Industrial cofiring reaps big rewards
US industry operates over 2,000 coal-fired stoker boilers. They are typically over 30 years old, difficult to maintain, and hard to keep in environmental compliance. Natural gas cofiring of industrial stoker boilers offers a wide range of operational benefits. Boiler efficiency is improved because combustion air requirements are reduced (low excess air of LEA) and carbon burnout is improved (loss on ignition or LOI). On the emissions side, opacity problems are reduced and NO{sub x} and SO{sub 2} emissions reduced as natural gas replaces a percentage of the coal. Further, operation is improved through easier, smoke-free start-up and warm-up, recovered steam generation, increased short-term peaking capacity, improved plant availability and improved low load operation. Fuel flexibility also increases and maintenance decreases. Cofire benefits and economics are, however, very site specific. Important factors include relative coal and gas pricing, coal and gas supply security, boiler capacity factor and seasonal use, and backup boiler capability. These factors are discussed using the example of the Dover Light and Power of Ohio.
- OSTI ID:
- 260714
- Journal Information:
- Plant Engineering (Chicago), Vol. 50, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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