IGCC POWER PLANTS

(A new technology to answer global warming)

By A.MALLIKARJUN (07915A0205)

INTRODUCTION
Developing cost-effective carbon capture technology is one of the
most important environmental challenges facing the utility industry in the 21st century

. The process offers options to eliminate greenhouse gases, produce

hydrogen and liquid fuels.

. The potential for CARBON DIOXIDE SEQUESTRATION makes IGCC

technology even more appealing and environmentally responsible. . A more complex, but even more economical option.

. In this technology we build a sort of refinery to generate "Synthetic

gas" from poor lignite then we fire this synthetic gas in the

combined cycle power plants similar to natural gas firing.

IGCC technology is first innovated by Germans

during 2nd world war to produce gas and liquid fuel for the fighting war vehicles .
Crude oil now costs more than 75 US Dollars per

barrel, therefore IGCC technology is now an attractive fuel option.

The basic IGCC concept was first successfully

demonstrated at commercial scale at Pioneer Cool Water Project at Southern California in 1989.

IGCC PROCESS

ENTRAINED FLOW GASIFIERS

IN IGCC'S GASIFIER, carbon-based raw +steam

+oxygen at high temp and pressure. Mostly hydrogen is produced in the gasifier, along with CO, methane, and CO2. The gasifier's high temp vitrifies inorganic materials into a course, sand like material, or slag.

Hot syngas from the gasifier is cooled through

the RSC to generate high-pressure saturated steam (1,650 psig)

Convective syngas coolers (CSC) to generate

additional high-pressure steam.

The syngas is sent through Syngas scrubber

then preheat clean syngas and diluent nitrogen for the combustion turbine.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ENTRAINED FLOW GASIFIERS

At high operating pressures and in the quench mode

they are best for high CO2 capture. They produce the least CH4 and are best for producing syngas for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. They use dry coal feed Cooled refractory liner extends refractory life. Eliminates high maintenance carbon scrubber. Continuous slag removal.

GENERATOR &HEAT RECOVERY UNIT

Clean syngas from

gasifier after removal of impurities is feed to gas turbine. If any shortage of syngas we can use natural gas to drive the turbine. Waste gas from the GT pass through the HEAT RECOVERY UNIT and produce very high pr steam.

The steam from gassifier cooling

process and steam from heat recovery unit feed into steam generator.
This process is 50% more efficient than

direct coal firing plant.

BENEFITS OF IGCC POWER PLANTS

The primary environmental benefit is nearly zero

air pollution. Coal-fired power plants are responsible for 60% of sulfur dioxide emissions, 33% of mercury emissions, 25% of nitrogen oxide emissions, and more than 33% of the nation's carbon dioxide air emissions.. Less water consumption (about 20-30%) than a conventional coal power plant.

Less fuel consumption. IGCC is more efficient, creating more

electricity per unit of coal and less CO2. "Efficiency will be increased from about 33% from a traditional coal-fired plant to 38% .
Cheaper power cost than natural gas fired

power plants.
We can reduce the uncertain availability of

imported crude oil, which raises concerns for national security and economic development...

DRAWBACKS OF IGCC POWER PLANT

Gasification plants come at a high price tag .

They have typically cost Rs 60 m to Rs 80 m per megawatt of capacity compared to Rs 50 m per megawatt for a conventional coal plant and Rs27.5 m per megawatt for natural gas plants. Refractory wear and life are extremely sensitive to gassifier operating conditions.

FUTURE SCOPE.
87 new IGCC Projects are under construction. 10 power plants with installed capacities ranging

from 60 to 500mw are expected to be operational between 2004 and 2010. IGCC Power projects reduce GLOBAL WARMING Efficiency can shoot up 50 to 60% with Future generation technology and reductions in the release of carbon dioxide. Turbines with higher efficiencies and operating temperatures are being developed.

Early 1990s, the best turbines available had

efficiencies of only 50 percent. But today it is operating in the 57 to 58 %efficiency range .

Scientist developing potentially low-cost

configuration for a future gasifier. Called the "transport reactor," the gasifier is an advanced circulating fluidized-bed reactor.

CONCLUSION
Improvements in IGCC technology between now &

2020 are expected to reduce cost of electricity generation with co2 capture by 20-30%. The time has changed and petroleum now costs more than 75 US Dollars per barrel, therefore IGCC technology is now an attractive fuel option. The syngas and the hydrogen produced from this process will take care of the future fuel requirement of the Universe. We got enough coal reserve for another 250 years whereas crude oil reserve is only for few more decades.