Concept for fluidized bed combustion of Consol char using a closed-cycle helium power plant with an estimate of the price of electric power. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7356409· OSTI ID:7356409

Himmelblau, A.; Norton, J.

The Consol process for making synthetic crude oil from coal produces char as a by-product which is an undesirable fuel, but can be burned in a fluidized bed. Instead of using steam as the working fluid, helium was chosen, since a higher working temperature may allow a higher cycle efficiency. To develop a competent design required solution of a heat exchanger network designed to introduce as much heat as possible into the closed helium cycle. A computer model to generate flowsheets and cost data from specified inputs was developed. The net efficiency of the best design was only about 33.5 percent, since about 17.9 percent of the heat input to the cycle is used to calcine dolomite used to remove S in the fluidized bed. Lowering the amount of dolomite required or regenerating dolomite would be methods to improve the efficiency. Although the efficiency of the helium cycle is lower than that for a conventional coal-fired steam plant, the capital cost is lower (about $370/kW), because of savings in the heater plant equipment, cooling towers, and scrubbers. The savings in capital costs is enough to keep the operating costs of the helium cycle competitive and possibly lower than that of a conventional plant (2.84 to 3.4 cents/kWh versus 3.4 cents for a conventional plant on the basis used), depending on the amount of dolomite used, its cost, and the solid waste disposal costs. Possible redesign of the combustor to recover more of the heat lost in calcining dolomite, kinetic studies of S retention, and better cost information on dolomite usage are needed to more accurately determine the electric power costs for the helium cycle.

• Research Organization: American Cyanamid Co., Bound Brook, N.J. Chemical Research Div.
• DOE Contract Number: E(49-18)-2201
• OSTI ID: 7356409
• Report Number(s): ERDA-76-69; FE-2201-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
CHARS
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTION
COAL LIQUEFACTION
CSF PROCESS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM
PRODUCTION
BY-PRODUCTS
CALCINATION
CAPITAL
CLOSED-CYCLE SYSTEMS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
DESIGN
DESULFURIZATION
DOLOMITE
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POWER
FLOWSHEETS
HELIUM
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
REMOVAL
SULFUR
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIAGRAMS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FUELS
LIQUEFACTION
MAGNESIUM CARBONATES
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER
POWER PLANTS
PYROLYSIS
RARE GASES
RESERVOIR ROCK
ROCKS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
010405* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
200104 - Fossil-Fueled Power Plants- Components