Integrated tool for IGCC power plants, emissions and cost predictions

Abstract

This work tackles the question of power generation by means of gasification. Growing economies and global warming are important challenges these years: so that cleaner and more efficient power plants designs have to be achieved. In this context, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) power plants have an important role, due to their more efficient way of producing energy since fossil fuels. Actions are focused on clean power and H2 from coal, and also in bioproducts. So, one of the future of coal-based power generation strategies should be CO2 transport and storage in order to obtain a purer hydrogen stream. This work proposes a tool for estimating final plant outputs and economics for different scenarios. The technical performance has been modeled in Aspen Hysys and Aspen Plus, and models have been validated with real power plant data. Comparisons, in terms of power, emissions, efficiencies and costs between sixteen different plant designs are presented: they enhance differences in raw material, purification units layout, and hydrogen obtention.