FLEXible operation of FB plants co-Firing LOw rank coal with renewable fuels compensating vRES

ended

Main scope of the proposal is the development of new and innovative retrofitting concepts for Circulating Fluidized Beds (CFB) utilizing low rank fuels, allowing them to be more flexible. The proposed concepts are intended mainly for currently operating, not excluding new designed, CFB PPs expected to operate at faster ramp-up rates with an associated low environmental footprint (promotion of co-firing concepts). To meet these objectives, the following actions are foreseen: •Evaluation and comparison of currently applicable biomass, including crushing and feeding systems, followed by the introduction of a new experimental methodology for the measurement of fuels flowability; •Materials evaluation for the CFBs refractory lines and the introduction and testing of new super-alloys capable of withstanding the new-demanding flexible at both lab and pilot scale environments and in one industrial site. •Definition of operational updates, mainly conducted by one of the very well established European CFB manufacturer. Towards this objective, specifications for the basic mechanical components will be derived, while new schemes of operation will be conceptually designed and evaluated in a dynamic mode (e.g. modular heat extraction from boiler, reheat cycles and thermal energy storage) numerically; •Long-term combustion tests of Greek and German lignite with biomass as co-firing and/or ignition fuel at lab, pilot and industrial scale facilities for different thermal loads; •CFD and dynamic process simulations for an associate partner utility reference CFB plant. •Techno-economic and environmental assessment of the proposed concepts when compared to those already done for PFs, followed by business and exploitation plans. The project consortium includes one well established EU CFB manufacturer, one full and one associate European utility and multi-disciplinary research centers . Finally, the proposal addresses Coal RFCS priority 1.5 for for 2016.