Intra-particle sulfur capture during Battelle treated coal combustion under simulated turbine conditions

For the last several years, Battelle Columbus Laboratories has been actively conducting research on the development of a practical, cost-effective process for improving both the fixed-bed gasification and the boiler combustion characteristics of high-sulfur, agglomerating, low-reactivity bituminous coal. The product of this research is a calcium-impregnated coal called Battelle Treated Coal (BTC), given the acronym BTC. The properties of BTC are much different from those of raw coal from which it is processed. Specifically, these differences are: Increased ASTM volatile matter content; Higher char reactivity; Reduced tar formation tendency; Hotter ash fusion temperatures; Diminished coal particle agglomeration tendency; Enhanced sulfur retention by the ash. As near-term markets for gasifier and boiler coal diminish or stabilize, respectively, Battelle has expanded the search for other old or new applications for bituminous coal that would also benefit from the alterations that could be given it by the Battelle calcium impregnation process. Recent planning studies by the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) have forecast a need for coal-fired combustion turbines for the repowering of electric utilities when they become capacity-limited or deficient in the early-to-mid 1990s. The purpose of the program reported here is to demonstrate the promise of utilizing BTC asmore » fuel in advanced, coal-capable combustion turbines.« less