Materials Performance in Advanced Steam Cycle and in Oxy-Fuel Combustion Systems

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy is intensely promoting research and development of materials for advanced steam cycle systems and for oxy-fuel combustion systems. At Argonne National Laboratory, we have conducted studies to evaluate the corrosion performance of candidate structural alloys in coal-ash and in steam environments, in support of advanced steam cycle systems. The laboratory tests simulate the combustion atmosphere of advanced steam-cycle systems and three deposit chemistries that included ash constituents, alkali sulfates, and NaCl. Corrosion rate data will be presented for several Fe- and Ni-base alloys along with the mechanistic understanding of the corrosion processes. In the study on materials for oxy-fuel applications, we have evaluated the corrosion performance of the materials in CO2, steam, and in steam-CO2 mixtures. Materials selected for the study include intermediate-chromium ferritic steels, Fe-Cr-Ni heat-resistant alloys, and nickel-based superalloys. Information will be presented for materials exposed at temperatures between 650 and 950°C for times up to 10,000 h. In the ongoing experiments, we have incorporated low levels of sulfur and chlorine compounds (in addition to CO2 and steam) in the exposure environment to establish the role of second/third reactant on the scaling, internal penetration, and long term performance of the structural alloys.