Reaction Engineering International (REI) will team with experts from the University of Utah, Praxair, and Jupiter Oxygen Corporation to perform multi-scale experiments, coupled with mechanism development, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to generate modeling tools and mechanisms that are capable of describing high temperature and pressurized oxy-coal combustion. Experimental work will be performed at the University of Utah’s Industrial Combustion and Gasification Research Facility using three different pilot-scale reactors including a 100 kilowatt Oxy-Fuel Combustor (above), 1.5 megawatt multi-fuel furnace, and 300 kilowatt Pressurized (17bar) Entrained Flow Gasifier. The experiments will be tailored to provide a comprehensive data set describing heat release profiles, material temperatures, and mineral matter behavior under high temperature and elevated temperature high-pressure flames generated by oxygen combustion of coal with zero or minimum recycle. Mechanism development and CFD-based combustion modeling will be performed by REI. This work builds on DOE contract NT0005288. — Cost: Total: $1,570,596, DOE Share: $1,251,541, Performer Share: $319,055

Reaction Engineering International was tasked to create a simulation tool that couples geomechanical, reservoir, and fracture flow physics to allow the design of a flowback schedule to optimize fluid recovery and reduce water usage per unit of gas produced. This will result in less water usage per fracturing job, higher recovery rates of water from the well, higher initial production rates and higher ultimate recovery of the resource. This will allow the United States to continue to lead in natural gas production while lowering the amount of water used. Cost—DOE: $149,932