World Energy Congress-Montreal 2010

The Role of IGCC Technology in Power Generation Using Low-Rank Coal

Dr. Pipat Juangjandee Production Division, Mae Moh Coal-Fired Power Plant Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. Mae Moh, Lampang, Thailand. E-mail: pipat.ju@egat.co.th Tel.: (+66)-5425-2102, (+66)-8-9553-0632, Fax: (+66)-5425-2085 Abstract Low-rank coal from Mae Moh lignite basin is used as a fuel for Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant. Normally, this low-rank coal composes of low heating value and high moisture content. Unfortunately, Mae Moh lignite also has a high ash content. Although, Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant is designed for burning an existing coal, but the low-rank coal tends to be lower quality. Thus, it will exceed the original design allowances in few years. The power plant performance is reduced under low-rank coal condition continuously. Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant is one important type of clean coal technology. Based on basic test results on the gasification rate of Mae Moh lignite coal. It was found that an Integrated Drying and Gasification Combined Cycle (IDGCC) power plant is the most suitable for Mae Moh lignite. In conclusion, the future of an IDGCC power plant using low-rank coal in Mae Moh mine would hinge on the strictness of future air pollution control regulations including green-house gas emission and the constraint of Thailands foreign currency reserves needed to import fuels, in addition to economic consideration. If and when it is necessary to overcome these obstacles, IGCC is one variable alternative power generation must consider together with other types of advanced power plant. Keywords: IGCC, Power plant, Low-rank coal

1. Statement and significance of the problem

At present, the low-rank coal from Mae Moh lignite basin, northern Thailand, is used as a main fuel for Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant. Normally, this low-rank coal composes of low heating value and high moisture content. Unfortunately, Mae Moh lignite also has a high ash content. Although, Mae Moh lignite-fired power plant is designed for burning an existing coal, but the low-rank coal tends to be lower quality. Thus, it will exceed the original design allowances in few years. The power plant performance is reduced under low-rank coal condition continuously. Therefore, it is very important to know its characteristics, determine how to improve the performance under low-rank coal and know the technology that met these bad conditions. It is known that the world-wide proven reserves of coal are sufficient to meet our energy needs more than 150 years. However, coal has several drawbacks as solid fuel with regards to the varying quantities of contaminant i.e. sulfur, ash and moisture.

Therefore, many countries including Thailand in which EGAT has the largest lignite coal reserves, are interested in research and development on clean coal technology such as the efficient utilization of coal with minimum environment impact. Integrated Gasification and Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plant is one important type of clean coal technology. It is a technology that turns coal into gas, synthesis gas. It then removes impurities from the coal gas before it is combusted. This results in lower emissions of sulfur dioxide, particulates and mercury. Therefore, its very urgently to know IGCC technology can be used in power generation under Mae Moh low-rank coal.

2. Literature review There are many types of power generation using coal as the fuel such as 1) Pulverized coal with ultra supercritical steam conditions, 2) Indirectly fired combined cycle (IFCC), 3) Pressurized fluidized bed combustion (PFBC), 4) Integrated gasification and combined cycle (IGCC), 5) Integrated gasification humid air turbine, 6) Liquefaction of coal, 7) Magnetohydrodynamics and 8) Integrated coal gasification fuel cells. IGCC power plant is the most environmentally friendly coal-fired power generation technology. Most importantly, coal gasification offers the immediate opportunity to generate power with near zero greenhouse gas emissions and the pathway to a future hydrogen economy (EGAT, 1998). In general the advantages of IGCC are; 1) It can achieve up to 50% thermal efficiency. This is a higher efficiency compared to conventional coal power plants meaning there is less coal consumed to produce the same amount of energy, resulting in lower rates of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 2) It produces about half the volume of solid wastes as a conventional coal-fired power plant. 3) It can utilize a variety of fuels, like heavy oils, petroleum cokes, and coals. 4) A minimum of 95% of the sulphur is removed and this exceeds the performance of most advanced coal-fired generating units currently installed. 5) Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions are below 50ppm. This is lower than many of todays most advanced coal-fired generating units. 6) The syngas produce from a gasifier unit can be burned in a gas turbine for electricity generation, or used as a fuel in other applications, such as hydrogenpowered fuel cell vehicles.

