Exergoeconomic Evaluation of a KRW-Based IGCC Power Plant

Abstract

In a study supported by the U. S. Department of Energy, several design configurations of Kellogg-Rust-Westinghouse (KRW)-based Integrated Gasification-Combined-Cycle (IGCC) power plants were developed. One of these configurations was analyzed from the exergoeconomic (thermoeconomic) viewpoint. This design configuration uses an air-blown KRW gasifier, hot gas cleanup, and two General Electric MS7001F advanced combustion turbines. Operation at three different gasification temperatures was considered. The detailed exergoeconomic evaluation identified several changes for improving the cost effectiveness of this IGCC design configuration. These changes include the following: decreasing the gasifier operating temperature, enhancing the high-pressure steam generation in the gasification island, improving the efficiency of the steam cycle, and redesigning the entire heat exchanger network. Based on the cost information supplied by the M. W. Kellogg Company, an attempt was made to calculate the economically optimal exergetic efficiency for some of the most important plant components.