The EU 7th Framework Programme (FP7) does not support work on coal conversion as such although there is some scope for projects to reduce CO2 emissions from such processes, e.g. coking. This leaves the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), which is administered by the European Commission. This funds projects on coal conversion, which can include research and demonstration projects, accompanying measures, as well as support and preparatory actions. The number of new projects supported each year varies and depends on the total budget available as well as on the budget claimed by each individual project. Thus if a high cost project is rated highly and is funded, its inclusion means that the level of funding for additional projects is reduced.
Projects that involve UK organisations and either remain active or will commence in early 2013 are listed below. In each case, contracts have been signed with the Commission to implement the R&D programmeand information is in the public domain.
| Project |
Objectives |
Action Line |
Type of Action |
UK Participants |
Co-ordinator and Partners |
Total Funding |
EU Funding |
Duration |
Annual Spend |
HUGE 2
Hydrogen oriented underground coal gasification for Europe - Environmental and Safety Aspects | - To address safety and environmental aspects of underground coal gasification, through trials of a two borehole system in a mine
- To investigate practical solutions for prevention of possible leakages by use of reactive barriers to prevent contamination of underground aquifers and potential leakage of poisonous and explosive gases into the surrounding strata.
| RFCR-CT-2011-00002 | Project | UCG Engineering Ltd. | Główny Instytut Górnictwa, Poland
7 partners | €2.07m | €1.24m | July 2011-June 2014 | €0.69m |
ECOWATER
Enhanced treatment of coke oven plant wastewater | - To reduce discharges of priority substances and priority hazardous substances (PS and PHS) in coke oven effluents in order to meet the objectives of the EU Water Framework Directive
- To characterise the behaviour of PS and PHS in the coke oven wastewater treatment process
- To study the chemical and ecological impact of coke oven effluents upon the quality of local river basins
- To enhance the efficiency of biological effluent treatment plants using novel molecular biology approaches
- To investigate the use of advanced photo-oxidation, filtration and adsorption techniques for the abatement of PS and PHS in effluents.
| RFCR-CT-2010-00010 | Project | Tata Steel
University of Sheffield | Tata Steel, UK
3 partners | €1.05m | €0.63m | July 2010-December 2013 | €0.30m |
FECUNDUS
Advanced concepts and process schemes for
CO2 free fluidised and entrained bed co-gasification of coals | - To integrate schemes for the co-gasification of coal, biomass and wastes with processes for CO2 separation and capture, based on fluidised bed and entrained flow gasification processes.
| RFCR-CT-2010-00009 | Project | Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine | IRC-CNR, Spain
8 partners | €2.88m | €1.73m | July 2010- June 2013 | €0.96m |
SPRITCO
Generation of swelling pressure in a coke, transmission on oven walls and consequences on wall degradation | - To improve the knowledge of the swelling pressure generation phenomena
- To develop advanced methods to measure phenomena and their consequences on ovens
- To develop a prediction model of wall pressure.
| RFCR-CT-2010-00006 | Project | University of Nottingham | Arcelormittal Maizieres Research SA, France
5 partners | €1.94m | €1.17m | July 2010-December 2013 | €0.55m |
DENSICHARGE
Improving the use of alternative raw materials in coking blends through charge densification | - To improve the use of alternative materials in coking coal blends by delivering technological solutions to increase oven charge bulk density for EU plants, through an integrated series of trials supported by process development and mathematical modelling
- To investigate charge pre-treatment/densification methods to increase use of alternative materials in coking blends at existing plants
- To evaluate the influence of alternative raw materials, blends and pre-treatment processes on charge bulk density, carbonisation, coke oven operating conditions, coke quality and yield
- To assess the economic and environmental feasibility of alternative materials and pre-treatment technologies for industrial coke production.
| RFCR-CT-2010-00007 | Project | Tata Steel University of Nottingham | Tata Steel, UK
8 partners | €2.87m | €1.72m | July 2010- June 2013 | €0.96m |
