CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Businesswire | June 01, 2023
New research from NuScale Power demonstrates the advanced capabilities of NuScale small modular reactors (SMRs) for reducing emissions in industrial sectors, which is critical to meeting global climate goals. Led by Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer Dr. José Reyes, the benchmarked research found that NuScale SMRs have the potential for use in a wide variety of high-temperature industrial processes not previously envisioned using light water reactor (LWR) technology, such as heavy to light oil conversion, bulk plastic waste recycling, dissolving heavy oil to produce gasoline additives, and light plastics for the regeneration of products like synthesis gas. This capability will provide oil refiners and chemical companies with new options to decarbonize their operations and products using carbon-free nuclear energy.
NuScale’s research shows that the steam generated by a single NuScale Power Module™ can be compressed and heated to produce process steam at commercial scale, temperatures, and pressures. The lower steam temperatures and pressures from a LWR typically requires conditioning prior to injection into a high temperature/high pressure process. Dr. Reyes and team have found that a single NPM, generating 250 MWt, can produce >500,000 lb/hr of steam at 1,500 psia and 500ºC (932oF) with the potential to extend production to 2,400 psia and over 650ºC (1200oF). In a 12-module, VOYGR™-12 plant, 3 GW of thermal power is produced, offering both electrical power and large volumes of superheated steam from a plant that can be safely located near major industrial processes.
“The compression heating systems we have proposed through this new research are an ideal application for NuScale’s VOYGR plants and could also broaden the role of LWRs in global decarbonization efforts,” said Dr. Reyes. “These new findings strengthen the use case for NuScale’s advanced SMR technology.”
NuScale will continue to explore the enhanced flexibility, reliability, and economics of multi-module steam generation that is augmented by cost-effective and high-efficiency steam compression and heating. NuScale is presently collaborating with end-users of steam, electric power, and hydrogen to assess and optimize Integrated Energy Systems, with plans to support industry clean energy goals at a commercial scale.
The findings are underscored by NuScale’s unparalleled safety features that enable VOYGR plants to operate both off-grid and to achieve a site boundary Emergency Planning Zone for most U.S. plant locations. VOYGR plants can be located closer to end-users, which reduces heat losses due to steam transport and results in a higher efficiency industrial energy system.
About NuScale Power
NuScale Power Corporation is the industry-leading provider of proprietary and innovative advanced small modular reactor nuclear technology, with a mission to help power the global energy transition by delivering safe, scalable, and reliable carbon-free energy. The company’s groundbreaking VOYGR™ SMR plants are powered by the NuScale Power Module™, a small, safe, pressurized water reactor that can each generate 77 megawatts of electricity (MWe) or 250 megawatts thermal (gross), and can be scaled to meet customer needs through an array of flexible configurations up to 924 MWe (12 modules) of output.
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CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY, PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES
Prnewswire | April 03, 2023
Nacero will transition its current pre-construction, multi-billion USD facility in Texas, designed to produce low carbon gasoline to the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and lower carbon aviation fuel (LCAF). When fully completed, Nacero's facility in Texas will be the largest commercial scale facility in the US for producing SAF and LCAF utilizing TOPSOE's MTJet™ technology.
Nacero will produce SAF and LCAF from renewable natural gas (RNG) sourced from dairy farms and landfills, and from mitigated flared gas sourced in the Permian Basin. The SAF and LCAF products will contain no sulfur, while produced utilizing 100%, low-cost renewable power, and utilizing integrated carbon capture within the process. As a result, Nacero and TOPSOE offer America's aviation industry a lower carbon solution for everyday jet fuel at an affordable price and with up to a 100% reduction in its lifecycle carbon footprint.
"Topsoe fully supports Nacero's decision to shift its focus to SAF and LCAF production given the challenge of meeting 2030 and 2050 consumption goals of renewable jet fuel. We have been working very closely with Nacero's experienced project team to implement Topsoe NG to gasoline process and we are very excited about the opportunity to continue this successful collaboration while building a scalable solution to meet the world's growing demand for SAF and LCAF."
- Henrik Rasmussen, Topsoe's Managing Director, The Americas
Nacero will leverage already complete project development work, site permitting, and extensive engineering and construction planning for the earlier proposed TIGAS™ gasoline project. This work will be updated by TOPSOE and Nacero with minimal design modifications required to enable utilization of the very similar MTJet™ process. The already completed engineering and construction planning work, remains unchanged and is completely compatible as designed with TOPSOE's MTJet™ process. This includes TOPSOE's proprietary processes, catalysts, and equipment designs for their SynCOR Methanol™ technology as well as integrated carbon capture technology provided by Giammarco Vetrocoke. Leveraging this previous work enables and achieves significant schedule advantages for the joint development effort to achieve commercialization of SAF production.
