Destruction of VAM Using a Modular Catalytic Element System

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Program:
REMEDY
Award:
$3,720,317
Location:
North Haven, Connecticut
Status:
ACTIVE
Project Term:
03/14/2022 - 03/13/2025
Website:

Technology Description:

Precision Combustion (PCI) proposes an innovative modular array to eliminate the release of ventilation air methane (VAM) associated with coal production. The team’s technology combines (1) a short contact time, low thermal mass reactor design to achieve high methane conversion in a small volume, (2) catalyst formulation and loading to minimize the required operating temperature of the oxidation reactor, and (3) system design and architecture to maximize the degree to which released heat is retained and recirculated. Computational fluid dynamics and thermal modeling will be used to optimize the modular structure to maximize heat transfer. PCI will examine the impacts of flow passage sizing, fin structures, material choice, and other design elements on thermal performance and pressure drop. The team will then additively manufacture these optimized designs to produce the 3D lattice heat transfer surfaces and catalytic support structure. Testing will proceed through stages of individual elements, to multi-element blocks, to fielded pilot scale systems demonstrating high conversion efficiency of VAM.

Potential Impact:

REMEDY addresses methane emissions from domestic oil, gas, and coal value chains, accounting for 78% of U.S. primary energy.

Security:

REMEDY systems will reduce the environmental footprint from the production and use of domestic resources.

Environment:

A key REMEDY process performance metric is to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions > 87% on a life cycle basis. This metric ensures proposed solutions provide a holistic environmental benefit. If successful, REMEDY processes have the potential to reduce U.S. methane emissions by at least 60 million tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalents) per year.

Economy:

REMEDY goals call for 99.5% methane reduction while meeting a levelized cost less than $40/ton of CO2e.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Jack Lewnard
Project Contact:
Dr. Hani Hawa
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
hhawa@precision-combustion.com

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• Colorado State University (CSU) - Lean-burn Natural Gas Engine System to Achieve Near-zero Crankcase Methane Emissions from Existing and Future Engine Fleet
• INNIO Waukesha Gas Engines - Ultra Low Methane Slip Reciprocating Engine
• Johnson Matthey - Catalytic Oxidation of Ventilation Air Methane
• MAHLE Powertrain - Methane Oxidation Catalysts for Lean-burn Natural Gas Engines
• Marquette University - Prechamber Enabled Mixing Controlled Combustion of Natural Gas for Ultra-Low Methane Emissions from Lean-Burn Engines
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Ventilation Air Methane Abatement via Catalytic Oxidation (VAMCO) with Machine-Learning Enhanced Sensing and Feedback Controls
• Precision Combustion (PCI) - Destruction of VAM Using a Modular Catalytic Element System
• Texas A&M University - Reducing Emission of Methane through Advanced Radical Kinetics and Adaptive Burning in Large Engines (REMARKABLE)
• University of Michigan - REMEDY using SABRE (Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year using Systems of Advanced Burners for Reduction of Emissions)
• University of Minnesota (UMN) - Plasma-assisted In-situ Reforming of Flare Gases to Achieve Near-Zero Methane Emissions

Release Date:
04/08/2021