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<br />i:'- <br />.,...., <br /> <br />r- " <br />- , <br /> <br />....~ <br /> <br />'.. <br /> <br />AQUATRAIN's use of the liquid CO2 transport technology offers <br />advantages over traditional water-based slurries in addition <br />to the ability to carry much more pulverized coal: <br /> <br />* Water from sources in the Upper Colorado River Basin <br />can be kept within the Upper Basin, eliminating water <br />export which is governed by many laws and compacts. <br />* Cross-contamination problems associated with coal/water <br />slurries can be avoided. <br />* A major financial and technological drawback of conventional <br />water slurries--separating coal from the slurry medium--is <br />minimized with CO . <br />* The ultimate wate~ disposal problem is eliminated by <br />a CO slurry. <br />* powe~ can be saved by pumping the water only as far as <br />points of use or disposal, rather than to the end of <br />the pipeline if water were used to slurry coal. <br /> <br />It is envisioned that other commodities could also be transported <br />in CO2 to make optimal use of the system, but further laboratory <br />and pTlot plant testing would be needed. Conceptually, no <br />major technical obstacles are anticipated. Proposed commodities <br />include soda ash, grain, and clay products. Transport technology <br />studies on these commodities will progress as expressions <br />of interest are received. <br /> <br />C_'.~ <br /> <br />All feasible slurry technologies are being considered for <br />AQUATRAIN. To date, however, liquid CO2 appears to be the <br />most promising medium to meet the critical project objective <br />of competitive product transportation in a pipeline system. <br /> <br />Configuration <br /> <br />The AQUATRAIN system could use multiple pipelines installed <br />in the same corridor over portions of the route. This would <br />allow coal and saline water to be carried in separate pipelines, <br />minimizing product storage costs at each end of the system <br />and maximizing system reliability. A third pipe could be <br />installed for returning a part of the CO2 back to the system's <br />loading points. Availability of liquid ~O? in the return <br />pipeline would allow numerous loading points, facilitating <br />participation of small coal producers along the pipeline corridor. <br />The actual configuration and sizing of pipes will be based <br />on many factors including: throughput*, location, environment, <br />cost, and reliability. Map A illustrates anticipated line <br />capacities, input volumes, and output volumes. <br /> <br />Corridor Selection <br /> <br />Various pipeline corridors have been identified by the Bureau <br />of Reclamation with the assistance of the Bureau of Land Management. <br />That identification process entailed a comparison of saline <br />water sources, previously evaluated pipeline routes, and expressions <br /> <br />*Throughput is the volume of commodities carried in the pipeline. <br /> <br />11 <br />