OXYFUEL COMBUSTION FOR NEAR ZERO EMISSION IN POWER

GENERATION
Partha Sarathi Panda
Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, Sambalpur, Odisha, India

Oxyfuel combustion has emerged as a promising technology for carbon capture and storage
(CCS) in coal-fired boilers, presenting a viable solution to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Unlike traditional air combustion, oxyfuel combustion employs a mixture of oxygen and
recirculating flue gas (FGR), resulting in combustion gases primarily composed of O2, CO2,
and H2O.Fundamental research has indicated that the flame characteristics, such as
temperature and propagation velocity, in oxyfuel combustion with pulverized coal clouds are
notably lower compared to air combustion with equivalent O2 concentrations. Pilot
combustion tests conducted by IHI demonstrated stable burner combustion at over 30% O2 in
secondary combustion gas, achieving furnace heat transfer equivalent to air firing at 27% O2
in overall combustion gas. In terms of environmental impact, oxyfuel combustion exhibits
significant reductions in NOx emissions per unit of combustion energy, reaching a
remarkable one-third of the emissions observed in air combustion. This improvement is
attributed to the reduction of NOx in the recirculated flue gas. Moreover, Sox emissions were
found to be 30% lower in oxyfuel combustion. However, an intriguing observation revealed
that the Sox concentration within the furnace during oxyfuel operation was three to four times
higher than in air mode, primarily due to a lower exhaust gas flow rate. An essential finding
from IHI's pilot test is the reliable and promising nature of oxyfuel pulverized coal
combustion for coal-fired power plants with CCS. The study confirms stable burner
combustion at elevated O2 levels, providing a comparable level of furnace heat transfer
efficiency to air combustion. Notably, the reduction in NOx and Sox emissions underscore
the environmental benefits of oxyfuel technology. Despite these positive outcomes,
challenges persist, as evidenced by a higher concentration of SO3 in the furnace during
oxyfuel mode. This phenomenon leads to a 15–20 °C increase in the sulfuric acid dew point
compared to air combustion. Addressing these challenges is crucial for the widespread
adoption of oxyfuel combustion, ensuring its effectiveness in achieving sustainable and
environmentally friendly coal-fired power generation with carbon capture and storage.

Keyboards-
Oxyfuel combustion, Carbon capture and storage, Boiler power plant, Coal