations.
    Carbon dioxide sequestration as a carbonate mineral (CO2 
mineral sequestration) is an attractive candidate technology, as it can 
provide permanent, environmentally benign CO2 disposal. The 
carbonates produced (e.g., MgCO3 and CaCO3) 
already exist in vast quantities in nature and have proven stable over 
geological time. The major challenge is economically viable process 
development. Novel methods that address the cost concerns of 
CO2 mineral sequestration need to be studied.
    Grant applications are sought to investigate key aspects of 
CO2 mineral sequestration process development. Methods that 
have the potential to substantially reduce worldwide CO2 
emissions are of particular interest. Considerations of interest to 
reduce overall process cost include, but are not limited to, (i) 
improving process efficiency, e.g., reaction rates and conditions, (ii) 
use of inexpensive feedstock materials, and (iii) the generation of 
marketable process products. Emphasis should be placed on approaches 
that are technically, economically, and environmentally feasible.

UCR Innovative Concepts Phase-II Program

    The Innovative Concepts Phase-II Program is the principal R&D 
effort under the IC Program. DOE has budgeted $600,000 to fund three, 
three-year $200,000 projects. The goal of the IC Phase-II Program is to 
solicit additional research in areas previously included in the Phase-I 
Program. Phase-II awards are expected to be made during fiscal year 
2001 to institutions with approaches that offer sufficient promising 
from Phase-I efforts. Consequently, only winners of a one-year Phase I 
grant awarded in FY99 will be considered eligible for a phase II grant. 
It is anticipated that at least 2-3 institutions submitting an 
application with approaches that appear sufficiently promising from the 
Phase-I efforts could receive a Phase-II award in 2001. Similar to the 
Core Program, student participation is required throughout the duration 
of the grant.

    Issued in Morgantown, WV on November 30, 2000.
Randolph L. Kesling,
Director, Acquisition and Assistance Division.
[FR Doc. 00-31597 Filed 12-11-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P