CLEAN-COAL TECHNOLOGIES

Power generation in Europe and elsewhere relies heavily on coal as the source of energy and this reliance will increase in the future as oth er fossil fuels become progressively more expensive. The existing stoc k of coal-fired power stations mainly use pulverized fuel boilers and present designs based on ultrasupercritical steam cycles are as effici ent and as low in SO, and NO, emissions as is possible without incurri ng excessive additional costs. This paper examines the options for coa l-based power generation technologies and compares their technical, en vironmental and economic performance. These options include atmospheri c and pressurized fluidized bed combustion and a range of integrated g asification combined cycle systems. Integrated gasification combined c ycles give good efficiency and very low emissions: but further optimiz ation is required to make them economically attractive. Conceptual cyc les based on pressurized pulverized combustion, dual fuel hybrid cycle s, fuel cells and magnetohydrodynamics are also covered in outline.