Graduate Seminar: Andrew Fry
Wednesday March 11, 2015, 3:00-4:00 p.m., WEB 2250
All are welcome to an invited seminar by Andrew Fry – Research Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, and Director, ICGRF, at the University of Utah. The title is: “United States Electric Power Generation in a Carbon Constrained World.” The seminar will be from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday March 11, 2015 in WEB 2250. There will be light refreshments afterwards.
Abstract: United States Electric Power Generation in a Carbon Constrained World
Electric power generation in the United States employs a good mix of power sources including fossil fuels, nuclear, hydroelectric and renewables. However, up to 45% is produced by burning coal to produce steam which drives generators via turbines. Using coal as an abundant and relatively easily accessible energy source has allowed the US to have low cost and reliable electricity for many years. Our current electricity cost is about 12 cents/kilowatt hour where world prices range from 8 to 41 cents/kilowatt hour. Recently the emission of greenhouse gas pollutants has become a great concern worldwide due to concern about climate change. If the United States plans to continue to use coal to produce electric power at a low cost, we must determine strategies and develop technology to mitigate CO2 emission from coal combustion sources. This presentation will provide an overview of these issues and then will focus on research performed at the University of Utah that will enable the continued use of our most abundant natural resources in a carbon constrained world.
Biography:
Andrew Fry is an Associate Research Professor of Chemical Engineering and Director of the Industrial Combustion and Gasification Research Facility (ICGRF) at the University of Utah. He develops and execute research programs focused on utilizing our various natural resources to produce power in the most clean and efficient manner possible using industrial-scale research combustors and gasifiers. Prior to his appointment as Professor at the University, Andrew worked for seven years as Manager of Engineering R&D at Reaction Engineering International (REI), a private consulting firm focused on solving combustion problems in industrial and utility boilers and heaters. Programs Andrew managed at REI consisted of: experimental evaluation of NOx reduction technologies, development of modeling software describing mercury emission from coal-fired utility boilers, demonstration of mercury capture technologies at full-scale boilers, pilot-scale investigation of oxy-combustion retrofit of pilot-scale utility boilers and integration of CFD and process modeling for evaluation of the effects of heat transfer surface modifications on the heat balance of utility boilers. Andrew earned his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah in 2002 and 2006 respectively.