Issues in application of advanced power systems to low-rank coals
- Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center
Large reserves of low-rank coal throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia are characterized by low calorific value, high moisture and oxygen contents, and highly variable levels of sulfur and inorganic elements, including ionically bound cations and trace metals. In the past, extensive development on these problematic coals has been directed toward achieving reliable operation of conventional pulverized-fuel and cyclone boilers. Current issues in conventional boilers burning low-rank coals are mainly concerned with improving the control of emissions, including acid gases (SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}), fine respirable particulates, and toxic metals such as volatile mercury and selenium, while maintaining stable operation and high carbon burnout. In a future concerned over possible global warming, the challenge in utilizing low-rank coals will be to achieve substantially higher efficiencies and lower carbon emissions per unit of electricity generated at a cost that competes with inherently cleaner energy sources such as natural gas and nuclear. Emerging advances in power systems based on supercritical steam cycles, combined turbine cycles (PFBC [pressurized fluidized-bed combustion] and IGCC [integrated gasification combined cycle]) and fuel cells offer significantly improved efficiencies, but new issues are raised by the distinctive utilization properties of low-rank coals in these technologies. The successful integration of various advanced technologies under development into competitive power systems for low-rank coal in the 21st century will depend on a better understanding of the effect of critical design parameters affecting coal feeding, carbon conversion, desulfurization, and hot-gas filtration for the distinctive properties of low-rank coals. Different optimum designs will be needed for retrofit and new applications burning either coal alone or in combination with natural gas and for both large baseload generating stations and small distributed power systems. The paper discusses world low-rank coals and the importance of matching technologies with fuel properties, tabulating properties from different countries. It also discusses the properties of coals affecting their utilization and the US experience in power generation using low-rank coals, summarizes ash deposition research at EERC, and describes coal-fired emission control research at EERC and issues in advanced power systems that must be addressed.
- OSTI ID:
- 324644
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970931-; TRN: IM9911%%341
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 14. annual international Pittsburgh coal conference and workshop: clean coal technology and coal utilization, Taiyuan (China), 23-27 Sep 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1997; Related Information: Is Part Of Fourteenth annual international Pittsburgh coal conference and workshop: Proceedings; PB: [1500] p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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