Energy Conversion and Management 43 (2002) 12211233

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Keynote paper

The development of advanced energy technologies in Japan IGCC: A key technology for the 21st century
Osamu Shinada
a

a,*

, Akira Yamada a, Yoshinori Koyama

b,1

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Nagasaki Research and Development Center 5-717-1, Fukahori-Machi, Nagasaki 851-0392, Japan b Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., Nagasaki Shipyard and Machinery Works 1-1, Akunoura-Machi, Nagasaki 850-8610, Japan

Abstract Integrated coal gasication combined cycle (IGCC) power plants have been looked to as a key technology for the 21st century in order to realize high eciency and good environmental performance for electricity generation, replacing existing coal red power plants. Following successful completion of a 200 ton/d pilot project in Nakoso, IGCC technology development in Japan is moving from the stage of a feasibility study to a detailed study to allow nal decisions for demonstration plant construction. The feasibility study, jointly conducted by the domestic electric power companies, found MHIs IGCC technology to have several advantages in eciency and reliability. In parallel with the study, a number of R&D tests have been executed as a national project to facilitate scaling up from the pilot plant to the demonstration plant. This paper introduces the current status of the MHIs IGCC technological development. 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Keywords: IGCC; Gasication; Gasier; Air blown; Two stage; Power plant; Combined cycle; Fossil fuel; Coal; CO2 reduction; Hot gas clean-up; Fixed bed gas clean-up

1. Introduction Future fossil-fueled power plants will face stringent requirements for the achievement of good environmental performance with competitive economic performance, as viewed from the
Corresponding author. Tel.: +81-95-834-2401; fax: +81-95-834-2505. E-mail addresses: osamu_shinada@nsmw.mhi.co.jp (O. Shinada), yamada@ngsrdc.mhi.co.jp (A. Yamada), at30812@nsmw.mhi.co.jp (Y. Koyama). 1 Tel.: +81-95-828-6354; fax: +81-95-828-6194. 0196-8904/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. PII: S 0 1 9 6 - 8 9 0 4 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 0 9 - 2
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standpoint of global environmental preservation. Furthermore, coal is the most important and dominant energy source in terms of energy conservation on a global scale and security of energy resources, because coal is overwhelmingly abundant and distributed in many countries in comparison with other fossil fuels, such as oil and natural gas. Accordingly the development of new technologies for coal ring power generation has being accelerated worldwide [1]. Although conventional thermal power plants, which have boilers and steam turbines, have undergone improvement in eciency by means of increased steam conditions, it is obvious that they have exhausted further eciency potential because of the heat resistance limits of metal materials. On the other hand, combined cycle power plants, which consist of gas turbines and steam turbines, have excellent potential for increased thermal eciency by raising the combustion temperature of the gas turbines. In fact, modern natural gas red combined cycle power plants with 1350 C Mitsubishi F-series gas turbines have already achieved over 48% net thermal eciency (HHV basis), which is 20% higher than that of conventional power plants [2]. Furthermore, the newest combined cycle power plant featuring 1500 C Mitsubishi G-series gas turbines has been in subjected to on-site trial operation and will put into commercial operation from mid-1999; over 50% net thermal eciency is expected. Because gas turbine blades are cooled by air through numerous holes on the surfaces and must be kept from plugging, restrictions on gas turbine fuel are very strict, and only gas fuel and clean oil are actually used for combined cycle power generation. As coal contains ash and other impurities such as Na, K etc., it is not acceptable as a gas turbine fuel. It is for this reason that Integrated coal gasication combined cycle (IGCC) technology is required. The IGCC power plant is a new power generation system, consisting of a gasier which gasies coal to CO and H2 and separates ash from coal, a gas clean-up facility which separates dust and sulfur from the resulting gas, and a gas turbine combined cycle power plant using coal gas from the gas clean-up facility. IGCC has a potential of higher than 50% net thermal eciency with increased gas turbine combustion temperature, as this has already been realized with natural gas red combined cycle power plants. It will also result in a 20% reduction of CO2 while generating the same amount of electricity using coal. Although many research and development projects aimed at CO2 reduction and xation have been carried out worldwide, it appears dicult to achieve an economical and industrial scale. Thus, it is clear that increased net thermal eciency is the most practical way for reduction of CO2 , making IGCC an attractive and important technology for the next century. Another feature of IGCC is its superior environmental performance which is attained by means of the conversion process from dirty coal to clean puried gas and disposal of non-leaching glassy slag in place of y ash. Several IGCC demonstration plants are now under construction or undergoing demonstration operation in Europe and the US. In Japan, as a national R&D project, a 200 ton/day entrained bed coal gasication combined cycle pilot plant was constructed and operated for 4770 h from 1991 to 1996 by the IGC Research Association under the auspices of NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization), and was successfully completed in March 1996. MHI was in charge of the development of the pressurized, air blown, two stage, entrained bed coal gasier and the xed bed dry gas clean-up system in this project. These essential IGCC technologies have been veried at the pilot plant with the achievement of stable and continuous operation for one month in March 1995 [3]. This air blown entrained bed coal gasication concept is more suitable for power generation than the oxygen blown designs which have been developed

