About US

ClearStack Combustion Corporation was formed and incorporated in the State of Illinois in June 1998. It is a privately held C-Corporation developed to demonstrate and commercialize air pollution control technologies. The ClearStack technologies are low cost air pollution reduction systems and have been patented. ClearStack currently has three technologies that are ready or near ready for commercialization; two - three stage gasifier-combustors and one dry scrubber.

The ClearStack mission statement is:

“To develop and implement pollution control technologies for the continued use of fossil fuels, especially coal, that are environmentally friendly at the lowest cost in the marketplace.”

ClearStack's initial technology was a novel two-stage coal combustor developed and demonstrated by Florida Power Corporation (FPC). At the time of testing the two-stage technique, it met the emission limits of SO2 and NOX imposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency under the CAAA. The two-stage technology was demonstrated to reduce particulate by 60%, SO2 emissions by 60%, and to reduce NOX emissions to 0.25 lb/106 Btu of coal fired.

However, in 1999, as preparations for the ClearStack Lincoln Developmental Center Demonstration project were underway, the U.S. EPA announced it would further limit nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions to levels much lower than the current regulations. These new regulations went into effect in 2004. After the EPA announcement, the two-stage technique looked less attractive for it could not reduce NOX to the low levels imposed. A post combustion technology such as Selective Non-Catalytic Reduction (SNCR) or Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) would have to be added that would increase capital and operating costs for utilities seeking to reduce pollutants to meet air quality standards. Based on ClearStack's knowledge of NOX control techniques, a three-stage gasification-combustion technique was conceived. It is called the Ashworth Gasifier-Combustor™ and retains the FPC gasifier but reduces NOX emissions to meet the lower U.S. EPA limits.

FPC sold the rights to the technology to Ashworth Technologies, LLC in 2008 and ClearStack has been given worldwide licensing rights to develop and commercialize the technology. It is used in combination with the ClearStack technology. ClearStack also developed a three stage technique that can be applied to coal cyclone-fired boilers to reduce NOX emissions to very low levels. Excess air fired cyclone units are known for their notoriously high NOX levels of 1.0 lb NOX/million Btu and higher. A dry scrubber was also conceived for SOX and NOX trim that also improves electrostatic precipitator performance.