[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
