Structural Material Trends in Future Power Plants

Environmental and economic concerns necessitate advances in power generation technology Future power plants will be more fuel efficient, environmentally benign, and economical than current power plants. A high performance power system (HIPPS), based on a coal-fired combined cycle, is currently being developed. The corrosion and temperature-strength properties of currently available metallic materials limit the maximum efficiency of this cycle. Recently, ceramic matrix composites have shown promise in overcoming the design limitations on future power plants. In particular, the hightemperature strength, and corrosion and erosion resistant properties of continuous fiber ceramic composites (CFCCs) will allow engineers to design high-temperature heat ex-changers, cyclone vortex finder tubes, and other components. Research is being performed to evaluate candidate materials for use in future power plants.