(88c) Analysis of Freshwater Usage In Advanced Gasification Based Power Systems

The thermoelectric power industry in the U.S. uses a large amount of freshwater.  The large water demand is increasingly a problem, especially for new power plant development, as the availability of freshwater diminishes in the United States.  Gasification based systems are next generation coal conversion processes that achieve higher process efficiencies than conventional power systems.  Furthermore, gasification based systems use significantly less water than PC-Boiler systems, particularly when carbon dioxide capture strategies are applied. 

A wide array of work has been focused on reducing water usage in existing PC plants.  This paper addresses the applicability of developed water conservation methods to gasification based systems, e.g. Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC).  This work will provide insight into the challenges and limitations of water reduction within the IGCC system through careful analysis of detailed process models.  In addition, water savings from novel process configurations will be discussed.