6
Water for Energy and Fuel Production
energy and fuels in at least 12 different ways. Each of these methods will become
more important as the need for energy and fuels grows and diversifies. The role of
water is distinctly different in these 12 methods of water usage for the production of
energy and fuel, which is discussed below. Each method is separately described in
Chapters 2–13. The content of each chapter is briefly described below.
While the rest of the book is divided into 12 separate chapters based on 12 separate roles of water (in all its forms) in energy and fuel industries, these roles can also
be classified in terms of the following five major functions played by the water:
1. The benign role of water in the production of raw fuels such as oil, gas,
coal, uranium, and biomass as well as the benign role of water as a means
for energy carrier in the form of hot water and steam (Chapters 2 and 3).
2. Role of steam as a reactant in the conversion of raw fuels to synthetic fuels,
which can then be a direct source of energy (Chapter 4).
3. Role of water as a reactant, reaction medium, and catalyst in the conversion of raw fuels such as coal, biomass, and waste to useful synthetic fuels.
Aqueous water under subcritical conditions can react with various feedstock thermochemically in the presence of a catalyst or biochemically to
produce gaseous, liquid, or solid synthetic fuels (Chapters 5–9).
4. Role of supercritical water in the conversion of fossil- and bio-based
feedstock to synthetic fuels in the presence and absence of a catalyst.
Supercritical water provides an excellent medium for many organic reactions (Chapter 10).
5. Water as a direct source of energy and fuels. Hydrogen can be generated by
water dissociation. Gas hydrates provide methane from water-based clathrate molecules. Water can also be a direct source of energy when stored in
dams (potential energy) or other sources of hydrokinetic energy such as
in tidal waves, offshore sea and ocean waves, undercurrents, and inland
waterways. In the equator region, power can also be generated using ocean
thermal energy conversion technology, which harnesses the temperature
difference between the ocean surface and the underwater to drive heat
engine (Chapters 11–13).
1.2.1 ChAPTer 2: WATer For rAW Fuel ProduCTion
Water plays a very important role in the generation of renewable source of energy,
namely bioenergy and biofuels. The growth of all types of plants, vegetables, crops,
and trees requires water. The growth of algae, which is one of the richest sources of
oil, requires wetlands. Thus, water is a basic necessity for the production of biomass,
a raw material for biofuels and bioenergy.
Water, however, also plays a vital role in the recovery of raw fuels such as oil,
gas, coal, and uranium. The amount of water required (often denoted as “produced
water”) to recover raw fuels is so large that the treatment, disposal, and management
of produced water has become a rapidly growing industry by itself. Some people
consider fossil fuel industry as water industry with oil, gas, coal, and uranium as
byproducts. For every barrel of oil produced, six to eight barrels of water is needed
Water for Energy and Fuel Production
energy and fuels in at least 12 different ways. Each of these methods will become
more important as the need for energy and fuels grows and diversifies. The role of
water is distinctly different in these 12 methods of water usage for the production of
energy and fuel, which is discussed below. Each method is separately described in
Chapters 2–13. The content of each chapter is briefly described below.
While the rest of the book is divided into 12 separate chapters based on 12 separate roles of water (in all its forms) in energy and fuel industries, these roles can also
be classified in terms of the following five major functions played by the water:
1. The benign role of water in the production of raw fuels such as oil, gas,
coal, uranium, and biomass as well as the benign role of water as a means
for energy carrier in the form of hot water and steam (Chapters 2 and 3).
2. Role of steam as a reactant in the conversion of raw fuels to synthetic fuels,
which can then be a direct source of energy (Chapter 4).
3. Role of water as a reactant, reaction medium, and catalyst in the conversion of raw fuels such as coal, biomass, and waste to useful synthetic fuels.
Aqueous water under subcritical conditions can react with various feedstock thermochemically in the presence of a catalyst or biochemically to
produce gaseous, liquid, or solid synthetic fuels (Chapters 5–9).
4. Role of supercritical water in the conversion of fossil- and bio-based
feedstock to synthetic fuels in the presence and absence of a catalyst.
Supercritical water provides an excellent medium for many organic reactions (Chapter 10).
5. Water as a direct source of energy and fuels. Hydrogen can be generated by
water dissociation. Gas hydrates provide methane from water-based clathrate molecules. Water can also be a direct source of energy when stored in
dams (potential energy) or other sources of hydrokinetic energy such as
in tidal waves, offshore sea and ocean waves, undercurrents, and inland
waterways. In the equator region, power can also be generated using ocean
thermal energy conversion technology, which harnesses the temperature
difference between the ocean surface and the underwater to drive heat
engine (Chapters 11–13).
1.2.1 ChAPTer 2: WATer For rAW Fuel ProduCTion
Water plays a very important role in the generation of renewable source of energy,
namely bioenergy and biofuels. The growth of all types of plants, vegetables, crops,
and trees requires water. The growth of algae, which is one of the richest sources of
oil, requires wetlands. Thus, water is a basic necessity for the production of biomass,
a raw material for biofuels and bioenergy.
Water, however, also plays a vital role in the recovery of raw fuels such as oil,
gas, coal, and uranium. The amount of water required (often denoted as “produced
water”) to recover raw fuels is so large that the treatment, disposal, and management
of produced water has become a rapidly growing industry by itself. Some people
consider fossil fuel industry as water industry with oil, gas, coal, and uranium as
byproducts. For every barrel of oil produced, six to eight barrels of water is needed