An Overview of Coal based Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Technology

Ola Maurstad, MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment, 2005. — 49 p.The integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) produces electricity from a solid or liquid
fuel. First, the fuel is converted to syngas which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide
Second, the syngas is converted to electricity in a combined cycle power block consisting of a
gas turbine process and a steam turbine process which includes a heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG).Contents
Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC)
Introduction
Classification of gasifiers
GCC process description
Performance without CO₂ capture
Efficiency
Availability
Environmental performance
Key IGCC technology issues
Maturity
Performance with CO₂ capture
Process description for IGCC with CO₂ capture
Efficiency
Maturity
GCC related research and improvement potential
Research and development areas
Improvement potential
Major IGCC Blocks and Components
Gasification
Classification of gasifiers
The Shell and GE gasifiers
Gas clean up
Chemical components of raw syngas
Syngas quenching
Syngas coolers
cle removal
Shift
Sulfur removal
CO₂ capture
Air separation
Gas turbines
NO_x emissions from gas turbines
Gas turbines on syngas
Compressor surge limitation
Gas turbine torque limitation
Turbine inlet temperature and material lifetime
Gas turbines on hydrogen as only fuel
GCC System Issues
Gasification and coal quality
ntegration of the gas turbine and the air separation unit
What is meant by integration?
What are the benefits of integration?
Why may integration be problematic?
Maximizing power or efficiency?
Conclusions about maximum power or efficiency
References
Appendix
Lower vs. higher heating value
Energy penalties and efficiency penalty
Various losses and net electricity generated