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CASE STUDY
LANGENBURG-MODIFIED COAL POWER PLANT
An alternative to combustion of coal by first converting it into a clean fuel used to operate a thermal plant's steam turbines, in addition to an ancillary process added that will derive other valuable produces from the process such as organic liquid carbon, other organic agricultural fertilizers and enriched soil products.
Langenburg 3D ArchViz model of PGE coal-plant located ~7 miles southeast of the City of Boardman, OR and the Columbia River
THE LAST BASELOAD POWER PLANT IN
OREGON IS DECOMMISSIONED AND DEMOLISHED
Originally certified in 1975 and operational in 1980, this last coal-fired power plant in the state of Oregon was decommissioned in October 2020. The site is located 7 miles south via Tower Road, from the Columbia River gorge. The above satellite image and 3D-model show the coal field surrounded by train tracks used for coal transport. The plant's large grinders produced a fine powdery coal dust that was air-injected for combustion in the plant's furnace.
In mid-2017, its owner Portland General Electric had investigated the possibility using technology accelerator services from Langenburg. The intent was to implement Langenburg's Core Technology to convert all the coal into noncarbon zero-emission synthetic fuel. After a disastrous combustion test using bio-fuel, its manager had expressed a strong interest in retrofitting the plant's furnace to operate using the produced Langenburg synthetic fuel.
Satellite image of PGE coal-plant prior to demolition
AN UNFORTUNATE LOST OPPORTUNITY IN ATTEMPT TO
CREATE THE FIRST EMISSION-FREE COAL PLANT
Having operated for about 20 years, environmental initiatives through state government incentivized the plant's eventual demolition in September 2022. Elimination of robust baseload power generation is gradually degrading the national power grid, increasing the possibility of power service in years to come. Although alternative energy campaigns sound promising, there is currently no feasible replacement for baseload and peak-power to provide current load satisfy increasing demand for electric vehicles.
Photo of PGE coal-plant's demolition in September 2022
A LANGENBURG RETROFITTED COAL-TO-ENERGY PLANT
DOES NOT REQUIRE A SMOKE STACK
Implementation of Langenburg Core Technology converts coal directly into fuel. The coal is not combusted (burned) to produce heat and therefore there is NO requirement for a smoke stack on a Langenburg retrofitted coal-to-energy plant.
As explained in the Core Technology section of this website... the fuel is synthetic, and produces heat without any emissions except for clean water vapor. The produced fuel is chemically non-toxic, and does not use a hydrocarbon molecule in order to stabilize hydrogen. Langenburg's proprietary hydrogen-based fuel does not require any heat, no electrolysis, nor any catalysts in its production process. It is the only form of hydrogen that is stable at ambient temperature, without the need for ancillary storage mechanisms to use. The aqueous liquid fuel is produced on-demand within the system until it is consumed to operate a heat-generating device such as a boiler for steam-turbine, or to directly operate heat-turbine engine.
Typical Biomass Furnace
A FAILED WOOD-SOURCED BIOMASS TEST
RESULTS IN EXPLOSIVE RESULT
The required quantity of trees to provide wood in its preparations to produced a suitable biomass fuel results in an unacceptable environmental impact. The biomass fuel supplied must meet the fuel requirement in tons/hour for the biomass power plant to operate. In this case, the numerations of the test outcome were not practical or viable, and also presented a risk of explosive fire.
During the production of heat in a testing furnace, the furnace was not sealed. Shortly after ignition of the biomass, a vacuum formed as oxygen was consumed inside the furnace, resulting in the drawing-in of ambient air. This inadvertent form of secondary air induction supercharged the oxidation process of combustion to a very high degree, causing an explosion.
The failed outcome of the test, combined with the insufficient heat content vs supply chain dynamics, rendered an outcome in which the 600 MW Coal-Fired Plant at Tower Road Boardman was fully decommissioned and closed permanently.
CORE-TECH FOR A REGENERATIVE
OPERATIONAL MODEL
COAL CONVERTED BY LANGENBURG INTO A CLEAN SOURCE OF FURNACE FUEL
Operational models can also be established at the coal mining site. Langenburg Core-Technology can make the mining operations clean. Coal delivery could be piped directly to the generation plant facility. Organic farming soil can be also be made at the mining site. Mining sites can be converted into valuable and fertile farmlands, used to establish highly productive agricultural farming operations.
INTAKE:
COAL, WATER & AIR
Slurrified for pumping into the Langenburg conversion component. Purified water is returned back into the originating reservoir.
PRODUCT #1:
PURIFIED WATER
Potable for municipal tap use, bottling-grade, or medical industrial and therapeutic grade.
PRODUCT #2:
ELECTRIC GRID POWER
Existing steam-turbine generators can operate using synthetic emission-free fuel made from coal. Coal shipments may continue or increase without creating any pollution.
PRODUCT #3:
SYNTHETIC FUEL
An emission-free heat source to operate coal-plant's existing steam turbine set. Fuel produced within the system as a throughput energy source, produced from coal, atmospheric air, and water from the on-site water reservoir.
PRODUCT #4:
LIQUID CARBON
Organic nutrient-dense soil amendment agent – a humic technology, and precursor to healthy soil microbiome. Liquid carbon creates a "high carbon footprint" to enhance fertility of the soil to grow food, made from high-carbon content of coal.
PRODUCT #5:
FERTILIZER
Organic alternative to conventional farming products (liquid or dry-granular).
PRODUCT #6:
SOIL
Organic, bioactive, nutrient-enriched, microbiome-balanced for hydroponics and field farming.
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