The research and development of oxy-combustion for CO2 control from coal fired boilers has been the subject of numerous studies. Recently The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) and Air Liquide (AL), with sponsorship of DOE, have finished a pilot-scale evaluation of the technology at 5-million Btu/hr using scaled-down commercial boiler equipment. The oxy-combustion flame stability, boiler and convective pass heat transfer, boiler steam performance and NOx emission levels were compared favorably to the air/coal firing conditions. A boiler engineering and economic evaluation also showed that oxy-combustion is a technically feasible and economically viable technology. B&W and AL are currently, with sponsorship from DOE, undertaking a project to significantly broaden applicability of oxy-combustion technology to both wall-fired and cyclone boilers that burn bituminous, sub-bituminous or lignite coal. At the same time with the need to support design of commercial scale projects, B&W and AL decided to convert B&W's existing 30 MWth Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF) in Alliance, Ohio to an oxy-coal combustion system. This paper will describe the research and development performed to date in oxy-combustion, assessing the necessary steps to the full-scale commercial operation.
