DEMONSTRATION PLANT - AIR BLOWN GASIFICATION CYCLE - ADVANCE DESIGN | | Project | Fact sheet | FP4 | CORDIS

Objectif

The aim of the project is to investigate, assess and further the engineering design of the novel elements associated with the future design, construction and operation of the demonstration Air Blown Gasification Cycle (ABGC) advanced clean coal power generation plant. As part of the investigative effort, attention will be directed at the follow on full-scale commercial plant, to show that the plant will have an application within the market for the fuels anticipated. Thisi will necessitate final cycle configuration and performance optimisation, carrying out a survey of competing clean coal technology, current and future expected emissions limits for each market; and economic and technical sensitivities / risk assessemnts with an alternative, uprated gas turbine for the demonstration plant, in an attempt to improve cycle efficiency, lower the cost of electricity and make the demonstration plant more competitive. Primary innovative aspects of the plant include the gasifier design, gas turbine modifications and system and controls integration.
Project work has continued with further development of the work breakdown structure, project deliverables and detailed programming. It has been deemed necessary, by mutual agreement, to request an extension to the original programme by some 9 months to reflect budget and resource priorities.
During the second reporting period, the partner's completed a questionnaire associated with a study to evaluate the impact of the technology being developed, at the request of the EC.
Preliminary gas turbine performance has been obtained for the selected size of commercial plant and is being evaluated. Investigations are ongoing into reviewing competing technologies and the results of similar contemporary techno-economic studies.
Research has commenced and is ongoing into the emissions aspects of the cycle, for both the demonstration and commercial sized plants; the likely impact of hot gas clean-up and identifying emissions regulations.
The work programme for the gasifier design activities has been maintained. A revised costing of the gasifier island for the 100 MWe demonstration plant has been completed; performance predictions for the 100 MWe and 500 MWe plants using Longannet coal have been carried out. Alternative fuels for the demonstration plant planned for Kincardine have been investigated.
Sources of reliability and availability software have been investigated, establishing Sandia National Laboratories as the most likely to be suitable.
Plans have been produced based on the technical combustion specification and work initiated on the adaptation of the current LCV technology for new gas turbines and potential applications. The studies planned will explore the implications of changing process conditions and combustor geometric scale on factors such as combustion system life cycle issues and emissions performance.
The 'pepper-hot' burner modifications have been completed and the hardware tested at high pressure with distillate and simgas fuels. The high performance previously obtained with respect to simgas fuel NOx reduction has been maintained by this modification; A substantial extension to the distillate fuel operating envelope has been demonstrated.
The water injection system has been installed and fully commissioned. The activities to extend the simgas services to test an engine prototype combustor are ongoing. Delivery and commissioning of this system is scheduled for the next reporting period. Proposals for the mechanical layout drawings for the larger gas turbine demonstration plant have been generated within this reporting period and circulated for review in advance. This will facilitate future costing and performance activities. Preliminary gas turbine performance data has been obtained and engineering descriptions are being compiled.
The overall project includes the advanced, followed by the detailed design, construction, commission, operation and monitoring of an ABGC plant. The cycle includes a novel pressurised air-blown fluidised bed gasifier, an atmospheric circulating fluidised bed combustor (CFBC), gas filtration and conditioning equipment, and power generation plant incorporating both gas and steam turbines. The plant will have a net generating capacity of 91.6 MWe.
This will be the first demonstration of the ABGC technology and represents a major innovation in European power generation. The components of the design have been developed at the pilot scale largely by the British Coal Corporation, with significant contributions from European Gas Turbines Ltd (EGT), Mitsui Babcock Energy Ltd and a major UK Generator. The development programme has benefited substantially from UK Government and European Funding.
Combustion cycles, eg, PFBC and CFBC, and gasification cycles, eg, various versions of IGCC, are now being demonstrated at 'commercial' scale. However, hybrid cycles, of which the ABGC is an example, are not. All of these cycles are being developed to enable coal, biomass and other waste fuels to be used to generate power cleanly and efficiently. The ABGC gasifier utilities an iar-blown spouted/fluidised bed, designed to operate without ash agglomeration. Key to the design is the novel steep-angle conical base with air injection and a central spout.
The use of the ALSTROM Gas Turbines SA Frame 6FA gas turbine in this application is novel in several ways, as follows: - close integration of the gas turbine compressor to the total air inventory in the cycle is required
- the combustion characteristics of the low calorific value (LCV) fuel gas necessitate significant design changes to the fuel gas pipework and combustion systems.
- further changes to the combustion system due to the significant residual level of fuel-bound nitrogen which would convert to NOx unless adequately dealt with in the combustors.
The CFBC hardware can largely be considered conventional. However, the use of low-grade, low-volatile feedstocks originating at high pressure from the gasifier, differing heat transfer surface configuration, its configuration in the ABGC cycle and aspects of its integrated control are all novel and innovative.
Of prime importance to the successful integration of the cycle is the interactive control between the various items of plant that collectively make up the ABGC.

Champ scientifique

Programme(s)

FP4-NNE-THERMIE C - Specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of non-nuclear energy, 1994-1998

Thème(s)

5 - SOLID FUELS

Appel à propositions

Data not available

Régime de financement

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Coordinateur

EGT SA

Contribution de l’UE

Aucune donnée

Adresse

AVENUE DES CHENES 3
90000 Belfort
France

Coût total