Study of electric plant applications for low Btu gasification of coal for electric power generation. Final report R and D Task 11 (Phase I), July 1974-August 1978

Three 600 Mw electric power plants incorporating C-E low Btu coal gasification at atmospheric pressure are compared. Plant A is a conventional steam cycle; Plant C is a gas turbine/steam turbine combined cycle, with two 1800/sup 0/F gas turbines and a supplementary fired boiler; Plant D is a combined cycle with four 2200/sup 0/F gas turbines and unfired boilers. Optimization studies determine the best individual plant schemes. Design and performance of the three plants are discussed. Equipment selections are described for gasification, power production, and balance of plant. Overall operating cost evaluations are developed. The economic effects of changing the product gas heating value by plus or minus 25% are investigated. The Plant A and C power production costs are approximately the same as a new coal fired coventional steam plant with stack gas scrubbers. Plant D's power production costs are 6% lower than those of Plants A, C, or a conventional plant with scrubbers. Therefore, Plant D has excellent potential for the near future coal-fired power plant market, with only a minimum of new technology for the atmospheric pressure gasifiers. In addition, coal gasification power plants A, C and D have the technical potential for meeting future more stringent emission limitations without significant increases in power production costs. The probable future environmental limitations might not be technically attainable by scrubber equipped plants, even with the expenditure of significantly greater funds.