INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL-CONTROL MODELING OF COAL-FIRED POWER-SYSTEMS

The capability to estimate the performance and costs of advanced envir onmental control systems for coal-fired power plants is critical to a variety of planning and analysis requirements faced by utilities, regu lators, researchers, and analysts in the public and private sectors. T his paper describes a computer model developed for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to preside an up-to-date capability for analyzing a v ariety of precombustion, combustion, and post-combustion options in an integrated framework. A unique feature of the model allows performanc e and costs of integrated environmental control concepts to be modeled probabilistically as a means of characterizing uncertainties and risk s. Examples are presented of model applications, comparing conventiona l and advanced emission control designs. The magnitude of technologica l risks associated with advanced technologies now under development ar e seen to vary markedly across applications. In general, however, inte grated environmental control concepts show significant potential for m ore cost-effective methods of emissions control.