by Edward Dodge | May 28, 2015 | Uncategorized
Gas flares are a potent symbol of modern society’s wasteful ways, whether in oil fields, landfills, or industry, these gases are vented and burned off because they have low fuel value or the infrastructure does not exist to properly manage them. All these wasted gases form air pollution and contribute significantly to global warming. Ener-Core is helping to address this problem of methane and waste gas emissions through the deployment of its new Power Oxidizer product line. The Power Oxidizer is a unique new technology that can utilize low-BTU gases that are usually flared or vented to produce electric power. Gases are wasted when they have a low methane content and cannot be utilized in a conventional engine or turbine to produce heat and power. Ener-Core’s patented Power Oxidizer technology can utilize gas with very low fuel value, down to 1.5% methane, to produce power. Since these gases cannot be effectively combusted, Ener-Core uses an alternative approach, gradual oxidation, to produce heat and power. Oxidation is the natural process of molecules reacting with oxygen and breaking down that normally takes place over a period of weeks or years. The Power Oxidizer accelerates this process into a few seconds where it generates usable heat which is then used to drive a turbine and make power. The potential applications for this new technology are enormous. Currently Ener-Core is targeting markets for digesters (including waste water treatment), landfills, coal mines, oil and gas operations, manufacturing, food processing, chemicals and ethanol plants. Anywhere there is flaring of waste gases is a potential application of the Power Oxidizer. The EPA estimates that 480 billion...
