(CHARLOTTE, N.C. – May 1, 2014) – The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) (NYSE:BWC) is pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Energy has selected its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, Inc. (B&W PGG), to receive a $2.5 million award for Phase 2 development of iron-based Coal Direct Chemical Looping (CDCL) technology.

Researchers with B&W PGG and The Ohio State University (OSU) have collaborated on the development of CDCL technology- an advanced process for clean power generation and carbon dioxide (CO2) capture at potentially lower cost than other CO2-capture technologies.

“Innovative solutions to capture and sequester CO2 are essential to coal’s future as a clean energy option in the United States,” said B&W PGG President and Chief Operating Officer J. Randall Data. “We appreciate the DOE’s continued support of our research and development efforts and look forward to adding CDCL technology to B&W PGG’s suite of advanced power generation systems and CO2 capture options.”

CDCL technology was developed and successfully tested at bench scale at OSU’s labs in Columbus, Ohio.  B&W PGG is leading the commercial design effort for this novel technology, and research and testing are ongoing at the B&W Research Center in Barberton, Ohio and at OSU’s labs. 

The CDCL process uses a unique fuel reactor design where coal reacts with iron oxide-based oxygen carrier particles. The chemical reaction converts the coal to a concentrated stream of CO2 for use in enhanced oil recovery or for permanent storage, and reduces the iron-oxide.

The reduced oxygen carrier particles are re-oxidized in a second reactor where heat is liberated, which can be used to produce steam for the generation of electricity. B&W PGG’s experience in circulating fluidized bed and bubbling bed technology was utilized in the development of the commercial scale design. In Phase II, B&W PGG and its collaborators will test the CDCL process at a laboratory-scale.

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