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Title: Coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic topping cycle for retrofit of steam power plants. [Two-phase working fluid composed of coal combustion products and liquid copper]

Abstract

The application of the new, coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal MHD (OC-LMMHD) energy-conversion system to the retrofit of an existing, oil- or gas-fired conventional steam power plant is evaluated. The criteria used to evaluate the retrofit are the new plant efficiency and the cost benefit relative to other options, i.e., continuing to burn oil, a conventional retrofit to burn coal (if possible), and an over-the-fence gasifier for boilers that cannot burn coal directly. The OC-LMMHD cycle and the existing steam plant used in the study are discussed, and a detailed description of the retrofit plant is presented. The latter includes plant drawings, description of the coupling of the OC-LMMHD topping cycle and the steam boiler, drawings and descriptions of the major components in the retrofit plant, and costs. The unique capability of the OC-LMMHD cycle to control the pollutants normally associated with burning coal is discussed. The net plant output powers and efficiencies are calculated, with allowances for the required auxiliary powers and component inefficiencies, and a plant lifetime economic analysis performed by an architect/engineer. The efficiency and cost results are compared with the values for the other options.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)
OSTI Identifier:
6699196
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 6699196
Report Number(s):
ANL/MHD--80-18
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-38
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS; COAL-FIRED MHD GENERATORS; DESIGN; FEASIBILITY STUDIES; FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS; RETROFITTING; TOPPING CYCLES; LIQUID-METAL MHD GENERATORS; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; COMBINED-CYCLE POWER PLANTS; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; COPPER; COST; COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS; DIAGRAMS; ECONOMIC ANALYSIS; EFFICIENCY; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; MHD POWER PLANTS; OPEN-CYCLE MHD GENERATORS; TWO-PHASE FLOW; WORKING FLUIDS; DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS; ECONOMICS; ELEMENTS; FLUID FLOW; FLUIDS; METALS; MHD GENERATORS; POLLUTION CONTROL; POWER PLANTS; THERMAL POWER PLANTS; TRANSITION ELEMENTS 300101* -- MHD Generators-- Design & Development; 200102 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Power Cycles; 200106 -- Fossil-Fueled Power Plants-- Economics

Citation Formats

Pierson, E. S., Herman, H., Petrick, M., Boom, R. W., Carlson, L., Cohen, D., Dubey, G., Grammel, S. J., Schreiner, F., Snyder, B. K., and Zinneman, T.. Coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic topping cycle for retrofit of steam power plants. [Two-phase working fluid composed of coal combustion products and liquid copper]. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.2172/6699196.
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Pierson, E. S., Herman, H., Petrick, M., Boom, R. W., Carlson, L., Cohen, D., Dubey, G., Grammel, S. J., Schreiner, F., Snyder, B. K., & Zinneman, T.. Coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic topping cycle for retrofit of steam power plants. [Two-phase working fluid composed of coal combustion products and liquid copper]. United States. doi:10.2172/6699196.
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Pierson, E. S., Herman, H., Petrick, M., Boom, R. W., Carlson, L., Cohen, D., Dubey, G., Grammel, S. J., Schreiner, F., Snyder, B. K., and Zinneman, T.. Mon . "Coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic topping cycle for retrofit of steam power plants. [Two-phase working fluid composed of coal combustion products and liquid copper]". United States. doi:10.2172/6699196. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/6699196.
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@article{osti_6699196,
title = {Coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal magnetohydrodynamic topping cycle for retrofit of steam power plants. [Two-phase working fluid composed of coal combustion products and liquid copper]},
author = {Pierson, E. S. and Herman, H. and Petrick, M. and Boom, R. W. and Carlson, L. and Cohen, D. and Dubey, G. and Grammel, S. J. and Schreiner, F. and Snyder, B. K. and Zinneman, T.},
abstractNote = {The application of the new, coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal MHD (OC-LMMHD) energy-conversion system to the retrofit of an existing, oil- or gas-fired conventional steam power plant is evaluated. The criteria used to evaluate the retrofit are the new plant efficiency and the cost benefit relative to other options, i.e., continuing to burn oil, a conventional retrofit to burn coal (if possible), and an over-the-fence gasifier for boilers that cannot burn coal directly. The OC-LMMHD cycle and the existing steam plant used in the study are discussed, and a detailed description of the retrofit plant is presented. The latter includes plant drawings, description of the coupling of the OC-LMMHD topping cycle and the steam boiler, drawings and descriptions of the major components in the retrofit plant, and costs. The unique capability of the OC-LMMHD cycle to control the pollutants normally associated with burning coal is discussed. The net plant output powers and efficiencies are calculated, with allowances for the required auxiliary powers and component inefficiencies, and a plant lifetime economic analysis performed by an architect/engineer. The efficiency and cost results are compared with the values for the other options.},
doi = {10.2172/6699196},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (4.78 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/6699196
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    Open-cycle, coal-fired, liquid-metal MHD combines the simplicity of using the coal combustion products directly as the thermodynamic working fluid in the energy-conversion process with the moderate temperatures and inherent high thermodynamic efficiency of the two-phase liquid-metal MHD cycle. This new concept is described and compared with the open-cycle plasma MHD cycle, and it is shown that, in the former, temperatures are much lower and the air preheater and radiant boiler are eliminated. The constraints on the electrodynamic working fluid and the choice of copper are discussed. Recent experiments with liquid copper and coal combustion gas are described, and the indicatedmore » implications for environmental impact, i.e., SO/sub x/ and NO/sub x/ control, are discussed. Initial efficiency calculations yield values comparable to those for open-cycle plasma MHD at combustor temperatures as much as 1000 K lower and MHD generator temperatures more than 1000 K lower than is the case for open-cycle plasma MHD. Significantly, the liquid-metal MHD system uses components that, except for the generator, are close to or within present-day technology, and it appears that readily-available containment materials are compatible with the fluids.« less

