The Externally-Fired Combined Cycle (EFCC) is an attractive emerging technology for powering high efficiency combined gas and steam turbine cycles with coal or other ash bearing fuels. The key near-term market for the EFCC is likely to be repowering of existing coal fueled power generation units. Repowering with an EFCC system offers utilities the ability to improve efficiency of existing plants by 25 to 60 percent, while doubling generating capacity. Repowering can be accomplished at a capital cost half that of a new facility of similar capacity. Furthermore, the EFCC concept does not require complex chemical processes, and is therefore very compatible with existing utility operating experience.
In the EFCC, the heat input to the gas turbine is supplied indirectly through a ceramic heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, coupled with an atmospheric coal combustor and auxiliary components, replaces the conventional gas turbine combustor. Addition of a steam bottoming plant and exhaust cleanup system completes the combined cycle.
A conceptual design has been developed for EFCC repowering of an existing reference plant which operates with a 48 MW steam turbine at a net plant efficiency of 25 percent. The repowered plant design uses a General Electric LM6000 gas turbine package in the EFCC power island. Topping the existing steam plant with the coal fueled EFCC improves efficiency to nearly 40 percent. The capital cost of this upgrade is 1,090/kW. When combined with the high efficiency, the low cost of coal, and low operation and maintenance costs, the resulting cost of electricity is competitive for base load generation.
The Dry Low NOx (DLN) -2.6 combustion system has achieved emission rates of lower than 9 ppm NOx (dry, corrected to 15 percent O2) and CO from 50 to 100 percent load for the GE MS7001FA industrial gas turbine on natural gas. The system uses lean premixed combustion with fuel staging for low load stability. The first unit achieved commercial operation in March of 1996 with a firing temperature of 2350°F. As of September 9, 1999, it has accumulated over 11,800 hours of operation in peaking and base load service. Sixteen more units have since entered commercial service. Emissions data are shown for operation on natural gas. The DLN-2.6 system can operate on liquid fuel with water injection for NOx abatement. Power augmentation with steam injection is allowable while operating on natural gas. The premixed gas nozzles utilize swirl for flame stabilization. Aerodynamically shaped natural gas injectors are applied for flashback or flame-holding resistance.
In a carbon constrained world there is a need for capturing and sequestering CO2. Post-combustion carbon capture via Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) is considered a feasible means of reducing emission of CO2 from power plants. Exhaust Gas Recirculation is an enabling technology for increasing the CO2 concentration within the gas turbine cycle and allow the decrease of the size of the separation plant, which in turn will enable a significant reduction in CO2 capture cost. This paper describes the experimental work performed to better understand the risks of utilizing EGR in combustors employing dry low emissions (DLE) technologies. A rig was built for exploring the capability of premixers to operate in low O2 environment, and a series of experiments in a visually accessible test rig was performed at representative aeroderivative gas turbine pressures and temperatures. Experimental results include the effect of applying EGR on operability, efficiency and emissions performance under conditions of up to 40% EGR. Findings confirm the viability of EGR for enhanced CO2 capture; In addition, we confirm benefits of NOx reduction while complying with CO emissions in DLE combustors under low oxygen content oxidizer.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.