Oxy-combustion Technology Research Articles

Commercialization of oxy-coal combustion: Applying results of a large 30MWth pilot project

Abstract The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), through its Power Generation Group, and Air Liquide (AL) have been actively involved in the development of oxy-coal technologies for power generation throughout the past decade. After successful demonstration of oxy-combustion at B&W’s 1.5 MWth Small Boiler Simulator (SBS) and very promising full-scale (300–500 MWe) engineering studies, B&W and Air Liquide initiated a project to scale-up the oxy-combustion technology at B&W’s 100-million Btu/hr (30 MWth) Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF). During 2007 and 2008, the technology was successfully demonstrated with eastern bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite coals. During this demonstration project, two near full-scale burners were developed: 1) the B&W DRB-XCL® burner for oxy-firing of eastern bituminous coal, and 2) the DRB-PAX™ burner for oxy-firing with low-rank coals. An operating procedure for smooth transition from air to oxy-combustion then back to air-fired modes has been developed. Stable flames, attached at the burner throat, have been obtained under the oxy-combustion conditions even for the high-moisture, low-Btu lignite while heat absorption in the boiler and convection pass was maintained similar to air-blown combustion. B&W’s new scrubber equipped with integrated cooling surface (patent in progress) successfully reduced moisture and SO2 from the flue gas without the need of a large and expensive gas cooler. Following the completion of this work, the ensuing commercialization process will focus on an at-scale demonstration at a host Utility. A demonstration plant design is being developed, and will involve input from the Utilities that are members of our Oxy-Coal Advisory Group. Project economics, technical design and a near-zero emissions profile are highlighted. The paper describes the experimental demonstration results of the technology at 30 MWth, and the next step in the demonstration of the B&W/AL oxy-combustion technology.

Considerations for treating impurities in oxy-combustion flue gas prior to sequestration

Various design, engineering, and economic analyses are being investigated to better understand the cost and performance of retrofitting oxy-combustion technologies for existing power plants. Currently, we are in the process of evaluating all downstream operations in which flue gas impurities may impact the design and performance of an oxy-combustion capture system. It is our plan to identify two geological storage reservoirs that are different in their characteristics and require different degrees of gas purifications to illustrate the economic impact on reservoir selection.

98/01222 New highly active catalysts in direct partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas: Steghuis, A. G. et al. Stud. Surf Sci. Catal., 1997, 107, 403–408

The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), through its Power Generation Group, and Air Liquide (AL) have been actively involved in the development of oxy-coal technologies for power generation throughout the past decade. After successful demonstration of oxy-combustion at B&W’s 1.5 MWth Small Boiler Simulator (SBS) and very promising full-scale (300–500 MWe) engineering studies, B&W and Air Liquide initiated a project to scale-up the oxy-combustion technology at B&W’s 100-million Btu/hr (30 MWth) Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF).During 2007 and 2008, the technology was successfully demonstrated with eastern bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite coals. During this demonstration project, two near full-scale burners were developed: 1) the B&W DRB-XCL® burner for oxy-firing of eastern bituminous coal, and 2) the DRB-PAX™ burner for oxy-firing with low-rank coals. An operating procedure for smooth transition from air to oxy-combustion then back to air-fired modes has been developed. Stable flames, attached at the burner throat, have been obtained under the oxy-combustion conditions even for the high-moisture, low-Btu lignite while heat absorption in the boiler and convection pass was maintained similar to air-blown combustion. B&W’s new scrubber equipped with integrated cooling surface (patent in progress) successfully reduced moisture and SO2 from the flue gas without the need of a large and expensive gas cooler.Following the completion of this work, the ensuing commercialization process will focus on an at-scale demonstration at a host Utility. A demonstration plant design is being developed, and will involve input from the Utilities that are members of our Oxy-Coal Advisory Group. Project economics, technical design and a near-zero emissions profile are highlighted. The paper describes the experimental demonstration results of the technology at 30 MWth, and the next step in the demonstration of the B&W/AL oxy-combustion technology.