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mainly for chemical plants in Europe and the US, because it is not necessary to use a large amount of auxiliary power to produce oxygen. However, air blown entrained bed gasication technology does feature certain diculties, and had not been successful prior to this pilot plant. The key point is to balance the caloric value of product gas and combustion temperature.

2. Particulars of the dry feed air blown two stage entrained bed gasier The air blown entrained bed gasication combined cycle is able to attain high net thermal eciency with dry coal feed and dry gas clean-up because of the substantial merit of no oxygen generation by the air separation unit (ASU), and no latent heat loss in the gasier and gas cleanup system as compared with oxygen blown IGCC systems, especially these with slurry coal feed and wet gas clean-up [4] (see Table 1). However, the nitrogen in the air as the gasication agent lowers the combustion gas temperature in the gasier, so that it needs special attention to ensure the discharge of melting ash and suciently high calorie coal gas for stable combustion in the gas turbine. As an eective solution, MHI adopted a two stage gasication concept, consisting of a combustor and a reductor (see Fig. 1). This concept realizes the ideal process based on the function required. The combustor, where coal and recycled char are burnt at a high temperature under a high air/coal ratio condition, supplies sucient heat to the reductor for gasication while attaining low unburned carbon in ash and smooth exhaust of molten slag. The reductor, where
Table 1 Comparison of IGCC systems Type MHI/NEDO O2 Blown-A O2 Blown-B Gasication agent Air O2 Coal feed Dry Wet Gas clean-up Dry Wet

Fig. 1. Principle of air blown two stage entailed bed gasier.

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char is gasied through heat a absorption process, attains high gasication eciency under a low air/coal ratio condition using the heat from the combustor. This technology was developed with the 2 ton/day process development unit gasier by MHI and the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industries (CRIEPI) from 1981 to 1991, and was adopted for the gasier of the 200 ton/day pilot project. This air blown two stage gasier is also advantageous in that the ash particles in the coal gas are quenched at the reductor from the molten to the solid state by means of the coal gasication absorption reaction without the need for a special quenching medium or radiant cooler, thus enabling a fairly small sized gasier, regardless of the fact that coal gas ow is roughly double that of oxygen blown ones. This is an important advantage in comparison with oxygen blown one stage entrained bed gasiers which require a large radiant cooler and/or a quenching system to mix cold recycled coal gas. A radiant cooler requires at least 10 times the residence time of the air blown gasication reaction. Gas ow after quenching with cold gas mixing in oxygen blown gasiers becomes nearly double, meaning that there is no big dierence in size between the air blown gasier and oxygen blown ones.

