Putting the Heat on Coal-Fired Power Generation_ Materials, Steels, Superalloys, Coatings to fight GHG Emissions? Information overload assistance

The heat is on in more than one sense!

One of my "Wedge-a-War" aims (in the Pacala-Socolow-S.Lam sense[pdf]) deriving from my focus on CCS-CO2 capture and storage is to bring the materials issues to the fore:

To such an end, we metallurgist, students or experience metallurgical scientists and power engineering professionals alike will be much indebted to the pragmatic materials expert Prof. T.B. Gibbons for his paper entitled Superalloys in modern power generation applications, Ed. Materials Science and Technology 2009 VOL 25 NO 2. available online to IOM3 members.

The paper opens in Tom’s typically pragmatic style recalling that;
“It is widely recognised that for the foreseeable future, coal will remain an important energy source for generation of electric power in many areas of the world. [In other words we are stuck with it and must make the best of the situation.] However, it will be essential to develop generation technologies that include the capture and storage of emissions such as CO2 to combat the harmful effects of climate change.

[One of the] "The key(s) to the successful implementation of advanced generation technologies, the ultimate aim of which is the zero emission power plant, depends heavily on the availability of suitable materials." [and perhaps more importantly on the exploration and qualification of suitable geological CO2-GHG storage sites?]

In his paper, Gibbons considers the requirements for materials with improved high temperature performance, discipline in which he is a world renowned expert. He applies his expertise in the context of three types of power generation systems being developed to operate with greatly reduced emissions and with high levels of efficiency.

(i) ultra supercritical (USC) steam power plant ( steam T> 760°C)
(ii) integrated gasification combined cycle systems (IGCC)
(iii) oxyfuel combustion (Clean Energy Systems).
whose respective merits he describes and illustrates with schematics.

The common feature in all three approaches is the drive for greater efficiency of power generation systems, since this will mean that the level of emissions per unit of power output is reduced. Thus, it is claimed that a high efficiency power plant generating 500 MW of electricity will produce 27% less CO2 than a conventional plant of similar capacity. More... cf.Gibbons Ref.1

Work is in progress worldwide to improve the efficiency of power generation technologies, which use coal as a primary energy source. Such improved efficiency requires the use of higher temperatures cf. Fig.1 click to enlarge.

World Wide Programmes referenced are:

Examples of these activities are the:
-AD700Project in Europe whose acronym means ADvanced T>700°C [pdf]and AD 700 participants. and the

-Ultragen project in USA [pdf], where the aim is to build demonstration plants operating with higher steam temperatures and hence higher efficiencies, and a US Department of Energy (DoE) Project to develop more efficient coal gasification combined cycle systems.

In Japan, efforts are in hand to retrofit older coal burning units to enable operation at
higher steam temperatures with improved efficiencies. (Gibbons Ref.4)

There is a lot of metallurgy condensed in Tom’s paper, from recommended high-temperature steels, superalloys, and coatings for plant and turbine blades-aerofoils. The limitations of existing materials are outlined and the need for materials with higher temperature capabilities and ease of manufacture are discussed from a metallurgical science and engineering perspective.
The paper is an excellent summary of the metallurgical issues facing materials engineers in order to meet the challenges of so called “clean coal” and “zero emission" technologies.
Many of the papers referenced or related may be obtained, often freely available online.

In fact Tom Gibbon’s paper is a good window into a much researched field, but perhaps one where practice lags rhetoric among the main industrial... players, who admittedly suffer from the heavily capitalised, huge inertia bound (muscle-bound?), nature of the systems in which they operate?

Brain d-rain video: Frosty the coalman for a laugh (or a cry).
Comment cf. further reading ref.3 below.
Further comments, suggestions or questions welcome.

cf. reported comments section.
All 22 conference papers presented at the Malcolm McLean Memorial Symposium: “The superalloys: from processing to performance”)by internationally recognised experts in the field have been issued in a special addition of Materials Science and Technology Vol 25 Feb 2009. [almost 200 pages on all aspects of superalloy process and product metallurgy;from R&D, through primary and secondary melting, casting and single crystal growth, hot-transformation (rolling, forging etc), critical properties at high-temperatures in stressful and corrosive environments have all been addressed to meet the highest standards and client requirements and rightly claim the conference title superalloys: from processing to performance"


Further reading on this blog:

1. Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources Ranked_Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, energy security_Information Overload Mastered

2. Solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security reviewed _Parametres used to classify and rank_Follows previous post

3. New comments-Conversations with B.J. Sovacool on Nuclear Power Plant, Coal Fired Power Generation, GHG emissions

Main Reference: Materials Science and Technology Vol 25 Feb 2009

Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources Ranked_Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, energy security_Information Overload Mastered

This post follows the previous one, "a short definition of Sustainable Development (SusDev.) with good reference links for more background reading but first please read on.

The Sustainability "Science and Engineering" theme with it's highly complex ramifications have undoubtedly lead to information overload, much confusion and therefore, in all probability, inadequate and ineffective responses to the many, inter-related challenges raised. (exponentially increasing resource waste?)