TOPSOE has more than 50 years of commercial experience and internal research and development with methanol synthesis and methane-rich gas-to-gasoline processes which support a methanol-to-jet solution. TOPSOE, with Nacero participation, is currently working with ASTM to qualify the methanol to jet pathway. Topsoe will provide the required samples (produced from their demonstration unit) to validate fuel quality, safety, and compatibility with existing jet engines.
TOPSOE will provide Nacero with engineering and design services to update their Process Design Package (PDP) for MTJet™ technology and will supply catalyst and proprietary hardware for Nacero's Texas facility.
Nacero and TOPSOE together will focus on long-term, large-scale impacts to achieve the established U.S. carbon reduction goals for 2030 and 2050, including expanding the supply of TOPSOE technology and catalysts for future Nacero SAF production facilities in the U.S.
TOPSOE's MTJet™ technology, incorporated with Topsoe's SynCOR Methanol™ technology, achieves exceptional economies of scale with each future production phase. By using six parallel SynCOR Methanol™ and MTJet™ process units, Nacero's Texas facility, when fully developed, will produce more than 30,000 metric tons per day (MTPD) of methanol, which will be processed to SAF and LCAF for the aviation industry.
"At Nacero, we recognize the need to address climate change and decarbonize all sectors, yet we believe that we can make the greatest impact by helping to reduce carbon produced from air travel," said Nacero's CEO and Chairman, Bruce Selkirk. "The airline industry and U.S. government agencies have pledged significant carbon reduction targets to be achieved by 2030 and 2050 which presently appear to be challenging to meet with current technologies and limited feedstocks. By transitioning our facilities to SAF and LCAF, we believe we can make a significant contribution to meeting these goals while at the same time offering a product to the aviation industry that is cost competitive to traditional jet fuel."
About Topsoe
Founded in 1940, Topsoe is a leading global developer and supplier of decarbonization technology, catalysts, and services for the energy transition. Our mission is to combat climate change by helping our partners and customers achieve their decarbonization and emission-reduction targets, including those in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, shipping, and the production of raw materials. From carbon reduction chemicals, to renewable fuels and plastic upcycling, we are uniquely positioned to aid humanity in realizing a sustainable future.
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PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGIES, MARKET OUTLOOK
Businesswire | May 31, 2023
LSB Industries, Inc. and Amogy Inc. jointly announced they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) aimed at promoting the adoption of low-carbon ammonia as a marine fuel, initially for the U.S. inland waterways transportation sector. Through joint efforts, the companies will focus on advancing the understanding, utilization, and advocacy of low-carbon ammonia as a sustainable fuel.
Pursuant to the MOU, the companies will collaborate on the evaluation and development of a pilot program that integrates LSB’s low carbon ammonia and Amogy’s ammonia-to-power solution. Upon successful completion of the evaluation and pilot program, the companies expect to further collaborate on a larger-scale development, including exploration of opportunities for development of an end-to-end supply chain of low carbon ammonia and deployment of Amogy technology across multiple applications, including maritime vessels. The evaluation and pilot program includes potential engagement with other parties across the ammonia value chain. The two parties will also collaborate on various advocacy, education, and outreach efforts regarding the use of ammonia as a fuel.
President, and Chief Executive Officer of LSB Industries, Mark Behrman, stated, “Our vision at LSB is to be a leader in the energy transition through the production of low and no carbon products. This collaboration agreement is an exciting step in our journey toward achieving our goals and we’re thrilled to be working with such an outstanding partner in Amogy.”
“We’re delighted by this opportunity to work with LSB to advance the development of a low-carbon ammonia supply chain primarily in the US,” says Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy. “The success of this collaboration will be a key step toward solidifying ammonia's position as a comprehensive solution for decarbonizing the commercial transportation sector across the entire value chain, from the upstream production to the downstream usage.”
About LSB Industries, Inc.
LSB Industries, Inc., headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is committed to playing a leadership role in the energy transition through the production of low and no carbon products that build, feed and power the world. The LSB team is dedicated to building a culture of excellence in customer experiences as we currently deliver essential products across the agricultural, industrial, and mining end markets and, in the future, the energy markets. The company manufactures ammonia and ammonia-related products at facilities in Cherokee, Alabama, El Dorado, Arkansas and Pryor, Oklahoma and operates a facility for a global chemical company in Baytown, Texas.
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