Coal Fueled Aero-Derivative Gas Turbine: Design Approach

Abstract

The direct use of coal as a gas turbine fuel offers the opportunity to burn coal in an environmentally sound manner at a competitive cost of energy. A development program is underway to verify the feasibility of using coal water mixture to fuel an aero-derivative gas turbine. This paper presents the overall program approach, required gas turbine design modifications, and reports the results from small-scale combustor test facilities. The GE LM500 gas turbine was selected for this program because of its high efficiency and size, which is appropriate for transportation and cogeneration markets. The LM500 gas turbine power system design will be modified to accommodate coal fuel and any required emissions control devices. The design for the modified annular combustor is complete and preparations for coal fired tests of a 140 degree annular sector combustor are in progress. The combustor design and test development are being supported by a component test program with a One Nozzle Segment Combustor and a single can combustor LM500 Turbine Simulator. These test facilities are providing results on coal water mixture handling and fuel nozzle design, air staging requirements, component metal temperatures, combustor temperature performance, ash deposition rates, and emissions abatement for NOx, SOx, and particulates.