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Technical Research Centre of Finland VTT and industry develop emission-free energy technology
Emissions under control in coal combustion with new technology
VTT is developing technology that will allow fuels including coal to be utilised more efficiently in energy production; even without emitting any carbon dioxide.
In the new technology fossil fuels are combusted with pure oxygen separated
from the air. Combustion gas consists mostly of carbon dioxide and water
vapour. Carbon dioxide can be liquefied after cooling and stored in geological
formations.
VTT is currently studying in co-operation with Foster Wheeler the phenomena
relating to oxygen combustion using VTT's test reactors in Jyväskylä. A larger
co-operation project, with the objective of demonstrating oxygen combustion
technology in the size of 30-50 mega watts is being planned around year 2010.
This technology has major significance for climate change, since about one
third of carbon dioxide emissions caused by humans come from fossil fuels in
energy production.
Less emissions soon also in practice
A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler functioning with supercritical steam
conditions has already been developed in a project coordinated by VTT and
funded by the EU. Its carbon dioxide emissions are 15-20 per cent lower than
those of traditional boilers. Foster Wheeler Energia Oy, Siemens PG and
EnergoProjekt Katowice have been acting as partners in the project.
On the basis of the development work, Foster Wheeler is building the world’s
largest CFB boiler of 460 mega watts of electric power in Poland. It is also
the first CFB boiler with supercritical steam parameters and once through
principle.
As a continuation to the successful co-operation project, a new three-year EU
project has just been launched. Its objective is to design a circulating
fluidized bed boiler of 800 mega watts of electric power, and for which
efficiency will be even better and emissions lower.