The Application of Indirectly Fired Open Cycle Gas Turbine Systems Utilizing Atmospheric Pressure Fluidized Bed Combustors to Industrial Cogeneration Situations

The Atmospheric Fluidized Bed Combustor (AFBC) can utilize a wide variety of solid fuels while meeting strict emission standards. Combined with in-bed and flue gas heat exchangers, an AFBC fired system is compatible with the needs and requirements of industrial plants which have process fluid energy usage rates as low as 5,000,000 Btu/hr. The physical size of components, the technological data base, and capital investment costs are such that the AFBC is a credible alternative for both new and retrofitted plant processes. As a result, AFBC fired process air and process steam systems are now commercially available. By combining an AFBC process air heater with an Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OGT), the indirectly heated clean air can provide plant electrical power, hot process streams, as well as space heat if needed. The cogeneration configuration can increase the rate of return on the AFBC investment and can lead to more efficient utilization of national energy resources. In this paper, the AFBC-OGT cogeneration configuration is reviewed and compared with AFBC-steam turbine configurations and with the AFBC fired process heater in an industrial plant environment.