Gas guzzlers

Ceramic tubes that could cut most emissions from gas-fired power stations and coal and oil-fired generators have been developed by researchers at Newcastle University.

The tubes are made from an advanced material known as LSCF, or Lanthanum Strontium Cobalt Ferric Oxide.

Originally developed for use as the cathode in fuel cells, LSCF works by controlling the combustion process, as it can filter oxygen out of air. By burning fuel in pure oxygen, it is possible to produce a stream of almost pure carbon dioxide after combustion, which can be reprocessed into useful chemicals rather than having to be captured and stored.

The work was carried out in collaboration with Imperial College London, and has been led by Prof Ian Metcalfe and Dr Alan Thursfield in the School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials at Newcastle.

The tubes have been successfully tested in the laboratory as part of a recent EPSRC project and have created interest within the energy industry, according to the university. Further tests on their durability are now being carried out, and the researchers are in talks with some of the UK's large power generators concerning future partnerships.