IGCC for Power generation –

an environmentally benign
and energy efficient technology

Dr. D.N. Reddy, Director

Dr. V.K. Sethi, Research Adviser

Centre for Energy Technology,

University College of Engineering (Autonomous)
Osmania University, Hyderabad – 500 007,
India.
– Total installed capacity over 1,00,000 MW

– Thermal power generation has emerged as the

principal source of electric power in India contributing
to about 70%

– Coal fired thermal stations are in predominance and

share about 84% of the total thermal installed
capacity.

– It is prudent and economical to develop methods and

process for efficient utilization of low-grade Indian
coals for power generation.
– Gasification of coal is the cleanest way of utilization
of coal, while combined cycle power generation gives
the highest efficiency.

– Integration of these two technologies in IGCC power

generation offers the benefits of very low emissions
and efficiencies of the order of 44-48%.

– The comparative indices show that in case of IGCC,

emission of particulate, NOx and SOx are:
7.1%, 20% and 16%, respectively, of the
corresponding emissions from PC plant.
– Environmental performance of IGCC thus far exceeds
that of conventional and even supercritical plants.

– Three major areas of technology that will contribute to

improvements in IGCC are :
 hot gas de-sulfurisation
 hot gas particulate removal
 advanced turbine systems
– Commercialization of IGCC needs technology demonstration
at an intermediate scale of about 100 MW to address the
issues such as:
hot gas clean ups and system optimization and to
establish reliability and performance.

– This would also enable to design an optimum module for air

blown gasification, which in multiples would constitute a
commercial size plant in the range of 300-600 MW.

– The present paper addresses these issues and

suggests suitable technologies for Indian Coals.
 VISION 2020
PROGRAM

In-combustion Clean-up
Gasification using +
Fluidized bed
fluidized bed, moving bed
combustion (CFBC,
or Entrant bed Gasifiers
PFBC, AFBC)

Post combustion Clean-up-

Pre combustion Clean- Desulfurization
up beneficiation/washing (FGC systems) Supercritical

CLEAN COAL
TECHNOLOGIES
Technologies for utilization of Coal for Power Generation with
minimal polutants discharged to the atmosphere (Reduced CO2,
Sox, Nox, SPM) at high conversion efficiency……….W.C.I.
 Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle
Steam Flue Gas to Stack

BFW Steam Steam

HRSG Turbine
Steam

Coal Compressed Air

Hot Gas

Fuel gas Gas

Gasifier Cleanup Gasturbine
Power

Air
Sulfur
Ash
 Identified R&D Areas are:

– Process optimization of selected gasification process

– Improvement of design and reliability of plant components

& Resource Optimization

– Optimization of overall plant heat integration and layout

– Hot gas cleanup

 COAL GASIFICATION – SELECTION OF
GASIFICATION PROCESS

The fluidised bed process has many technical and environmental

advantages over the moving bed process, such as,

– The fluidised bed can use any amount of fines whereas in the
moving bed only 10% of fines can be used.
– In the fluidized bed process, hydrocarbon, liquid by-products
such as tar, oil and gas-liquor are not produced and, hence, the
pollution is reduced.
– High ash coals can also be successfully gasified in the fluidised
bed.
– Experience on the fluidized bed process is,
very limited in the country.

– Internationally, the experience gained so far

is only for low ash coals.

– Thus there is a need for taking up extensive

R&D on IGCC Pilot Plant using high ash
(40-50% Ash) Indian Coal
 Technology-related issues in IGCC

– Design of Advanced gasifiers (optimum gas composition,

optimum scale-up etc.)
– Hot gas cleaning (de-sulphurisation and particulate removal)
– Advanced gas turbines (blade design to sustain ash laden gas)
– CO2 emission abatement in IGCC Power Plants
– Operating conditions of IGCC plants in transient stage
– Configuration of an optimized system for IGCC
 Fuel – related issues

In a Raw Pet-Coke and refinery residue based IGCC Plant

– System optimization, particularly the balance of plant
– Optimized Heat balance diagrams
– Scaling up of gasifiers to optimum size

In a Coal/Lignite based IGCC Plant

– Process & Plant conceptual design
– De-sulfurization of syngas of high sulfur coal and lignite
– Optimized Heat balance diagrams
– Super critical Vs IGCC in Indian context
– Application of ASME PTC-47 code for IGCC for high ash coals and
lignite
 SOME IMPORTANT FINDINGS ………
• Reactive solid sorbent de-sulfurization combined with hot gas
cleaning through ash and sorbent particle removal provides for
higher energy efficiency to the extend of 4-7%.

• The current Capital cost of building an IGCC power plant is of

the order of Rupees 6 crore/ MW.

• Improvements in hot gas cleaning coupled with Cycle

optimization shall bring down the cost drastically to a level of $
1000/kW or about Rupees 4.5 crore/MW
 The efficiency of refinery bottom based IGCC unit will be about 2%
higher than that of coal based IGCC unit.

 Refinery based IGCC plants-advantage

 Co-generation of steam
 Co-production of hydrogen gas & recovery of sulfur element
 No use of limestone, as required for CFBC technology
 No requirement of extra land for disposal of solid waste

 In the long run the refinery based IGCC technology is equally

attractive to coal based IGCC from economic and environmental
considerations.
 SOME FINDINGS RELATED TO
COMMERCIALIZATION OF TECHNOLGOY

 At present it may be prudent to implement the project in

phased manner to absorb the risk of gasifier in the total
project wrap-up guarantees fig. 1

 A Technology Transfer model for determination of velocity

of Transfer of Technology (TOT) is an useful tool TOT of a
frontier technology from a developed economy to a
developing economy (fig. 2)
Typical results of the velocity of TOT are : -
(With year 2000 as base)

 IGCC (oxygen blown) - Pet coke

Normal pace ---- 5 years
Accelerated ---- 2  years
(Fig 3)
 IGCC (Air Blown) ---- Coal
Normal pace ---- 7 years
Accelerated ---- 5 years
( Fig 4)
Fig. 1

16
Fig. 2

1
Fig. 3

36
Fig. 4

1
 Super Critical PC Power Plant (15 oC Amb.)
60
Super Critical PC Power Plant (Indian Condition)
IGCC (15 oC Amb)
Net Thermal Efficiency (%)
55
IGCC (Indian Condition)
Sub Critical PC Power Plant (Indian Condition)
50 1500 oC
1300o C
623 oC
45 600o C
566 oC

40 Ceramic gas
1184o C turbine
650o C
35
540oC
30
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Year of commercial use

Fig.5 EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT FORECAST

CONVENTIONAL Vs IGCC