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High
Bulk-Density, Large Capacity Activated Carbons for Small-Scale Natural Gas
Storage—CM-TEC, Inc., 1 Innovation Way, Suite 100, Newark, DE
19711; 302-369-6166
Dr.
X. Daniel Wu, Principal Investigator, daniel.wu@cmtec-inc.com
Dr.
X. Daniel Wu, Business Official, daniel.wu@cmtec-inc.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-05ER84211
Amount:
$726,845
Natural
gas provides a clean and environmentally friendly fuel for electric power
generation; however, the distribution network, and especially the storage
system, is ill-suited for the projected gowth of natural gas for use in
electical energy generation. This
project will develop a natural gas (methane) storage system based on an
innovative, high-bulk-density activated carbon that is especially designed with
high adsorption capacity for methane. This
adsorptive storage system would be well suited for small-scale residential and
commercial users who currently use diesel generators as their backup, and for
small- to mid-size electrical power generators that require some natural gas
storage to meet peak electrical demands. Phase
I demonstrated the feasibility of using a high bulk density activated carbon,
synthesized with an appropriate distribution of micropores, to adsorb natural
gas (methane) at ambient temperature and relatively low pressures. It
was shown that a system based on this technology can store methane at a weight
and volume that is comparable to a high-pressure cylinder, but at a fraction of
the pressure. Phase II will
continue the development of methane storage materials, develop primary material
packaging, fabricate a prototype adsorbed-natural-gas storage system, and
perform a pilot test of the prototype device
Commercial
Applications and other Benefits as
described by the awardee: The
carbon-based natural gas storage system should allow residential, commercial, or
small-scale power generators to store natural gas easily, without resorting to
high-pressure designs. The storage
system could be filled (or refilled) from a pipeline supplied by a single-stage
compressor. Unlike liquefied natural
gas storage systems, there would be no evaporative losses, and unlike liquefied
natural gas and methane hydrate storage systems, the adsorptive storage does not
require refrigeration, so there is no energy cost for storing the fuel. A
highly-distributed natural gas storage network would improve the security and
reliability of the natural gas supply. Finally,
the room temperature and low-pressure system would provide inherent safety
advantages.