Ultra-Supercritical (USC) steam power generation technology with Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB): Combustion, Materials and Modelling (USC-CFB-CMM)

Completed

Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electric power conversion)
Renewable Energy Sources(Bio-Energy, Applications for heat and electricity)
Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(CO2 Capture and Storage, CO2 capture/separation)

Basic and strategic applied research

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr H Liu
Architecture and Built Environment
University of Nottingham

Standard

EPSRC

01 April 2015

30 November 2018

44 months

£1,033,385

Energy

East Midlands

Energy : Energy

Dr H Liu, Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham

Dr T Hussain, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr W Nimmo, Energy Resources Research Unit, University of Leeds
Professor M Pourkashanian, Energy Resources Research Unit, University of Leeds
Professor C Snape, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr C Sun, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham
Dr W Sun, Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Nottingham
Prof J Wang, School of Engineering, University of Warwick

Project Contact, Babcock International Group plc
Project Contact, Amec Foster Wheeler Energia Oy, Finland
Project Contact, E.ON New Build and Technology Ltd
Project Contact, Alstom Ltd (UK)
Project Contact, Tsinghua University

To achieve the UK's ambitious target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 without compromising energy security, the UK's conventional power plants must be operated in a flexible manner in terms of high efficiency, using alternative fuels (e.g. biomass) and integrating technologies for carbon abatement (e.g. Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS). Major reviews conducted by International Energy Agency in 2013 on the current status of the most advanced solid fuel-based conventional power generation technologies clearly show that ultra-supercritical (USC) steam Rankine cycle power generation combined with Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) combustion technology is the most viable alternative to the pulverised coal (PC)-based USC power generation. In addition, USC/CFB has a number of advantages over USC/PC, particularly regarding fuel flexibility.However, there are still many fundamental research and technical challenges facing the development of USC-CFB technology. In particular, combustion issues related to safe and stable operation of CFB boilers when burning a variety of solid fuels are not yet fully understood and there is a great need to develop novel materials that will be able to cope with adverse conditions associated with USC/CFB operations.This consortium brings together internationally recognised research experts from Universities of Leeds, Nottingham and Warwick in the fields of conventional power generation, fluidized bed combustion, power plant materials, modelling and control with the strong supports of industrial partners in Alstom, Doosan Babcock, Foster Wheeler and E.ON and its international academic partner - Tsinghua University. The project proposed aims to maximize the benefits of USC/CFB in terms of power generation efficiency, fuel flexibility including biomass and integration with CO2 capture by conducting research that addresses the key challenges in combustion, materials and modelling. The specific project objectives are:(1) To understand how the combustion of a variety of fuels affects bed material agglomeration, fouling and corrosion of boiler heat exchanger tubes and emissions(2) To understand the influence of the hostile conditions in USC/CFB in terms of creep and oxidation/corrosion resistance on ferritic, austenitic and Ni-based materials and to use the knowledge gained to develop coatings, enablng these materials to withstand the higher temperatures and pressures(3) To investigate the additional impacts on combustion, emissions and materials when a USC/CFB is operating in the oxy-fuel combustion mode(4) To develop a whole USC/CFB power plant dynamic model and to use the model to study optimal process operation strategies for higher efficiencies and better fuel flexibilityTo achieve the proposed research aim and objectives and address the fundamental challenges, four inter-connected work packages composed of experimental and modelling studies will be completed:(1) WP1 - Investigating CFB combustionissues through combustion tests at laboratory- and pilot-scales(2) WP2 - Evaluating hostile conditions of USC/CFB on candidate materials(3) WP3 - Development of surface engineered coatings & mechanical testing of coated alloys(4) wp4 - USC/CFB system modelling

17/07/15