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Real-Time Monitoring of Ash, Sulphur, and Elemental Contaminants by Neutron-Gamma Spectroscopy--SABIA, Inc., 7060 Convoy Court, San Diego, CA 92111; 858 279-4000
Mr. Clinton L. Lingren, Principal Investigator, clingren@sabiainc.com
Mr. Clinton L. Lingren, Business Official, clingren@sabioinc.com
DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-02ER86154
Amount: $100,000
Research Institution
Raleigh,
The conventional means of
measuring the elemental composition of coal involve obtaining a representative
sample for analysis in a laboratory. Disadvantages
include both sampling error and time delay associated with sampling, lab
analysis, and data retrieval. Commercial
on-line analyzers are available, but they are very expensive and typically do
not report on the presence of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, or lead. This project will develop a real-time, on-line coal analyzer
that measures ash, sulphur, and trace contaminants, including mercury,
arsenic, cadmium, and lead. In
addition, the analyzer will be provided in a commercially-available form with a
price less than $200,000. In Phase I, an analyzer mock-up will be assembled with neutron sources,
shielding/moderating materials, detector, and electronics. The minimum concentration levels required for the constituent elements in
ash and for trace-level contaminants will be determined. An appropriate analyzer configuration will be determined so that an
analyzer built in Phase II can be installed at a coal facility for use in
conjunction with contaminant removal in coal gasifiers.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits
as described by the awardee: The
analyzer should have applicability at all commercial gasifiers in order to
enable the efficient removal of contaminants. In addition, an affordable (<$200,000) coal analyzer would provide
economic benefits for the real-time monitoring of ash, sulfur, and BTU at most
coal-fired power stations.