West Virginia University was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for research on a project that will develop technologically sophisticated monitoring networks for advanced fossil energy power systems.

Dr. Xingbo Liu, an assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Department in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and a part of WVU’s Advanced Energy Initiative, is the principle investigator for this project.

The project will support efforts by the Office of Fossil Energy’s Advanced Research—Coal Utilization Science Program to monitor the status of equipment, materials degradation and process conditions that impact the overall health of a component or system in the harsh, high-temperature, highly corrosive environments of advanced power plants.

Fossil fuel power plants generate about two-thirds of the world’s total electricity and are expected to continue to play an important role in the years ahead. Increasing global energy demands, coupled with the issues of aging, inefficient power plants and increasingly strict emission standards will require high levels of performance, capacity, efficiency and environmental controls from future generation facilities.

“This money will directly support the faculty, postdocs and students, from CEMR and other units in WVU, as well as our partners, to do research and development,” Liu said.

The award of this new project will further develop the Energy Materials Science and Engineering program after the current Research Challenge Grant expires in two years.

The National Energy Technology Laboratory will manage the research throughout its 36 month duration. AEI coordinates all University-wide energy research in science, technology, engineering and public policy.

-WVU-

cam/09/21/10

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CONTACT:
Nicole Riggleman
Interim Program Coordinator of College Relations
College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
(304)293-4257
Nicole.riggleman@mail.wvu.edu