Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to McNaul, Shannon.
Overview of the waste to energy pathways to help achieve the net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. Findings from different accounting methods and scenarios for managing municipal solid waste (MSW) and associated life cycle assessment results to identify data gaps and limitations.
As an extension of NETL's Fossil Energy Baseline for Electricity Generating Units Volume 1: Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity (FEB Rev 4a, this study develops cost and performance estimates for analogous NGCC cases using a state-of-the-art 2023 vintage H-Class CT in a 1×1 configuration, where a single combustion turbine and heat recovery steam generator are coupled to a single steam turbine on a common shaft. These 1×1 H-Class cases are used to develop cost and performance estimates of X-Class 1×1 NGCC cases with advanced performance characteristics, analogous to NETL’s cost and performance projections report.
This poster presentation provides an overview of NETL’s work focused towards supporting the development of technical solutions to: 1) produce economical and low-carbon hydrogen from natural gas; 2) advance hydrogen sensing technologies for the existing natural gas pipelines; 3) evaluating new infrastructure to be used to transport hydrogen safely at a large scale; and 4) produce sustainable chemicals and fuels, such as ammonia, from natural gas resources, including methane emissions from flare gas.
This report presents the techno-economic analysis (TEA) results of integrating a modified autothermal reforming (ATR) hydrogen (H 2 ) production plant with a natural gas-fired, utility-scale power plant based on the direct supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) power cycle. In this study, the H 2 production and the power plant are fully integrated in terms of heat, fuel, and carbon capture and storage (CCS). The ATR process has significant waste heat available for heat integration with a direct-fired sCO 2 power plant that benefits the power plant efficiency. The off-gas stream from the modified ATR process is primarily carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), and residual H 2 . As supplemental fuel, it has beneficial heating value in the CO and H 2 that can be used in the direct sCO 2 power cycle. Finally, the direct sCO 2 power plant can isolate the CO 2 produced at the facility for CCS.
In July 2021 the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) launched the first of a series of Department-wide Energy Earthshot™ goals designed to accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade. The Hydrogen Shot goal seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $\$$1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade ("1 1 1"). Today, thermal conversion of fossil fuels represents the predominant, lowest cost method of hydrogen production. In 2020 approximately 75 percent of global, dedicated hydrogen production was produced via fossil fuels using thermal conversion approaches such as steam reforming and gasification. However, carbon management techniques such as CO 2 capture and sequestration (CCS) and pyrolysis are not widely represented in the current fossil-based hydrogen production fleet. Lowering the cost of clean hydrogen production from commercial and advanced thermal conversion-based technologies is critical for successfully achieving the Hydrogen Shot goal. This report presents the findings from an initial screening analysis of several scenarios that explore cost drivers related to clean hydrogen production. The screening encompasses commercially available and developing thermal conversion technology alternatives as well as factors exogenous to the plant such as feedstock/byproduct pricing, CO 2 pipeline and storage infrastructure costs, and scale to assess potential pathways towards meeting the Hydrogen Shot goal. Additionally, this report presents initial Research and Development (R&D) strategies to advance thermal conversion technology towards meeting the Hydrogen Shot™ goal.
This poster summarizes a screening-level analysis performed by NETL's Strategic Systems Analysis and Engineering (SSAE) Directorate in support of achieving DOE's Hydrogen Shot Goal. Included are objectives, results, and primary conclusion of the analysis.
This study presents updated cost and performance information on retrofitting pulverized coal (PC) power plants with post-combustion carbon capture based on an advanced solvent process, based on NETL's Fossil Energy Baseline, Revision 4A. Cases considered include those using a fully integrated capture system, a case that provides capture system steam via a natural gas boiler, and a case that provides combined heat and power via a natural gas simple cycle system. Comparison cases include both new build and retrofit analysis at 90% and 95% carbon capture.
This report presents an independent assessment of the cost and performance of select fossil energy power systems—pulverized coal (PC), circulating fluidized bed (CFB), and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants—using a systematic, transparent technical and economic approach. This is Volume 3 of a five-volume series, which comprise the following reports: Volume 1: Bituminous Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity; Volume 2: Coal to Synthetic Natural Gas and Ammonia (Various Coal Ranks); Volume 3: Low Rank Coal and Natural Gas to Electricity; Volume 4: Bituminous Coal to Liquid Fuels; and Volume 5: Natural Gas Electricity Generating Units for Flexible Operation. The cost and performance of fossil fuel-based generation technologies represented in this report (and the series at large) are important inputs to assessments and determinations of technology combinations to be utilized to meet the projected demands of future power markets. In addition to informing technology comparisons, the reference plant configurations found in this report provide perspective for regulators and policy makers. From a research and development perspective, this report is used to assess goals and metrics and to provide a consistent basis for comparing developing technologies.
In July 2021 the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE) launched the first of a series of Department-wide Energy Earthshot goals designed to accelerate breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions within the decade. The Hydrogen Shot goal seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to $\$$1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade ("1 1 1"). Today, thermal conversion of fossil fuels represents the predominant, lowest cost method of hydrogen production. In 2020 approximately 75 percent of global, dedicated hydrogen production was produced via fossil fuels using thermal conversion approaches such as steam reforming and gasification. However, carbon management techniques such as CO 2 capture and sequestration (CCS) and pyrolysis are not widely represented in the current fossil-based hydrogen production fleet. Lowering the cost of clean hydrogen production from commercial and advanced thermal conversion-based technologies is critical for successfully achieving the Hydrogen Shot goal. This report presents the findings from an initial screening analysis of several scenarios that explore cost drivers related to clean hydrogen production. The screening encompasses commercially available and developing thermal conversion technology alternatives as well as factors exogenous to the plant such as feedstock/byproduct pricing, CO 2 pipeline and storage infrastructure costs, and scale to assess potential pathways towards meeting the Hydrogen Shot goal. Additionally, this report presents initial Research and Development (R&D) strategies to advance thermal conversion technology towards meeting the Hydrogen Shot goal.
This report presents an independent assessment of the cost and performance of select hydrogen production plants utilizing fossil fuel resources as the primary feedstocks – specifically, natural gas (NG), steam methane reforming (SMR), NG autothermal reforming (ATR), coal gasification, and coal/biomass co-gasification – using a systematic, transparent technical and economic approach. Study cases were selected to reflect the capabilities of current, commercial technologies within plant configurations, and at scales, representative of next commercial offerings facing no fundamental research and development (R&D) obstacles. Additionally, several areas of R&D are identified as potential pathways for performance improvements and cost reductions.
NETL's Strategic Systems Analysis & Engineering (SSAE) is developing a reference study for fossil-based, commercial scale hydrogen production with a levelized cost of hydrogen (2018 $/kg) as the figure of merit. Coal/biomass gasification as well as natural gas-based technology routes (steam-methane reforming & autothermal reforming) are featured as technologies to be assessed. The final report is expected to be completed in August, 2021 -- this presentation describes the study's design in more detail as well as reports on its progress.