UW Receives DOE Award to Improve Wastewater Management in Coal-Based Power Plants

The University of Wyoming has been selected to negotiate a nearly $400,000 award from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrocarbon and Geothermal Energy Office. The project aims to improve water efficiency and reduce the volume of wastewater requiring management at coal-based power plants.

The funding is part of a broader federal initiative to refurbish and modernize the nation’s existing coal power plants. The DOE effort is intended to support practical, high-impact projects that improve the efficiency, lifetimes and performance of coal and natural gas infrastructure.

UW’s project was one of nine selected nationwide spanning three different topic areas. The project is co-led by Erica Belmont, an associate professor of mechanical engineering and adjunct professor for UW’s School of Energy Resources (SER), alongside Trina Igelsrud-Pfeiffer, director of the Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCCC) in SER.

The project, titled “Thermal Bottom Ash Drying to Reduce Water Burdens and Facilitate Critical Mineral Recovery and CCUS Integration,” will evaluate the technical, environmental and economic viability of applying advanced thermal drying technology to bottom ash transport water.

“Coal-fired power plants that employ wet bottom ash handling systems use water to transport ash from the boiler to collection and management systems,” Belmont says. “While this approach is widely deployed and operationally proven, it presents opportunities for improvement in water efficiency, wastewater management and long-term handling of coal combustion residuals.”

The study seeks to identify practical pathways to reduce water use, minimize wastewater generation and decrease long-term environmental liabilities. Additionally, bottom ash drying can facilitate downstream processing for solids utilization and the recovery of critical minerals.

The initial phase of the project will entail a pre-front-end engineering design in collaboration with technology, engineering and utility industry partners.

These objectives will position the project for a Phase 2 down-selection and advancement toward a physical demonstration of the advanced wastewater management solutions.

“We are deeply grateful to the Department of Energy for this award,” Belmont says. “This funding enables our team to investigate an innovative application that can have tremendous benefits for coal-fleet efficiencies, as well as potentially transforming a waste stream into a resource for critical minerals.”

Both project leaders are heavily involved in ongoing efforts to support the coal industry in Wyoming. Belmont’s extensive research in combustion and solid fuel conversion has been a fundamental component of the work being conducted in the CCCC under Igelsrud-Pfeiffer’s leadership to discover new, alternative uses for Wyoming coal.

A full list of project selections can be read here.