High performance power system development including repowering options

A high-performance power system (HIPPS) is being developed under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Energy, Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC). This system is a coal-fired combined cycle that uses a high temperature advanced furnace (HITAF) to transfer much of the heat to the air and steam-working fluids. Systems of this type are capable of 47-percent efficiency (HHV). The Foster Wheeler HIPPS design uses a pyrolyzation process to convert the coal into fuel gas and char. Having these two fuels available allows the design of a totally coal-fueled HIPPS with currently available materials. An outgrowth of the HIPPS development effort is a repowering system that will increase the efficiency and capacity of existing plants without requiring natural gas or replacement of the existing boiler. This arrangement is similar to the fully-fired or hot windbox combined-cycle arrangements that have been used in Europe; however, the HIPPS repowering concept does not require natural gas or complete gasification of coal.