3. 200 ton/day air blown entrained bed coal gasier operation results 3.1. Outline of the 200 ton/day pilot plant The research and development project involving the 200 ton/day pilot plant for an entrained bed coal gasication combined cycle was sponsored by the Japanese government (MITI/NEDO) and all the Japanese electric utility companies. On behalf of NEDO, the project was directed by the IGC Research Association (a technical association composed of the 10 domestic electric utilities and CRIEPI). The pilot plant was located on the premises of the Nakoso power station of Joban Joint Power Co., in Iwaki City in Fukushima Prefecture, and was operated by the IGC Research Association since 1991. The system schematic diagram of the pilot plant is shown in Fig. 2. This plant, consisting mainly of the air blown gasier (gasifying 200 ton/day of coal), the hot and dry gas clean-up unit and the low calorie coal gas red gas turbine (12.5 MWe of capacity), allowed testing and performance verication of the operational exibility, reliability, and durability of air blown IGCC technologies. Dry gas clean-up was composed of two parallel systems; a granular bed gas lter and uidized bed desulfurization system, and a candle ceramic lter and xed bed honeycomb desulfurization system. A product coal gas incinerator and a ue gas de-SOx /de-NOx facility were installed to allow independent gasier operation. The heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) and steam turbine were not installed, since they were well-established technologies. MHI was in charge of the design and manufacturing of the air blown 200 ton/day gasier, the xed bed hot and dry gas clean-up unit and the testing stand for the full pressure and full scale gas turbine combustor. MHIs xed bed hot and dry gas clean-up unit was composed of a dust removal system featuring a porous ceramic lter and a honeycomb shaped stationary oxidized iron desulfurization unit (see the Fig. 3). This system realizes a signicantly compact size and a completely water free construction, as well as superb clean-up performance under high gas temperature conditions of 350450 C, enabling eective use of the sensitive heat of the coal gas as gas turbine heat input.

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Fig. 2. 200 ton/day pilot plant system ow diagram.

Fig. 3. Fixed bed hot and dry gas clean-up system.

And, given the absence of moving materials, handling systems including valves, pipes and controls are greatly simplied, thereby increasing system reliability and economy. Cumulative operating time is 4770 h for the gasier, 1586 h for xed bed clean-up and 1643 h for power generation, including the one month continuous operation of 789 h. The target of this project was to develop air blown IGCC with pure domestic technologies in cooperation with the Japanese government and the power companies. It was successfully accomplished with satisfactory results, and tests at the pilot plant were completed by the end of

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March 1996. After the test operation, the project was nally concluded with the evaluation of the materials from the dismantled parts. 3.2. Outline of the operating experience of 200 ton/day gasier The test operation of the 200 ton/day coal gasier was conducted from June 1991 using a domestic coal (Taiheiyo coal) and Australian coals (Moura coal and Workwarth coal). Some initial troubles were encountered and appropriate improvements to the facilities and the operating procedures were made. After these initial adjustments, the remaining issue was the slagging problem involving slag build-up at the wall of the lower part of the reductor and occasional plugging of the slag tap at the bottom of the combustor. The IGC Research Association investigated the cause of slag problem and made extensive analytical studies at MHIs Nagasaki R&D Center. The IGC Research Association conferred with NEDO and the modication of the gasier was conducted from July to October 1994. After the modication, neither slag build-up nor slag tap plugging occurred, and it was concluded that the slagging trouble was completely solved and that the principle of the quenching eect with the coal gasication absorption reaction at the second stage was fully veried. With this success, the reliability of the gasier was highly enhanced, and superior performance data with respect to the target values was obtained as shown in Table 2. 3.3. Result of the one month reliability test of the 200 ton/day gasier The 200 ton/day gasier achieved the one month continuous operation for 789 h (about 33 days) from 3 March to 5 April, 1995. During this test period, the operating of the gasier was continuously stable, and the test was completed according to the planned schedule. Fig. 4 shows the major operating parameters of the gasier in this test. It was conrmed that the gasier could maintain a suciently high heating value for the product coal gas for the stable combustion in the gas turbine, and also maintain stable discharging of molten slag through the slag tap with 100% recycling of char. Throughout this test, there was no trouble with any other auxiliary equipment, and the reliability of the entire gasier system was conrmed. Superior air blown gasication performance data was collected, with the achievement of 70% cold gas eciency and 99.9% carbon conversion eciency, and the highest net thermal plant eciency will be obtained at a future demonstration plant. All of the ash in the coal fed to the
Table 2 Performance data of the 200 ton/day gasier Predicted Kind of coal HHV (kcal/N m3 ) Cold gas eciency (%) Carbon conversion eciency (%) Char recycle (%) Moura 1000 >67 >97 100 Results Moura 10001100 6764 >99.9 100

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Fig. 4. One month continuous operation data of the 200 ton/day gasier.