3. Principle Coal gasification is the process of converting coal to a gaseous fuel through partial oxidation. The coal is fed into a high-temperature pressurized container along with steam and a limited amount of oxygen to produce a gas. The gas is known as synthesis gas or syngas and mainly consists of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The gas is cooled and undesirable components, such as carbon dioxide and sulfur are removed. The gas can be used as a fuel or further processed and concentrated into a chemical or liquid fuel. IGCC systems combine a coal gasification unit with a gas-fired combined cycle power generation unit. The first stage is the coal gasification process as mentioned above. The second stage takes the cleaned gas and burns it in a conventional gas turbine to produce electrical energy, and the hot exhaust gas is recovered and used to

boil water, creating steam for a steam turbine which also produces electrical energy. In typical plants, about 65% of the electrical energy is produced by the gas turbine and 35% by the steam turbine.

Figure 1 IGCC power plant cycle.

IGCC composes of 4 main equipments as following; 1) Gasification plant 1.1) Gasifier 1.2) Syngas cooler 1.3) Hot/Cold gas cleanup (HGCU, CGCU) Particulate removal Sulfur removal 2) Gas turbine plant 2.1) Gas turbine 2.2) Compressor 2.3) Combustor 3) Steam turbine plant 3.1) Steam turbine 3.2) Heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) 3.3) Condenser 4) Accessory plants 4.1) Coal preparation plant 4.2) Air separation plant Gasifier can be divided into 3 kinds 1) Fixed-bed or moving-bed.

Figure 2 Fixed-bed or moving-bed.

2) Fluidized-bed.

Figure 3 Fluidized-bed.

3) Entrained-flow system (Entrained-bed). Entrained-flow gasifier is suitable for high outlet gas temperature and slagging conditions.

Figure 4 Entrained-flow system (Entrained-bed).

In comparison of Fixed-bed or moving-bed, Fluidized-bed and Entrained-flow gasifies was shown in Table 1. Table 1 Comparison of Fixed-bed or moving-bed, Fluidized-bed and Entrained-flow gasifies. Categories Steam, oxidant and coal feed method Coal feed form. Exit ash Fixed-bed or moving-bed Steam and oxidant feed countercurrent to coal. Sized coal Solid and dry (Except slagging type). Low <538 Fluidized-bed Steam and oxidant feed countercurrent to coal. Size for fluidizing state Ash combined with flux by agglomeration as solid. Low 870-930 Entrained-flow Steam, oxidant and coal feed together. Powder Molten form.

Inlet reactant temperature. Gas outlet temperature (C)

Low 1260-1540

Mae Moh coal-fired power plant cycle, 300MW unit , conventional type and typical power plant cycle, supercritical pressure boiler are displayed in Figure 5 and 6 respectively.

Figure 5 Mae Moh coal-fired power plant cycle, 300MW, conventional type.

Figure 6 Typical power plant cycle, supercritical pressure boiler.

4. Objectives To study IGCC technology can play the role in power generation using Mae Moh lignite. 5. Scope of study The aim of this work is to study the IGCC technology for power generator under low-rank coal from Mae Moh mine, Northern Thailand. 6. Research design and methods Coal gasification technology and its application with combined cycle power plant were studied. Comparison IGCC technology versus other technologies on cost, thermal performance, environmental performance, customer and site-specific drivers. Technical survey in coal gasification plant and gas cleaning systems. Analysis on lignite coal gasification and gas cleaning system. 7. Results In this work, Mae Moh lignite was selected to investigate. The test was done in accordance with ASME standard. The samples of Mae Moh lignite were tested as displayed in Table 2.

