COMPARISON OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF CONVENTIONAL AND FLUID BED BOILERS IN ADVANCED STEAM POWER PLANTS.

The environmental aspects of conceptual 800 MW base-load steam power plants using pressurized and atmospheric fluid bed combustion (PFB and AFB) are compared with those of a power plant using a conventional coal-fired furnace (CF). Estimated station efficiencies are 40% for PFB versus 37% for AFB or CF, with a corresponding 8% reduction in coal consumption in the PFB case. Emissions of SO//x, NO//x, CO, particulates and trace metals, etc. , as well as solid wastes and water consumption are estimated and compared for the three types of power plants. It is found that the PFB plant requires 27% less water, and emits 8% less SO//x and 72% less NO//x than the corresponding CF or AFB plants.