Hari Chandan Mantripragada
Doctoral student
Department of Engineering and Public Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh
PA 15217
Contact: mharichandan@cmu.edu
Current research
Techno-economic evaluation of coal-to-liquids (CTL) plants
with carbon capture and storage (CCS)
Coal-to-liquids (CTL) process generates synthetic liquid fuels like gasoline and diesel from coal.
Since coal is abundantly available in the U.S., it is widely viewed as a potential source for alternative
liquid fuels in the scenario of a future oil crisis. One main concern of coal liquids, however, is the huge
emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the CTL process. These emissions can be mitigated using
carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology in which CO2 is compressed and stored in a
geological aquifer.
My work involves developing a comprehensive techno-economic assessment model of liquids-only
and poly-generation CTL plants, capable of incorporating CCS. Through an uncertainty and sensitivity
analysis, the important factors that affect the cost of liquid fuel production from coal, including the
plant size, type and price of coal, economic assumptions and technical factors are studied.
The capability of a poly-generation CTL plant in mitigating CO2 emissions by displacing conventional
coal-fired power plants is also investigated.
Advisor:
Prof. Ed Rubin
Dept. of Engineering and Public Policy
Conferences and publications
"CO2 Reduction Potential of CTL plants",
Seventh Annual Conf. on Carbon Capture and Sequestratoin, May 5-8, 2008, Pittsburgh, PA
"CO2 Reductoin Potential of CTL plants",
Updated results to include post-combustion capture in a poly-generation plant
9th International Greenhousegas Control Technologies Conference, Nov 16 - 20, 2008, Washington DC
Prior education
Master of Technology
Completed in 2005 from:
Energy Systems Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Mumbai, India
Bachelor of Technology
Completed in 2003 from:
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, India
Interests
Energy and enviroment-related issues
Indian classical music and old hindi and telugu movie songs
(Favourite singers: MS Subbalakshmi, Mohd. Rafi)
Cricket and tennis
Hindu philosophy and sanskrt language
Hobbies
Spoken sanskrit
Sketching
Hiking
Nautre photography
Writing anecdotes and some fiction
Reading general books
(Favourite authors: PG Wodehouse, RK Narayan)
Contact information
126 B, Porter Hall
Phone: 412-268-5607
e-mail: mharichandan@cmu.edu
Money does not pay, fame does not pay. It is love that pays. It is character that cleaves through adamantine walls of difficulties. -- Swami Vivekananda