A review of the applicability of integrated gasification combined cycle in South Africa
Date
2015-01-23
Authors
Makananise, Fulufhelo Confidence (Nelwamondo)
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Abstract
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) is a technology that combines a
number of components with the aim of producing electricity at high cycle
efficiencies and near zero emissions. This research focussed on IGCC with
coal as a feedstock in an attempt to establish the applicability of this technology
in South Africa.
Fluidised bed gasification technology was found to be the fine coal gasification
technology in IGCC with greatest potential when considering the qualities of
coals currently being used in local power stations. Gasification test work on four
selected South African coals was undertaken at the CSIR gasification testing
facility, to assess the behaviour and compatibility of these coals with fluidised
bed gasification.
A further aspect investigated the likely emissions that would be produced and
how these compare to the national limits set by the Department of
Environmental Affairs. During the course of the literature survey, it became
apparent that the reduction of gaseous emissions from IGCC plant will have a
significant impact on the economic and environmental aspects and therefore
the attractiveness of the IGCC technology.
For this reason the research direction turned to investigate in greater detail the
emissions generated from the combustion of syngas produced from fluidised
bed gasification and combusted in a gas turbine. This serves to be an
estimation of emissions that may be expected from the syngas combustion
turbine in an IGCC technology.
The estimated emissions were used to assess the impact that the selected
coals may be expected to have on full scale emissions. It was also established
that the agent used in gasifying these coals had an influence on the quality of
gas produced. These results are likely to aid in understanding how to control
the nature of emissions in future gasification processes with specific application
to fluidised bed technology in IGCC processes.