gasier was converted to non-leaching and compact glassy slag with negligibly low unreacted carbon, which enables realization of simple ash handling and economical ash disposal without the y ash including unreacted carbon. 3.4. Result of the one month reliability test of the 20 ton/day xed bed gas clean-up For the purpose of verifying the performance, reliability and durability of MHIs xed bed dry gas clean-up technology, a 20 ton/day capacity pilot facility was installed next to the 200 ton/day gasier [5]. This pilot facility also achieved 765 h of continuous operation during the same period as the long term reliability test operation of the 200 ton/day gasier. This test shows the excellent performance (i.e., 15 mg/N m3 of dust concentration and 2050 ppm of sulfur content (H2 S, COS) at the outlet of the clean-up) and the durability of the ceramic lter element, the oxidized iron desulfurization agent and the overall system (see Fig. 5). The sulfur recovery system was tested in this operation, and considering the actual market situation and infrastructure, the gypsum recovery system was also tested. MHIs gypsum recovery system is a pressurized system, which enables production of a-phase gypsum and features extremely low heat loss due to its compact size.

Fig. 5. One month continuous operation data of the 20 ton/day xed bed gas clean-up.

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Another advantage of this xed bed clean-up equipment is ease in scaling up its capacity because of the simple scale-up criteria that only the quantity of the element is increased in accordance with the gas ow.

4. Outline of the IGCC demonstration plant After the successful completion of the 200 ton/day pilot project in Nakoso, a basic design for the IGCC demonstration plant was conrmed and support R&D tests were conducted in 1997 and 1998 as a national project of 11 Japanese electric utility companies commissioned by NEDO [6]. The system ow diagram is shown in Fig. 6. The specications of the equipment were designed based on the know-how attained from the experience of the 200 ton/day pilot plant, aiming principally at economy and reliability. Basic considerations are as follows. 4.1. Gasier Mitsubishi dry feed air blown two stage entrained bed gasier is to be adopted having the same construction as that of the 200 ton/day gasier. Furthermore, a dense phase transportation system is to be adopted for coal and char feeding using nitrogen as a transport gas for increased reliability and safety. The verication tests of the dense phase transport system have been conducted at MHI Nagasaki R&D Center. The demonstration plant gasier capacity is about 1900 ton/day in terms of coal consumption, which is 9 times larger than the 200 ton/day gasier. A cold ow model test and a CFD simulation have been conducted to optimize the ow pattern and to ensure scale-up applicability [7] (see Fig. 7). Because MHI has much experience in the design and manufacture of equipment involving high pressure and high temperature with powder materials such as PFBC and coal red boilers, it is

Fig. 6. System ow diagram of the demonstration plant.

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Fig. 7. Overview of cold ow model.

possible to design the above equipment within the range of our experimental data and to minimize any risks accompanying scale-up. 4.2. Gas clean-up system A porous lter was selected as the nal dust removal equipment based on the 20 ton/day xed bed gas clean-up test results. A wet sulfur removal system (MDEA method) was adopted based on experience in chemical plants and the other IGCC plants. Considering the actual sulfur market situation and infrastructure in Japan, a gypsum recovery system is to be adopted instead of an elemental sulfur recovery system. 4.3. Combined cycle plant Mitsubishi 701DC series gas turbine is to be selected as the demonstration plant main power generation equipment, which incorporate recently developed natural gas combined cycle technology. A tandem compound with dual exhaust ow (TC2F) type steam turbine and a vertical HRSG are planed to be used. 4.4. Auxiliary equipment Nitrogen, which is to be used in the plant as the transport gas for coal and char and as an inert and sealing medium, is produced from air using an ASU, and by-product oxygen can be used in the gasier. Gasier inlet oxygen concentration is set to be 25 vol.% considering this surplus operation function. A cryogenic system is to be adopted for the ASU, which has a stand alone type air compressor instead of using air from a gas turbine air compressor. This makes plant operation easier during start-up.

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5. Outline of the R&D tests for the demonstration plant R&D tests were also executed in FY 1997 and 1998 as a national project to ensure the scaling up of technology from the pilot to the demonstration plant. MHI was placed in charge of the following R&D tests. 1. 2. 3. 4. Dense phase powder transportation test using nitrogen. Gasication tests with a pressurized 24 ton/day gasier. Optimization test for the wet clean-up system. Corrosion characteristic test and deposit generation test for high temperature gases.

