2.

0 SYSTEM DESIGN AND OPERATION

The system design is composed of two basic elements in a coal-fired

power plant. One element is none other than the coal, itself and the other is

the coal furnace, or the technology on how coal is being burned.

2.1 Coal

Coal is the most abundant fuel in the United States and in many other

parts of the world. In the United States, the supply of coal resources is

estimated to be nearly 500 years. The benefit of its high availability, however, is

offset by the fact that it is the most complicated fuel to burn. Many problems

occur with the systems required to combust the fuel efficiently and effectively

as well as the systems that are required to handle the ash that remains after

combustion. Even with similar coals, designs vary from even one boiler

designer because of operating experience and testing. For different boiler

designers, significant differences in design are apparent because of the

designers design philosophy and the experience gained with operating units.

Despite all the complications that the burning of coal involves, it

presents some very interesting statistics, as developed by the International

Energy Agency. Approximately 25 percent of the worlds coal reserves are

located in the United States. This represents 90 percent of the total of U.S.

energy reserves, which include natural gas and oil. As noted previously, over 50
percent of the total electricity production in the United States is generated from

coal. Coal production in the United States has increased from 890 million tons

in 1980 to 1121 million tons in 2001. By the year 2020, coal production is

expected to be nearly 1400 million tons (Woodruff, 2004).

2.1.1 Coal Types and Characteristics

As geological processes apply pressure to peat over time, it is

transformed successively into different types of coal. These types of coal differ

from one another depending on their components and characteristics.

2.1.1.1 Anthracite Coal

Sometimes also called hard coal, anthracite forms from bituminous coal

when great pressures developed in folded rock strata during the creation of

mountain ranges. This occurs only in limited geographic areas primarily the

Appalachian region of Pennsylvania. Anthracite has the highest energy content

of all coals and is used for making coke, a fuel used in steel foundry ovens.

Anthracite coal is a dense, hard rock with a jet-black color and metallic luster.

It contains between 86% and 98% carbon by weight, and it burns slowly, with

a pale blue flame and very little smoke.

2.1.1.2 Bituminous Coal

Great pressure results in the creation of bituminous, or soft coal. This

is the type most commonly used for electric power generation in the U.S. It has
a higher heating value than either lignite or sub-bituminous, but less than that

of anthracite. Bituminous coal is mined chiefly in the Midwest and Appalachian

region. Bituminous coal (in Indiana), contains between 69% and 86% carbon

by weight.

2.1.1.3 Sub-bituminous Coal

Sub-bituminous coals are coals which have a lower rank than

bituminous coals. They contain less carbon (about 35-40%), more water and is

less efficient source of heat unlike anthracite and bituminous coals.

2.1.1.4 Lignite

Lignite coal, or brown coal, is a very soft coal that contains up to 70%

water by weight. It is considered as the lowest rank of coal because it is the

least efficient source of heat. It contains only about 25-35% carbon and 30-

60% moisture. This coal emits more pollution than other coals.

2.1.2 Coal Selection

Certain criterion were laid down by the designers for them to select the

type of coal to be used. This coal should meet the criterion that are set for the

proposed 600MW coal-fired power plant. Three different coals from Indonesia

were considered for the selection of the appropriate coal for the proposed plant.
 As basis for selecting the appropriate coal, a point system will be used

depending on the properties considered. The highest point will be 3 and the

lowest will be 1. The coal with the highest total points will be the selected coal

for this design.

2.1.2.1 Criteria for Coal Selection

The following are the criteria that were set by the designers in order to

select the appropriate coal for the proposed study. The criteria being

considered are based on the selected coal furnace, which is the Fluidized bed

furnace.

2.1.2.1.1 Grindability Index

It is an important characteristic in coal-fired power plants since it is a

measure if the relative ease or difficulty of pulverizing different kinds of coal.

One of the tests, the Hardgrove, uses a definite amount of grinding energy. The

weight of the ground product that will pass a 75micron sieve is employed to

calculate an index number called the HARDGROVE GRINDABILITY INDEX

(HGI). An index of 50-60 is recommended for good bituminous coals.

2.1.2.1.2 Ash Fusion Temperature

The coal with the highest ash fusion temperature would be the most

desirable, for it would give a stable, solid ash particle in the presence of high

furnace temperature. In some equipment, the fusion temperature produces a

limitation upon the capacity at which the equipment can be operated. If a low
ash fusion coal is contemplated at the time of designing the plant, the proper

provisions can be made for successfully using it. This is often done on account

of the attractive price usually offered by the producers of low fusion coal.

However, a fluidized bed furnace has the ability to burn coals at low

temperature. Hence, fuels with lower fusion temperatures can be handled

(Woodruff, 2005).

