Design features and operating experience of circulating fluidized bed boilers firing high ash coals in India

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:20006760

Rajaram, S

Fluidized bed combustion systems for firing high ash coals and low grade fuels are gaining wide acceptance in industrial and utility sectors in India due to the abundance of such fuels. The resources of all types of coals in India are estimated to be around 192 billion tonnes. As much as 40% of the resources contain more than 32% ash. Lignite is emerging as an alternative source of fuel for power generation in the western part of India. While most of the Indian coals contain less than 0.5% sulfur, the sulfur content of these lignites can be as high as 5%. Large capacity coal beneficiation plants are being installed to improve the coal quality which would leave huge amounts of rejects. Though these rejects have a calorific value of around 2,000 Kcal/Kg, it would not be possible to utilize them in conventional steam generators. Further, new power plants being installed are expected to meet stringent pollution norms. Emission levels of 100 ppm SO{sub x} and 50 ppm NO{sub x} are already being stipulated. Over the last decade, circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) technology has demonstrated its ability to reliably burn a wide range of fuels in large industrial and utility steam generators while meeting stringent emission requirements. Recognizing this, Indian industries and utilities have already opted for circulating fluidized bed combustion boilers for their new plants. A power plant of 250 MWe capacity consisting of 2 x 125 MWe units is under construction and this will be India's largest CFBC based power plant. The salient design features of a 175 t/h CFBC boiler and the country's largest CFBC boiler of capacity 390 t/h are elaborated in this paper. The initial operating experience of the 175 t/h boiler is also described.

• Research Organization: Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd., Tiruchirapalli (IN)
• OSTI ID: 20006760
• Report Number(s): CONF-990534--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
ASH CONTENT
DESIGN
FLUIDIZED BED BOILERS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
LIGNITE
PERFORMANCE
TAILINGS