Research & Development: Combustion Technology and Fuels

The Combustion Research team works to advance B&W's energy conversion products and processes through fundamental research and advanced technology development.

Current work and research includes:

• Fossil-fuel combustion research
• Oxy-coal combustion
• Carbon dioxide mitigation and control
• Pulverized coal burners
• Cyclone furnace combustion
• In-furnace emissions control
• Fuel preparation
• In-situ flame measurements and diagnostics
• Alternative fuels
• Chemical reagents for emissions control

Oxy-fuel combustion

With the vast reserves of coal that exist in the world, coal will continue to be a prime source for electricity generation for the foreseeable future.

However, fossil fuel combustion is a major contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions which is of increasing concern. Continued use of fossil fuels for electrical generation will require reduction of these emissions.

While part of this reduction will be achieved through more efficient power plants that reduce the emissions per unit of electricity produced, capture and use or sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from utility boilers appears to be required to achieve the targeted reductions.

A potentially more efficient and less costly alternative to Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plants under development for this purpose is Oxy-coal combustion. In this concept, oxygen mixed with recycled flue gas replaces the normal combustion air resulting in a flue gas that consists primarily of CO₂. The concentrated CO₂ stream reduces the cost and energy requirements needed for its capture and sequestration.

B&W is a leader in Oxy-coal combustion research, carried out primarily at the Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF) in Alliance, Ohio, and the B&W Research Center in Barberton, Ohio.

For more information, please contact us.