Table 2 Pre-dried coal properties. Proximate analysis Categories %wt AR Fixed Carbon 28.41 Volatiles 23.01 Moisture 10.00 Ash 38.57 Ultimate analysis Categories %w MAF Carbon 65.33 Hydrogen 5.09 Oxygen 24.33 Sulfur 3.01 Nitrogen 2.20 Chlorine 0.04 Ash analysis Categories SiO2 AI2O3 Fe2O3 TiO2 P2O5 CaO MgO Na2O K2O SO3

Total 100.00 100.00 Lower Heating Value 11990 MJ/t (AR coal basis). Higher Heating Value 12806 MJ/t (AR coal basis). Remarks AR means As Received. MAF means Moisture and Ash Free.

%wt 31.82 17.11 11.72 0.33 0.22 15.12 2.95 1.41 1.81 16.90 99.39

The coal is milled, heated and dried in a circulating stream of hot gas. The drying duty can be provided by; 1) Combustion of treated syngas from the gas treating section. 2) Combustion of an external fuel such as natural gas or oil in a Hot gas generator (HGG). LP steam, 5-8 bar or a circulating hot water flow can be used in either case to supply indirect heat to the HGG. 3) Indirect heating with steam, 40 bar. In this case, treated syngas has been used as fuel for the HGG. In comparison between Pulverized coal with supercritical steam conditions (SCPC) and IGCC was displayed as following. Performance comparison. 1) IGCC efficiency drops off for lower ranked coals. 2) SCPC can be designed for higher efficiency to match IGCC. 3) Fuel cost or quality may not justify higher efficiency. 4) Greater technology opportunities for technology improvements such as sulfur recovery, combustion turbine technology and auxiliary load reduction for air separation units. Cost comparison. 1) IGCC has higher capital cost approx. 20-25%. 2) IGCC has higher operating and maintenance cost approx. 30-50%. 3) IGCC has higher development cost ($5-15million). 4) IGCC has less suitable for lower grade coal (high ash and high moisture). 5) IGCC cost dropping due to standard design and technology maturity. 6) PC cost increasing due to tightening emissions.

Emission comparison. 1) IGCC has 6% fewer emission due to higher efficiency. 2) IGCC has 5 times less NOx (with SCR). 3) IGCC has 3 times less SOx (with 1% Sulfur). 4) IGCC has 30-50% less water use. 5) IGCC has 30-50% less waste water. 6) IGCC has 11 times less mercury removal cost. Customer and site-specific drivers 1) Time to market; IGCC is longer approximately 18 months. 2) Hedge against future regulation; IGCC is better because of more emission friendly, especially CO2. 3) Increases plant availability, dispatch ability and flexibility. 4) Co-product can be stored. In comparison between conventional coal-fired power plant and IGCC are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 Comparison between conventional coal-fired power plant and IGCC. Categories Efficiency Emission Water consumption Investment cost Future Conventional Normally, efficiency, approx. 35% Higher, Using FGD Higher Lower Problems for new power plants IGCC Higher efficiency, approx. 40% Lower Lower, approx. 50% Higher Better

For byproduct and ash management. From the high percentage of sulfur composition in Mae Moh lignite, the product from conventional coal-fired power plant should be gypsum, sulfuric acid and ammonium sulfate but the product from IGCC sulfur rods. Mae Moh lignite quality is quite low such as 3-4%sulfur, 30%moisture and 30% ash. Choices for coal gasification which using Mae Moh linite. Normally, coal quality is the main factor to select technologies. 1) Coal feeder Slurry feed or dry feed type are the choices. Moisture content in coal is the main factor for selection. 2) Entrained bed and fluidized type are the choices. Many factors especially coal melting temperature and coal heating value effecting the selection. 3) Gas cleaning system. Efficiency and technology are the factors to select hot gas cleanup or cold gas cleanup system.

