CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

A power plant, also referred to as a power station, is an industrial facility that produces
electricity. Electricity is generated by transforming main energy sources into electrical energy,
hence serving as a secondary energy source (U.S. EIA, n.d.). Geothermal, nuclear, and fossil fuel
energy are the three main energy sources utilized in the production of electricity. Fossil fuels are
the most widely used energy source globally because of their incredibly efficient operations and
the convenience that comes with being able to reach mining sites more easily. But when fossil
fuels are consumed for energy, they are known to release large volumes of greenhouse gases,
which contribute to the dangerously changing climate. Several advocacy groups have taken up
the cause of closing coal-fired power stations and switching to renewable energy sources as a
result of this issue. Comparing the cost and efficiency of renewable energy to coal-fired power
plants is the only drawback. A combustion technology that is known to lower the emission of
dangerous compounds into the air is used in numerous nations as a result of ongoing research
aimed at increasing the efficiency of these alternatives (ClientEarth, 2022).

The term "circulating fluidized bed," or CFB for short, refers to a type of power plant or
combustion technology that employs coal as its main energy source. Originally intended for the
chemical and industrial industries, CFB was later found to offer more benefits to the electrical
utility sector when compared to rival combustion technologies. Some of these benefits include
the following: low emissions of nitrogen oxide, low emissions of sulfur dioxide, "fuel flexible"
firing of a wide variety of solid fuels with different specifications, low combustion temperature
that reduced slagging and fouling tendencies, and more (Babcock et al., 2020).

Circulating fluidized bed is a specialized combustion process wherein fuel particles (eg.,
coal, coke, biomass) are fed into the hot fluid bed, also known as the combustion zone. The
technology is widely recognized for its several benefits over traditional boilers, including its fuel
flexibility and, most importantly, its reduced emissions of hazardous pollutants like sulfur and
nitrous oxides (Babcock et al., 2020). The paper presents a discussion of designing a coal-fired
power plant that utilizes CFB technology. It also aims to enlighten the readers about CFB
technology by discussing different systems and components found in it.
1.2 Basic Operating Principles

A system made up of bed material (such as ash, sand, or sorbent) and fuel (such as coal,
coke, or biomass) contained in a vessel under atmospheric or pressured conditions is referred to
as a fluidized bed. The bed becomes fluidized when air or another gas is added to the system at
an appropriate velocity. This indicates that the solid particles in the bed have fluid-like
characteristics and behave like a liquid that is about to boil. Particles mix and circulate when gas
flows upward at the right speed, generating a highly effective and dynamic environment for a
variety of processes. Fluidized bed systems are utilized in various industries such as gasification,
combustion, and chemical reactions because of their capacity to promote effective solid-gas
contact, improved mixing, and increased heat transfer (Black et.al, 1996). Two basic types of
fluidized bed combustion systems exist: bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) and circulating fluidized
bed (CFB) (Sarkar, 2015). The designers will design a power plant that uses a CFB system.

BFB boiler is designed with a very large operating window to allow a wide range of fuels
to be burned, separately or in combination. Fuel qualities vary greatly, so this is required. For
instance, the moisture and heating values of biomass fuels vary greatly based on the year and the
source. The high degree of flexibility in BFB boiler design allows for easy air movement
between the bubbling bed and the overfire air system, as well as fuel delivery to the bed and
volumetric adjustments to the gas recirculation. Owners can control fuel costs and burn less
expensive opportunity fuels thanks to this operational flexibility (Babcock et al., 2020).

CFB boilers are built to withstand the most extreme circumstances, high-temperature,
high-pressure steam conditions are achievable for all fuels. They can also better withstand tube
corrosion, wear, and ash adhesion. Fuel-flexibility is critical for new plants to maximize
inexpensive fuels and avoid future price volatility and supply risks. The multi-fuel CFB can co-
fire a wide range of fuels, with up to 100% biomass or RDF streams (Sumitomo, 2022).

The Table below shows the comparison of BFB and CFB.

Table 1.1 Comparison of BFB and CFB

Feature BFB CFB
Bubbling bed with distinct gas
Continuous circulation of gas and
Gas-solids flow regime bubbles and dense emulsion phase
[1]
solids [2]

Particle size Larger particles (0.5-2 mm) [3] Smaller particles (60-150 μm)[3]
 Fluidization velocity Lower[3] Higher[3]
Wider range of fuels, including high-
Limited to low-rank fuels with low
Fuel flexibility rank coals, biomass, and waste
heating value [4]
materials [4]
Combustion efficiency High, but lower than CFB Very high
Lower NOx and SOx emissions than
Emissions Even lower emissions than BFB [6]
conventional technologies [6]
Power generation (smaller scale),
Power generation (larger scale),
Applications industrial boilers, biomass
chemical processing, drying, coating
combustion
Source: [1] Wei, 2021 [3] Vakkilainen, 2017
[2] Miller, 2017 [4] Tillman, 2018

The Table above shows the comparison of both BFB and CFB. The gas-solid flow regime
of bubbling bed has a dense emulsion phase, while the CFB has continuous of gas and solids. In
addition, the particle size for the BFB has larger particle sizes that ranges from 0.5-2mm while
CFB has smaller particle sizes that ranges from 60-150 μm. The fluidization velocity for BFB
and CFB is lower and higher, respectively. On the other hand, the fuel flexibility of BFB is
limited to only low-rank fuels that has low heating value, and the CFB has wider range of fuels.
For the combustion efficiency, the CFB has higher combustion efficiency compared to BFB. The
Figure below shows the illustration for the bubbling fluidized bed.

Source: Babcock and Wilcox, 2023

Figure 1.1 A photo showing Bubbling Fluidized Bed
 The Figure above shows the illustration of a BFB and its process on how it works. Figure
1.2 shows the illustration of a circulating fluidized bed.

Source: ResearchGate, 2023

Figure 1.2 A photo showing Circulating Fluidized Bed

1.3 Proposed Project

The proposed project is a coal-fired thermal power plant with a 200 MW total design
capacity. The specified amount of power will be produced by four 50 MW Circulating Fluidized
Bed (CFB) boilers. The low-quality coals used in these boilers will be discussed in more detail in
the upcoming chapter.

The designer recommended the fluidized bed combustion (FBC) method for their project.
Higher slip velocities and intense fuel and air mixing in FBC boilers result in higher mass
transfer rates and heat output, which raise combustion efficiency. The low SOX and NOX
emissions of the fluidized bed boiler, which are the outcome of staged combustion, was another
factor in the decision to choose it for the project (Downmore et al., 2015).
 The suggested power plant would only use 10% of the plant's internal power or input
power (Morse, 1953). The summary of proposed project is shown in the Table below.

Table 1.2 Summary of Proposed Project

Design Capacity = 4 x 50 MW
= 200 MW

In-house Capacity = 10% of input power

= 0.1 x 200
= 20 MW

Contract Capacity = Design Capacity – In-house

= 200 MW – 20MW
= 180 MW
The entire design capacity is 200 MW. However, 10% of its design capacity is needed for
the in-house, meaning that the contract capacity is 180 MW overall.

The design of the proposed powerplant will include six (6) major systems, which will be
then discussed in the following chapters. The following systems are:

1. Coal handling system;

2. Gas Loop system;
3. Power Loop system;
4. Water Loop system;
5. Ash Handling system; and
6. Auxiliary system.