Demonstration United States

Coal is expected to be the best domestic feedstock alternative to natural gas. Although coal-based ammonia plants have been built elsewhere, there is no such plant in the United States. Pilot-scale projects have demonstrated effective ammonia-from-coal technology (102). The cost of ammonia production can be anticipated to increase, lea ding to increases in the cost of producing nitrogen fertilizers. 

United States Department of Energy, Clean CoalFechnology Demonstration Program, DOE/FE-0219P, U.S. Dept, of Energy, Washington, D.C., Feb. 1991. 

Shale Oil. In the United States, shale oil, or oil derivable from oil shale, represents the largest potential source of Hquid hydrocarbons that can be readily processed to fuel Hquids similar to those derived from natural petroleum. Some countries produce Hquid fuels from oil shale. There is no such industry in the United States although more than 50 companies were producing oil from coal and shale in the United States in 1860 (152,153), and after the oil embargo of 1973 several companies reactivated shale-oil process development programs (154,155). Petroleum supply and price stabiHty has since severely curtailed shale oil development. In addition, complex environmental issues (156) further prohibit demonstration of commercial designs. 

Sevin. 1-Naphthalenol methylcarbanate [63-25-2] (Sevin) (44) was developed as an insecticide. However, the conception of the molecule, in the mid-1950s, was as a possible herbicide. The compound ultimately was useless as a herbicide, but in routine testing it was discovered to be an excellent insecticide. Sevin was active in the oat mesocotyl assay and demonstrated weak auxin-like activity. During the development of Sevin, it caused massive apple drop in the western United States in an orchard being treated for insects. It is used (ca 1993) as an abscising agent to thin apples. 

Turner s Syndrome. Turner s syndrome is a genetic disorder of females characterized by short stature, nonfunctioning ovaries, and failure to develop secondary sexual characteristics. Several clinical trials in the United States, Europe, and Japan have demonstrated that hGH can accelerate... 

Several manufacturers of ceramic powders are involved in commercializa tion of hydrothermaHy derived powders. In the United States, Cabot (Boyertown, Peimsylvania) has built a small manufacturing plant and is supplying materials to capacitor manufacturers. Other manufacturers include Sakai Chemical and Euji Titanium in Japan. Sakai Chemical is reportedly producing 1 t/d in its demonstration plant. A comparison of the characteristics of commercially available powders is given in Table 2. 

Demonstrated reserve quantities are estabUshed by measurements including drillings surface sampling, etc. Inferred reserves are those derived from geological survey information, not by measurement of the extent of the particular reserve. Not included herein are identified marginal and speculative resources, such as the oil-field and geothermal brines and lithium-hearing clays. These latter reserves are speculative as to extent, not existence. Total undiscovered clays in the western United States are speculatively estimated at 15 x 10 t lithium (16). More detailed Hsts of reserves are also available (15,17). 

Whereas considerable progress has been made towards achieving acceptable channel performance (power and enthalpy extraction) and durabiUty, as of this writing performance and durabiUty have not been demonstrated simultaneously. A larger scale demonstration plant has been proposed in the United States by the MHD Development Corp. (112). 

Conceptual Design of MHD Repowered Plant. The first step toward MHD plant commercialization is a pilot-scale demonstration plant. Repowering of existing plants, actively under study both in the United States and elsewhere (65), allows use of existing systems at considerable cost savings compared to building a new plant from the ground up. It also ensures that the pilot scale demonstration occurs in a reaHstic utiHty environment and... 

The recycling option is being utilized outside the United States. Whereas the technology of this option has been completely demonstrated ia the United States, the economics have not been favorable. Moreover, concerns have been raised as to the diversion of the plutonium to weapons use. Thus, the throwaway option is the only one ia use ia the United States as of this writing. 

Several utility-scale demonstration facilities having power outputs in the 300-MW class have been constmcted in the United States and Europe. These started accumulating operating experience in 1995 and 1996. Other IGCC plants have been constmcted, including units fueled by petroleum coke and refinery bottoms. Advanced 500-MW class IGCC plants based around the latest heavy-duty combustion turbines are expected to be priced competitively with new pulverized-coal-fined plants utilising scmbbers. 

In the United States, the reportable quantity of 1-propanol for spills under CERCLA "Superfund" is 100 Ib/d (45.4 kg/d). However, no reportable quantity is assigned for transport (43). The substance is on the list for atmospheric standards, as defined iu 40 CER 60.489 (47). The iatent of these standards is to require all newly constmcted, modified, and reconstmcted manufacturiug units to use the best demonstrated system of continuous emission reduction for equipment leaks of volatile organic compounds (47). 1-Propanol is also on the right-to-know regulations of the states of Connecticut,... 

Not all of the gas is wasted. About 300 MW of electricity is generated from landfills. A variety of electric generation systems have been employed by a small number of developers. Most projects use simple technology and are small (2—10 MW). However, an EPRI study has estimated that landfill gas resources in the United States could support 6,000 MW of generation if utilized in 2-MW-sized carbonate fuel cells. Constmction on the world s first utihty-scale direct carbonate fuel cell demonstration was begun in California. If successful, EPRI estimates that precommercial 3-MW plants based on this design could become available by the end of this decade at an installed cost of 17,000/kW. 

Tidal Power. Tidal power is caused by the gravitational pull of the sun and especially the moon, as they pull at the earth. Reacting to this pull, the ocean s waters rise, causing a high tide where the moon is closest. The difference between low and high tide can range from a few cm to several meters. Harnessing tidal power for electricity production by the use of dams requires a tidal difference of at least 4.5 m, a requirement met at few locations in the United States. Thus, the principal demonstration sites of tidal power are in Canada, China, and France. 

Influenza. Although current influenza vaccine (subunit spHt vaccine) has been in use yearly for the elderly, it is not recommended for the general population or infants. Improvements to increase or prolong the immunogenicity, reduce the side-effects (due to egg production procedure), and provide mass protection are stiU being pursued. One approach is to use a five, attenuated vims though cold adaptation. A vaccine has been used in Russia and demonstrated to be safe and efficacious for infants (82). Clinical trials for a similar vaccine are being carried out in the United States (83). 

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