R&D tests (1) and (2) and above are introduced in this paper, and are conducted at the MHI Nagasaki R&D Center. 5.1. Dense phase powder transportation test using nitrogen A dense phase transportation system for coal and char using nitrogen is to be adopted for the demonstration gasier, while dilute phase transport using air or recycled gas was used in the 200 ton/day pilot plant. This is considered to improve safety and reliability. A 50 ton/day capacity and 2 MPa pressure capable test facility has been constructed in FY 1997 and several tests were conducted through 1998 (see Fig. 8). The purpose of the test facility was to verify the transport system suitable for the gasier. Tests have been conducted at 0.9 and 2 MPaG pressure. Fig. 9 shows the relationship between transport velocity and solid/gas mass ratio in the case of the 0.9 MPa test. It was proved that stable transportation could be attained in the range of a solid/gas ratio of 555 in the 0.9 MPa test, and 530 in the 2 MPa test. Test data satised the demonstration gasier condition (solid/gas ratio of 10 at 2.5 MPa). Furthermore, design capacity of 2.0 ton/h (50 ton/day) has been conrmed with less than 0.5 ton/h at partial load. 5.2. Gasication tests with pressurized 24 ton/day gasier For verifying and demonstrating the performance of the new system, which is to be adopted for the demonstration gasier and was not equipped in the 200 ton/day pilot plant, a 24 ton/day gasier was constructed in FY 1997 and 1998, and several gasication tests were then conducted in FY 1998 (see Fig. 10). The 24 ton/day gasier was started operation by oil in October 1998 and rst coal gasication test was conducted in November 1998. Gasication testing was conducted changing the operation conditions such as oxygen concentration, air ratio and kind of coal, and data was attained for scaling-up and accurate prediction of the demonstration gasier performance. Entire test was nished on schedule by the end of January 1999 with cumulative gasication time of 201 h. It was proved that gasication characteristics were close to the predicted ones, and that there was no tendency for slag build-up on the gasier wall. Molten slag was discharged smoothly from the bottom of the gasier.

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Fig. 8. Test facility for dense phase powder transportation.

Fig. 9. Relationship between solid/gas ratio and velocity in the dense phase transportation system.

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Fig. 10. Pressurized 24 ton/day gasier.

Furthermore, a full automatic control system (the same system as in the demonstration plant gasier) was installed for the 24 ton/day gasier, and adjustment of the control system was performed during test operation. 6. Conclusion Successful R&D results for the 200 ton/day pilot plant veried the IGCC technologies of the air blown two stage coal gasier and the xed bed gas clean-up. The development of air blown IGCC has now progressed to the demonstration phase. MHI is making every eort for the success of the demonstration plant in cooperation with Japanese utility companies and the government, increasing the reliability and the economy of the plant. Mitsubishi IGCC composed of these technologies will realize the highest net thermal eciency in the world and superb environmental performance with feasible economic conditions. Acknowledgements The authors would like to express their sincere appreciation to those concerned at NEDO, Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., associated power companies and CRIEPI who have contributed

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much in terms of invaluable advice and guidance for the development of gasication technology in Japan.

References
[1] Hamamatsu T. Future view of fossil fuel power generation of coal IGCC. J Gas Turb Soc Jpn 1993;21(18):3. [2] Mori N, Matsuda H, Ishii Y, Midori M. Design and operation experience of combined cycle plant using gas turbine with turbine inlet temperature of 1350 C. Mitsubishi Heavy Indust Tech Rev 1996;33(3):101. [3] Takahara H. Development of the 200 ton/day entrained coal gasication pilot plant. In: Proceedings of the 4th Japan Institute of Energy Congress, vol. 7. 1995. p. 180. [4] Kaneko S, Furuya T, Uchida S, Hashimoto A, Tokuda K. Current status on development of air blown two-stage entrained bed coal gasier. Mitsubishi Heavy Indust Tech Rev 1996;33(3):110. [5] Sera T, Inoue K, Tatani A, Kawano S, Ohnishi S. Development of xed bed type hot gas cleanup unit for coal gasied gas. Mitsubishi Heavy Indust Tech Rev 1996;33(1):14. [6] Kaneko S, Ohta K, Furuya T, Shinada O, Hashimoto A. Design of IGCC demonstration plant. Mitsubishi Heavy Indust Tech Rev 1999;36(1):18. [7] Kaneko S, Hashimoto T, Furuya T, Shinada O, Koyama Y. Development on coal gasier in IGCC demonstration plant. Mitsubishi Heavy Indust Tech Rev 1997;34(1):2.