A key challenge facing coal power plant operators is maintaining an even, regular flow of fuel to the individual burners for an efficient combustion process. The problem with moving pulverized coal (a fine talcum powder-like substance burned in most coal-fired plants) through a pneumatic system is that it tends to rope. This is an action where coal particles segregate into a dense rope like stream of particles which can result in an uneven distribution of fuel being delivered to individual burners. As a result, the plant’s combustion efficiency drops and levels of carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides rise, raising pollutant levels.
Alden will unveil its new multi-phase flow modeling facility next month, and the first project will ensure that a plant’s combustion system works the way its designers intended. The facility will be modified to simulate pulverized coal delivery systems and provide a realistic test bed to make sure that the coal is distributed properly between each burner for optimal combustion efficiency. A surrogate material, ceramic hollow spheres, will imitate the action of pulverized coal within the model. This compensates for the effects of gravity (gravity is constant and cannot be scaled down) and lower gas temperatures within the model.
The facility will also be used for the development of lances and nozzles for the injection of sorbent materials into boiler outlet ductwork to control pollutants such as mercury and sulfur oxides. Additionally, it provides a useful tool to Alden’s customers in other industries, such as oil refining and pharmaceuticals. Fluidized Catalytic Cracking (FCC) units are designed to provide maximum contact between gaseous feed and catalyst particles for fuel conversion, and this facility will provide a test bed for optimizing this process. Similarly, the pharmaceutical manufacturing process often involves transporting fine solid particles in a pneumatic system. Construction is scheduled to be completed at Alden’s Holden, MA campus by the end of July 2009.
For more information, contact Marty Kozlak, Director of Air & Gas Modeling at (508) 829-6000 x6403 or via email at
mkozlak@aldenlab.com
