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Title: Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system, Phase 3

Abstract

Within the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant fuels used to meet the space-heating needs of schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, and other similar structures. In general, these buildings require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for this sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS)-fired space heating system will be a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen under contract to the Department of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This system included a patented nonslagging combustor known as IRIS, for Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation. This combustion technology, which has demonstrated high combustion efficiency using CWS fuels at input rates of 100,000 Btu/hr, will be scaled to operate at 2 to 5 millon Btu/hr. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system will include pollution control devices to meet targeted values of NO{sub x}, S0{sub 2}, and particulate emissions. In general, the system will be designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil-fired systems.

Authors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
TECOGEN, Inc., Waltham, MA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
7007862
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/90156-2; TR-4510-063-91
ON: DE93000597
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-90PC90156
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT; 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; COAL; COMBUSTION; COMBUSTORS; DESIGN; PERFORMANCE; FUEL SLURRIES; AIR POLLUTION CONTROL; COMMERCIAL SECTOR; PROGRESS REPORT; SPACE HEATING; CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; CONTROL; DISPERSIONS; DOCUMENT TYPES; ENERGY SOURCES; FOSSIL FUELS; FUELS; HEATING; MATERIALS; MIXTURES; OXIDATION; POLLUTION CONTROL; SLURRIES; SUSPENSIONS; THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES; 014000* - Coal, Lignite, & Peat- Combustion; 320106 - Energy Conservation, Consumption, & Utilization- Building Equipment- (1987-)

Citation Formats

Litka, A.F., and Breault, R.W. Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system, Phase 3. United States: N. p., 1991. Web. doi:10.2172/7007862.
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Litka, A.F., & Breault, R.W. Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system, Phase 3. United States. doi:10.2172/7007862.
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Litka, A.F., and Breault, R.W. Mon . "Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system, Phase 3". United States. doi:10.2172/7007862. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/7007862.
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@article{osti_7007862,
title = {Development and testing of a commercial-scale coal-fired combustion system, Phase 3},
author = {Litka, A.F. and Breault, R.W.},
abstractNote = {Within the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant fuels used to meet the space-heating needs of schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, and other similar structures. In general, these buildings require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for this sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS)-fired space heating system will be a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen under contract to the Department of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This system included a patented nonslagging combustor known as IRIS, for Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation. This combustion technology, which has demonstrated high combustion efficiency using CWS fuels at input rates of 100,000 Btu/hr, will be scaled to operate at 2 to 5 millon Btu/hr. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system will include pollution control devices to meet targeted values of NO{sub x}, S0{sub 2}, and particulate emissions. In general, the system will be designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil-fired systems.},
doi = {10.2172/7007862},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991},
month = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991}
}
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Technical Report:
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DOI:  10.2172/7007862
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  • ;
    Within the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant fuels used to meet the space-heating needs of schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, and other similar structures. In general, these buildings require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for this sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS)-fired space heating system will be a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen under contract to the Department of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This system included a patentedmore » nonslagging combustor known as IRIS, for Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation. This combustion technology, which has demonstrated high combustion efficiency using CWS fuels at input rates of 100,000 Btu/hr, will be scaled to operate at 2 to 5 millon Btu/hr. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system will include pollution control devices to meet targeted values of NO{sub x}, S0{sub 2}, and particulate emissions. In general, the system will be designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil-fired systems.« less

  • ;
    Within the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant fuels used to meet the space-heating needs of schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, and other similar structures. In general, these buildings require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for this sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS) fired space heating system is a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen under contract to the Department of Energy (DOE), Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center. This system included amore » patented nonslagging combustor known as IRIS, for Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation. The combustor concept employs centrifugal forces combined with a staged combustion process to achieve high carbon conversion efficiencies and low nitrogen oxides generation. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system includes pollution control devices to meet targeted values of SO{sub 2} and particulate emissions. In general, the system is designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil- fired systems. During the past quarter, installation of the slurry production facility and coal water slurry fired space heating system at the Illinois Coal Development Park`s High Bay Building was initiated. Installation is approximately 75% complete.« less

  • ;
    Although coal is the most plentiful energy source in US (providing {approx} 1/3 of the quads of total energy consumed in 1987), its use has been largely restricted to utility power generation since World War II. Objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, etc. in the commercial sector. Fuel form is an important consideration because of impact on handling and emissions. Preparation and use of a coal-water slurry (CWS) fuel can aid in meeting these criteria; CS eliminates the need for dry pulverized coalmore » (dust, explosion hazard). The commercial-scale CWS-fired space heating system is a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen. During the past quarter, most activities were centered around finalizing the host site installation design and finalizing the host site installation design and preparing the equipment for shipment to ICDP facility. An optional SO{sub 2} reactor with enhanced sorbent utilization was installed and tested.« less

  • ;
    In the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant fuels used to meet space-heating needs of schools, office buildings, apartment complexes, etc. These buildings generally require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. Objective of this program is to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of a coal-fired combustion system for this sector. The commercial-scale coal-water slurry (CWS)-fired space heating system is a scale-up of a CWS-fired residential warm-air heating system developed by Tecogen Inc. This system included a patented nonslagging combustor known as IRIS (Inertial Reactor with Internal Separation). The combustor concept employs centrifugal forces combinedmore » with a staged combustion process to achieve high carbon conversion efficiencies and low N oxides generation. Along with the necessary fuel storage and delivery, heat recovery, and control equipment, the system includes pollution control devices to meet targeted values of SO{sub 2} and particulate emissions. In general, the system is designed to match the reliability, safety, turndown, and ignition performance of gas or oil-fired systems. During the 8th quarter of this program, a demonstration plan was developed for installation and operation of the space heating system at an actual installation. Also, equipment upgrades were implemented and laboratory testing performed to evaluate the performance of the system with these changes.« less

  • ;
    This report summarizes the results of work performed in the development and testing of a coal-fired space heating system for the commercial market sector. Although coal is the most plentiful energy resource in the US, its use since World War II has been largely restricted to utility power generation for environmental and economic reasons. Within the commercial sector, oil and natural gas are the predominant heating fuels for office buildings, apartment complexes, and similar structures. Generally, these buildings require firing rates of 1 to 10 million Btu/hr. The objective of this program was to design, build, and test a coal-basedmore » heating system for this sector, and determine the economic viability and market potential for the system. Coal water slurry (CWS) fuel was chosen as the fuel form for this development effort. CWS eliminates the need to use dry pulverized coal with its attendant handling, metering, and dusting problems, as well as its explosive potential. A brief description of the overall system design is given in this report, as well as a discussion of the unique features of the system configuration and key components. This is followed by a summary of the testing performed, including a comparison between system performance and program goals. Finally, the results of the economic evaluation are presented, along with a commercialization plan for the technology. A key issue in the eventual commercialization of the technology is the availability of a competitively priced coal water slurry fuel. Predicted prices and availability of CWS are discussed.« less