Here I wish to present, what I feel could become, one of the most important theoretical approaches to alleviate current misunderstandings in what is emerging as mankind's most important challenge(s), namely: climate-change: specifically energy - related solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy security. [It compliments and clarifies the earlier Pacala and Socolow Wedge Approach widely commented].

Mark Z. Jacobson of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA , in this "Review of solutions to global warming, air pollution, and energy security" is a substantial, much needed, contribution to alleviate this situation.

The study deserves equally wide echo, comment and debate to reap the sustainability benefits owed to future generations, through present and future co-operation, co-ordination, leadership to attain anticipatory action-investment(s).

Mark justifies his work as follows:
"Air pollution and global warming are two of the greatest threats to human and animal health and political stability. Energy insecurity and rising prices of conventional energy sources are also major threats to economic and political stability. Many alternatives to conventional energy sources have been proposed, but analyses of such options have been limited in breadth and depth. The purpose of this paper is to review several major proposed solutions to these problems with respect to multiple externalities of each option. With such information, policy makers can make better decisions about supporting various options. Otherwise, market forces alone will drive decisions that may result in little benefit to climate, air pollution, or energy–security problems."

His approach is one of weighting and ranking renewable and alternative energy sources and resources.

The published summary "Broader Context" can hardly be improved upon and is reproduce as is.
"His paper reviews and ranks major proposed energy-related solutions to global warming, air pollution mortality, and energy security while considering impacts of the solutions on water supply, land use, wildlife, resource availability, reliability, thermal pollution, water pollution, nuclear proliferation, and undernutrition. To place electricity and liquid fuel options on an equal footing, twelve combinations of energy sources and vehicle type were considered. The overall rankings of the combinations (from highest to lowest) were (1) wind-powered battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), (2) wind-powered hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, (3) concentrated-solar-powered-BEVs, (4) geothermal-powered-BEVs, (5) tidal-powered-BEVs, (6) solar-photovoltaic-powered-BEVs, (7) wave-powered-BEVs, (8) hydroelectric-powered-BEVs, (9-tie) nuclear-powered-BEVs, (9-tie) coal-with-carbon-capture-powered-BEVs, (11) corn-E85 vehicles, and (12) cellulosic-E85 vehicles. The relative ranking of each electricity option for powering vehicles also applies to the electricity source providing general electricity. Because sufficient clean natural resources (e.g., wind, sunlight, hot water, ocean energy, etc.) exist to power the world for the foreseeable future, the results suggest that the diversion to less-efficient (nuclear, coal with carbon capture) or non-efficient (corn- and cellulosic E85) options represents an opportunity cost that will delay solutions to global warming and air pollution mortality. The sound implementation of the recommended options requires identifying good locations of energy resources, updating the transmission system, and mass-producing the clean energy and vehicle technologies, thus cooperation at multiple levels of government and industry.
NB. "[Costs are not examined since policy decisions should be based on the ability of a technology to address a problem rather than costs (e.g., the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 prohibit the use of cost as a basis for determining regulations required to meet air pollution standards) and because costs of new technologies will change over time, particularly as they are used on a large scale. Similarly, costs of existing fossil fuels are generally increasing, making it difficult to estimate the competitiveness of new technologies in the short or long term. Thus, a major purpose of this paper is to provide quantitative information to policy makers about the most effective solutions to the problem discussed so that better decisions about providing incentives can be made." ] _so there is much work to be done (TBD) by stake holders, companies, specialists, professional involved. It is perhaps also an excellant place to start for the relative newcommer?

The resultant overview is thorough:
1. Overview introduction, 2. Description of technologies, 3. Available resources, 4. Effects on climate-relevant emissions, 5. Effects on air pollution emissions and mortality, 6. Land and ocean use, 7. Water supply, 8. Effects on wildlife and the environment, 9. Energy supply disruption, 10.Supply Intermittency and how to address it 11. Overall results, 12. Example large-scale application.
NB.
"Costs are not examined since policy decisions should be based on the ability of a technology to address a problem rather than costs (e.g., the U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970 prohibit the use of cost as a basis for determining regulations required to meet air pollution standards) and because costs of new technologies will change over time, particularly as they are used on a large scale.

Similarly, costs of existing fossil fuels are generally increasing, making it difficult to estimate the competitiveness of new technologies in the short or long term.

Thus, a major purpose of this paper is to provide quantitative information to policy makers about the most effective solutions to the problem discussed so that better decisions about providing incentives can be made."...

It is a highly useful contribution to information overload and a must read for all Materials Scientists, Chemists, Technologists and Engineers; Experts, Stakeholders, Gov-Admin, NGO's and Consultants of whatever calling. There remains much to do done (TBD) by all concerned - Discuss


Source and Acknowledgement:
Energy Environ. Sci., 2009, 2, 148-173, DOI: 10.1039/b809990c – Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of Chemistry