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The intent of this design array is to build the plant in 20 MWe modules on a “pay as you go” basis, rather than building one giant plant at one time and hoping it will pay for itself.  Modules are independent, so if the market fluctuates downward, modules can be shut down to reflect a proactive response to a downturn in product demand.

 

The fuel is to be municipal tree trimming and forestry waste for half the combustion component, the other half being high-sulfur coal.  Natural gas over-fire burners will be used for combustion chamber flame  stabilization and modulation of heat transfer.

 

There is nothing experimental or innovative about this array.  Fertilizer mills have been built to operate in this fashion for many decades.  The only aspect of this array which is even vaguely innovative is that in order to offset the cost of power generation with carbon capture, rather than free-load and mooch off the government, the offset is provided through selling products manufactured through the entrained carbon dioxide coming from the stack, into the stack gas scrubbing mechanism and directing it to the ammonium sulphate and other production skids.

 

Here are the basic numbers for the levelized cost of power generation.  Please note this does not include offset elements, but is the bare-bones “power block” cost only as shown. ProFormaOne.

 

Please also note that these numbers are scalable and would apply to a 100-MWe array as well.

 

Key offset issues and explanation of technical terms for operating costs are found here.  ProFormaTwo.

 

Key co-production revenue streams, co-product descriptions and tax-related pro forma issues are addressed HERE. in short form.

 

Having done trending while respecting the privacy of those who have been kind enough to patronize this site, over time you will see modifications here in response to those who have best used this tool placed at your disposal. This will include Canada,  Russia,  India and Latin America focused design and sourcing information for these patrons’ benefit.

 

As well, all users are invited to download the following information-packed ZIP files focused on three areas: 

1. Gasification for gas turbine power

2. Ammonia production  and

3. Solid fuel combustion

 . CONCERNS RESPECTING TRANSPORT AND MATERIAL HANDLING ISSUES

 

What will determine the profitability of the plant, all other factors being equal, is how efficiently we meet the needs of our clients balanced against our manufacturing activities’ scheduling.

 

Lowboy open top rail cars and double-hulled gas and liquid rail cars for this installation will need their own switching yard which will take up at least half of the selected site. As well, conveyors, both pneumatic and belted, are to be a major part of ongoing maintenance and design-change-related activities pertaining to product switchover. 

 

There is a very active market for flyash for concrete product manufacture, but liquid waste will always be a problem, and thus budget allocations must be made for transport of waste to HAZMAT contractors for proper disposal.

 

Our fire alarm system and fire suppression system is to be an integral part of our material handling mechanism, as well as of the production gallery.  Micro-misting with water is to be the major providing technology for this installation.

 

FIRST COSTS

 

The project developers look now at around 120 million US as adequate for the job, including first-year budget for fuel and payroll and consumables.

 

OPERATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

 

Rather than borrow to carry over to addition of the second module, patience and common sense will prevail.  Thus, for the addition of the second module we look to commit revenues from the first unit to purchase and expand our capabilities.

 

The first module will also be our operator training and configuration “snap-in” testbed to optimize future operations.

 

OPTIONS FOR LARGER PLANTS:

 

There is no need to “re-invent the wheel” to engineer and alter your present pulverized coal array to meet all emissions reductions objectives, however stringent,  while successfully manufacturing and marketing  ammonium sulfate and gypsum, nor is there any need for them to burn biomass.  Marsulex, StamiCarbon and UOP would be pleased to provide their services to provide your utility with the requisite retrofit, and under the correct conditions, may even be induced to participate in the financing of the retrofit.

 

While recognizing no one running a utility has any desire to get into the chemical production industry, the regulations of the EPA    leave no other option but for the U.S. coal industry and its affiliated utilities to roll up their sleeves to meet and exceed existing and future emissions reductions requirements.  This secondary revenue generating byproduct may also be used to  help feed the world through providing fertilizer on a surplus capacity basis.

 

                                      —-Walter James O’Brien, Editor

Here are the general equipment specifications:

 

The steam turbogenerators, (3) 12– MWe units, are by TurboSteam Inc. of Turner Falls, Massachusetts.  The STG’s themselves will by provided through General Electric’s certified zero-run-time equivalent custom refurbishment programme.

 

The field erected watertube conventional wood chip with coal stoker with bottom ash extraction boiler arrays are by Cleaver-Brooks/Nebraska Boiler of  Lincoln, Nebraska.  As principal contractor, there are a variety of highly competent firms from which to choose, of which KBR is world leader, hands down..

 

Marsulex will provide our byproduct manufacturing array, which can provide a variety of flue-gas exhaust scrubbing based commercial grade products, to include gypsum, ammonium sulfate, and a variety of other products.  They currently have over 150 installations worldwide using this technology, and provide turnkey design, construction and financing for such projects.

 

UOP will provide our CO2 membrane filter system for removal of CO2 from the subsequent flue gas stream.

 

In the interest of saving the developer needless complications with chemical plant development and its associated regulatory bafflements and other vagaries, Marsulex is also well versed in aiding power plant operations to transform their emission byproducts into such commodities as wallboard gypsum.

 

The distinguished 150-year-old firm of Carmeuse Corporation likewise can do the same for your solid fuel based direct combustion power plant operations emissions.

 

The balance of plant will be provided by local mechanical, electrical and civil contractors.

 

This plant addresses a massive need to dispose of urban tree trimming and plant biomass clearance detritus in an economically efficient manner without cluttering up landfills.  Even more importantly, there will not be the “forest fire” smell of typical biomass plants, as we are “over-engineering” the flue-gas treatment array to remove the toxins associated with the combustion of wood and wood products, which the EPA identifies very clearly here. We hope to establish a higher hurdle for compliance as grave doubts are shared by me, my bosses and their financiers over the presumed benign nature of burning biomass.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  Neither fluidized bed combustion nor gasification are to be used, but rather simple direct combustion on a fixed-bed stoker grate.  Please note pages 1-4 and pages 13-16 of the attached technical paper on biomass/coal co-firing as to why this will be so for this plant.

 

StamiCarbon of the Netherlands is the preferred fertilizer manufacturer which firm also licences its technology to Kellogg Brown and Root for such projects as this type.

 

Meeting carbon emissions reductions targets with existing coal plants through economically viable flue gas retrofit: 

 

A 20 MWe coal/biomass steam power plant for co-production

of gypsum, plastics and fertilizer as a model for large plant retrofit