2.1.2.1.3 Free Swelling Index

Free swelling index is a measure of the behaviour of rapidly heated coal.

It may be used as an indicator of the caking characteristics of coal burned as a

fuel. Indexes of 1 to 3 represent relatively free-burning (non-expanding) coals in

the fuel bed; 3 to 6 represent moderately expanding coals in fuel bed; and 6

to 9 represent strongly swelling coals in the fuel bed (Kent, 1950).

2.1.2.1.4 Ash Content

The mineral matter or resulting ash in the coal is inert, and it dilutes the

heating value. Consequently, with coals of higher ash content, more fuel is

required to meet the heat input that is required in the furnace for a particular

steam capacity. The ash absorbs heat and interferes with the heat transfer to

the coal particles, thus deterring the combustion process with high-ash coals.

The type of ash varies in coal, and this reflects the tendency for slagging which

must be accounted for in the boiler design (Woodruff, 2005).

2.1.2.1.5 Moisture Content

 Moisture content in the coal influences combustion behavior. The

moisture presents a burden to coal ignition because the water in the coal must

be vaporized as the volatile matter in the coal particles is burned. It is because

of this problem that coal drying is done in the pulverization process with the

use of reheated air. Not all the moisture in the coal is eliminated, however

(Woodruff, 2005).

Table 2.1.2.1 Coal Criteria

Criteria COAL A COAL B COAL C SCORES

Premier Coal Pocahontas Live Penn Keystone

(2%) Steam Coal Coal COAL

A B C

Grindability Index 60 50max 50max 3 3 3

Free Swelling Index 8 9 8 3 3 3

Ash Fusion Temp. (F) 2500 2200 2700 2 1 3

Ash Content (%) 1.1 3.73 8.84 3 1 2

Moisture Content (%) 1.48 6 5.49 3 1 1

HHV(Btu/lb) 13,974 14,802 11,670 3 3 3

TOTAL 17 12 15

Table 3.1.2.1 shows the comparison of the different properties of three

alternative coals for this design, as well as the scores for their respective

characteristics. For grindability index, all three coals have equal score of 3
points because all their grindability indexes are within the range of 50-60

(range of grindability index for good bituminous coals). Similarly, all three coals

have the same score of 3 points for free swelling index, since they all have

indexes within the range of 6 to 9 (range of free swelling index for strongly

swelling coals in the fuel bed).

However, for ash fusion temperature, coal C has the highest score for

having the highest ash fusion temperature although fluidized bed furnaces can

handle coals with low fusion temperature. This is due to the reason that,

generally, having a high ash fusion temperature would mean a stable solid ash

particle. For ash content, coal A is given the highest score because it has the

lowest ash content which means that, among the three, it requires the least

amount of fuel to meet the heat input required in the furnace. For moisture

content, coal A has the highest score because it has the least burden for coal

ignition for having the least amount of moisture. Lastly, all three coals have

equal scores for heating value because they all have heating values above 2500

Btu/lb, which a fluidized bed considers for better combustion, though it can

handle fuels with heating value below 2500 Btu/lb.

2.1.2.2 Selected Coal

Based on the data above, the most desirable coal to use is Coal A, which

is Premier coal, for having the highest total score of 17 points. This

accumulated score was based on its characteristics which are as follows: a

grindability index of 60 which is suitable for a good bituminous coal; free

swelling index of 8 that represents strongly swelling coal on fuel bed; ash

content of 1.1% which means that it required the least amount of coal in order
to meet the heat input required in the furnace; and moisture content 1.48%

which means that it gives the least burden for coal ignition for having that least

amount of moisture to be vaporized.

2.1.3 Computation for the Coal Consumption

The coal consumption for the proposed plant is determined using certain

considerations such as the common thermal efficiency for power plants, which

is 33% and the heating value for the selected coal. The following shows the said

computation for the coal consumption.

Input MW = Output MW / Thermal Efficiency

Input MW = 600 MW / 0.33

= 1818.18 MW

= 1818.18 x 106 W

1818.18 x 106 W = mass of coal x HV

Where: HV = heating value of premier coal

= (13974 Btu/lb)(1.055kJ/Btu)(2.2lb/kg)(1000J/kJ)

= 32,433,654 J/kg

Mass of coal = (1818.18 x 106 J/s) / (32,433,654 J/kg)

 = 56.058 kg/s

In one day:

Mass of coal = (56.058 kg/s)(3600s/hr)(24hr/day)(ton/1000kg)

= 4,843.41 tons/day

Considering downtime, the total annual coal consumption at 90%

rated capacity will be

= (4,843.41 tons/day)(365days/yr)

= 1,767,859.25 tons/yr

Total annual coal consumption = 0.9(1,767,859.25)

= 1,591,073.325 tons/yr