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--></style><title>2 upcoming LFEE Environment and Sustainability
seminar</title></head><body>
<div><b>The Earth System Initiative at MIT: Research and Education in
Environmental Science and Engineering</b></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Dr. Matthew Gardner, Program Administrator, Earth System
Initiative</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Wednesday, April 21, 2004</div>
<div>12:00-1:30 pm</div>
<div>E40-496</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>Abstract</b></div>
<div>The Earth System Initiative is a multidisciplinary environmental
research and education enterprise at MIT whose goal is to leverage
MIT's expertise in fundamental environmental science and engineering
in order to shed light on the chemical, biological, and geological
cycles that collectively make up our planet.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>In it's almost two years of existence, ESI is well on its way to
developing a portfolio of research and education activities that
reflect these goals. This seminar will describe the Earth System
Initiative in detail, will outline its research objectives, and will
describe ongoing and planned research and education programs in
environmental science and engineering.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>Clean and Efficient Fossil Fuel Power Generation,</b></div>
<div><b>Environmental Challenges and Technology Responses</b><br>
<b></b></div>
<div>János M. Beér</div>
<div>Department of Chemical Engineering</div>
<div>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Wednesday, April 28, 2004</div>
<div>12:00-1:30 pm</div>
<div>E40-496</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><b>Abstract</b></div>
<div>More than 70% of U.S. electric power generation is based on the
use of fossil fuels, mainly coal (55%) and natural gas (16%). While a
shift from coal to more natural gas is a strong trend, coal is
likely to remain the main energy source of electric power generation
well into this century.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>During the last fifteen years, science based new technologies
have been developed to control pollutant emission by combustion
process modification, post combustion cleanup, and improved
thermodynamic efficiency of the power cycle. The formation and
destruction of nitric oxide in combustion, and the reduction of
nitrogen oxides emission is discussed as an example of a cost
effective engineering solution in which chemistry gives guidance
for combustion process modifications that are accomplished by the
tools of fluid dynamics.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>While pollutant control technologies deal with individual
pollutants, improved thermodynamic cycle efficiency of power
generation reduces the emissions of all pollutants and also of CO2.
Successfully operating high efficiency cycles such as Natural Gas
Combined Cycle and Pulverized Coal Supercritical Steam, and others,
presently under development and demonstration, including Pressurized
Fluidized Bed with Topping Combustion, and CO2 sequestration capable
Gasification Combined Cycles, are discussed. These advanced cycles are
compared for their environmental merits and costs that affect their
chances of early application.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Part of the Environment and Sustainability Seminar Series
sponsored by the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
<http://lfee.mit.edu></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Light refreshments will be provided.</div>
<div><br></div>
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<div><font
color="#000000">_________________________________</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Karen L. Gibson</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Program Assistant</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">MIT Laboratory For Energy and the
Environment</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">77 Massachusetts Avenue,
E40-469</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">(1 Amherst St., E40-469 - for DHL and
FedEx)</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Cambridge, MA 02139 USA</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">Tel: 1 (617) 258-6368; Fax: 1
(617) 258-6590</font></div>
<div><font color="#000000">http://lfee.mit.edu</font></div>
<div><font
color="#000000">http://globalsustainability.org</font></div>
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