Coal gasification configuration for Mae Moh linite. 1) Coal feeder should be dry feed type. The slurry feed type is not suitable because this type uses a lot of heat to evaporate water. 2) Entrained bed gasifier type is preferred. 3) Flash dryer (pneumatic conveyor dryer) should be in gasification process. 4) Gasification should be transport reactor type (circulating fluidized bed), pressure 15-25bar, temperature 800-900C. 5) Gas cooling system must be convective cooling. However, IGCC power plant is one important type of clean coal technology for coal firing but IDGCC power plant is the most suitable for Mae Moh lignite. IDGCC for Mae Moh lignite. Advantage 1) Air using for gasification, no need air separation unit. 2) Gasification temperature is approximately 850C 3) Heat loss reduction in ash. 4) Heat capacity of heat exchanger is decreased. 5) No need lignite drying system Disadvantage 1) Gasification size is big due to slow gasification process. 2) There are separator and recirculating system for unburned char. 8. Conclusion It can be concluded that the future of an IDGCC power plant using low-rank coal in Mae Moh mine would hinge on the strictness of future air pollution control regulations including green-house gas emission and the constraint of Thailands foreign currency reserves needed to import fuels, in addition to economic consideration. If and when it is necessary to overcome these obstacles, IGCC is one variable alternative power generation must consider together with other types of advanced power plant. Since the sulfur content of coal is converted mainly to H2S and also SO2 and COS, while the fuel gas from gasifier also contains particulate matter i.e. fly ash and char particles. It is necessary to remove these sulfur compounds and fine particles from the fuel gas before it is combusted in a gas turbine. Typically, electric power is produced using a gas-turbine combined cycle system. Compared to a conventional pulverized coal power plant with flue gas desulfurization unit and IGCC power plant has the following advantages: overall thermal efficiency as high as 45-47%, negligible air pollution emission and several ten percent reduction in the production of green-house gases, especially CO2 per unit of generated power. IGCC growing in Europe and North America due to superior environmental performance and government incentives. For Asia-Pacific, IGCC viability needs tighter emissions regulations, governmental incentives and polygeneration with co-products i.e. hydrogen/fertilizers. 9 Acknownledgments The authors gratefully acknowledge the support provided by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

References [1] Baily, F.G. (1993), Steam turbine for advanced combined cycle, Gas turbine Stateof The-Art seminar, General electric Co., Ltd. [2] Driscoll, J.M. et al (1968), ASME performance test codes test code for air heaters, USA. [3] EGAT (1998), The Study on Lignite Coal Gasification Process for Combined Cycle Power Plant. [3] Hewitt, G.F., Shires, G.L. and Bott, T.R., Process Heat Transfer, Boca Raton, CRC Press, USA, 1994. [4] Incropera, F.P. and Dewitt, D.P. (2002), Introduction to heat transfer, 4th edition, John Wiley & Sons Inc., USA. [5] Pilot scale testing and evaluation of Mae Moh coal, ESTA report, June 6 1990, Australia, 1990. [6] Todd, D.M. (1933), Clean coal technologies for gas turbines, , Gas turbine Stateof The-Art seminar, General electric Co., Ltd. Nomenclature AR BFP CEP Cond. CGCU ECO EGAT ESP FDF FGD FWST MCWP MAF HGCU HGG HP HRSG IDF IDGCC IFCC IGCC IP LP PFBC PAF SH SCR SCPC TB USCPC W.S. WS

As Received Boiler feed pump Condensate extraction pump Condenser Cold gas cleanup Economizer Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand Electrostatic precipitator Forced draft fan Flue gas desulfurization Feedwater storage tank Main cooling water pump Moisture and ash free Hot gas cleanup Hot gas generator High pressure Heat recovery steam generator Induced draft fan Integrated drying and gasification combined cycle Indirectly fired combined cycle Integrated gasification combined cycle Intermediate pressure Low pressure Pressurized fluidized bed combustion Primary air fan Superheater Selective Catalytic Reduction Pulverized coal with supercritical steam conditions Turbine Pulverized coal with ultra supercritical steam conditions Water separator Water separator drain tank

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