Conceptual Design of Oxygen-Based PC Boiler
Project # 41736

Primary Performing Organization:
Foster Wheeler Development Corporation

The contribution of this project to improving carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture technology is to develop a conceptual pulverized coal (PC) fired boiler system design using oxygen as the combustion medium. Using oxygen instead of air produces a flue gas with a high CO₂ concentration, which will facilitate CO₂ capture for subsequent sequestration.

Studies have indicated that, among other things, a higher flame temperature results in a more compact furnace and less gas recycle.  It also leads to higher cycle efficiency due to greater boiler efficiency.  See spatial comparison of an air-fired furnace with an oxygen-fired furnace.

This project contemplates a comprehensive literature review to evaluate previous work in this area.  From that information process modeling simulations will be made.  These simulations should lead to a conceptual design that addresses costs, performance, and emissions, and will conclude with a comparison to conventional systems.  If all objectives are achieved, the project will result in a conceptual design of a process that is competitive with an integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) system in terms of cost of electricity and CO₂ mitigation cost when CO₂ is being captured.

Contacts:
Project Manager:  Timothy Fout, timothy.fout@netl.doe.gov

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