J. P. Shingledecker, R. W. Swindeman, I. G. Wright, R. R. Judkins, P. J. Maziasz, R. L. Klueh, R. Battiste, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN
Increased cycle efficiency is the key to the cleaner use of coal for generating electricity. As efficiency increases, less coal is burned, and less CO2 is produced per megawatt of electricity. Increasing the maximum steam temperature will increase cycle efficiency and thus will require improved materials and components.
To this end, an advanced materials research program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is supporting the Ultrasupercritical (USC) Steam Boiler Consortium made up of boiler manufacturers, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO) with funding by the United State's Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Industries of Ohio. The consortium's objective is to develop the technology necessary to construct and operate a boiler with a main steam throttle condition of 720/760°C/35MPa. ORNL tasks include: mechanical properties of advanced materials, steamside oxidation studies, microstructural characterization, structure's testing, evaluation of fabrication technology, and assisting in design/code rules. Universities and research organizations have been identified to assist with this work.
Increased cycle efficiency is the key to the cleaner use of coal for generating electricity. As efficiency increases, less coal is burned, and less CO2 is produced per megawatt of electricity. Increasing the maximum steam temperature will increase cycle efficiency and thus will require improved materials and components.