  • ; ; ; ... - Proc., Intersoc. Energy Convers. Eng. Conf.; (United States)
    The application of the new, coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal MHD (OC-LMMHD) energy-conversion system to the retrofit of an existing, oil- or gas-fired conventional steam power plant is evaluated. The criteria used to evaluate the retrofit are the net plant efficiency and the cost benefit relative to other options. 7 refs.

  • ; ; ; ...
    The application of the new, coal-fired open-cycle liquid-metal MHD (OC-LMMHD) energy-conversion system to the retrofit of an existing, oil- or gas-fired conventional steam power plant is evaluated. The criteria used to evaluate the retrofit are the net plant efficiency and the cost benefit relative to other options, i.e., continuing to burn oil, a conventional retrofit to burn coal (if possible), and an over-the-fence gasifier for boilers that cannot burn coal directly. The efficiency and cost calculations are based on a specific existing steam plant, and a detailed description of the retrofit plant. The unique capability of the OC-LMMHD cycle tomore » control the pollutants normally associated with burning coal is discussed.« less

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    A new open-cycle coal-fired liquid-metal MHD concept has been developed, in which the combustion products are mixed directly with liquid copper and the mixture is then passed through the MHD generator. This concept yields a system with an efficiency comparable to that of open-cycle plasma MHD at combustor temperatures as much as 1000 K lower and MHD generator temperatures more than 1000 K lower than is the case for open-cycle plasma MHD. Significantly, the liquid-metal system uses components that are close to or within present-day technology, and it appears that readily available containment materials are compatible with the fluids. Themore » first commercial system studies for the liquid-metal Rankine-cycle concept show that it yields a higher conversion efficiency than conventional steam cycles for lower-temperature heat sources, such as a liquid-metal fast-breeder reactor, a light-water reactor, or solar collectors without any potential for hazardous reactions betweeen liquid metals (e.g., sodium) and water. Fabrication of the high-temperature liquid-metal MHD facility has been completed, and shakedown runs have been performed, using a substitute mixer-generator test section. Data obtained in this test section agreed well with existing single-phase and newly-developed two-phase correlations for the pressure gradient.« less

  • This study is a review of projected emissions and energy efficiencies of coal-fired open cycle MHD power plants. Ideally one would like to develop empirically-based probabilistic models of MHD performance. However, with the lack of empirical information about full-sized facilities this survey concentrates on modeling analytically developed data. Also presented are discussions of unresolved MHD issues of importance, comprehensive lists of recent and ongoing research, and a bibliography of material related to emissions and efficiencies of coal-fired open cycle MHD power plants.