The Clean Combustion System^TM (CCS) technology concept was originally conceived at Rockwell International in Canoga Park, California.

The process evolved from theoretical combustion modeling developed to aid in the design analysis of large rocket engines for NASA's "Moon Program".

When the model was applied to combustion of coal, it predicted the feasibility of simultaneous control of SO₂ and NO_x emissions by simply preventing their formation in the combustion process.

This led to a progression of R&D tests, development programs and to a field demonstration operation:

• Conceptual scale (0.5x10⁶ Btu/hr.) at six-atmospheres pressure - one year
• Pilot scale (25x10⁶ Btu/hr. - 1 ton/hr. of coal), with Utility consortium sponsored testing with Midwest and Western coals, 7 years
• Industrial Field Demonstration (50x10⁶ Btu/hr. - 3 ton/hr. burner) located at Cold Lake, Canada firing Western sub bituminous coal

Throughout this period, the combustion process, and the engineering and equipment and materials of design were extensively peer reviewed by combustion specialists, researchers, Utility sponsors and boiler / burner manufacturers. Much of this early work was guided and funded by a consortium of utilities including:

• Southern California Edison
• Houston Light & Power
• Niagara Mohawk
• Wisconsin Public Service
• TransAlta Utilities

The work was maintained proprietary without public disclosure and consequently, very few details were reported to industry.

LNS-CAP Facility - Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada

TransAlta Resources Investment Corporation, the non-regulated subsidiary of TransAlta Utilities of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, initiated an industrial scale demonstration called the Low NO_x/SO_x - Coal Applications Pilot (LNS-CAP) Project at the heavy oil recovery facility of the ESSO Resources Cold Lake - Mahihkan site in Alberta. The $12.2 million LNS-CAP project was sponsored by:

• Department of Western Economic Diversification
• Alberta Office of Coal Research and Technology
• ESSO Resources Canada Ltd.
• Shell Canada Ltd.
• Alberta Power Ltd.
• TransAlta Resources Investment Corporation
• Fording Coal

The field demonstration confirmed the CCS technology with excellent emissions performance and safe, stable long-term operation, as well as verified the engineering design approach, hardware and materials of construction. The Canadian project operated for about 18 months and was dismantled at end of project funding.

Field demonstrated CCS emissions performance
on Western low-sulfur type Powder River Basin coals

• SO₂ < 0.2 lb./10⁶ Btu (< 105ppm)
• NO_x < 0.15 lb./10⁶ Btu (< 110ppm)
• High combustion efficiency
• High Carbon Burn out (LOl < 0.1%)
• Near-Zero SO₃ Emissions

CCS-Stoker® Re-Engineering
(30 MW_T 5 T/h Coal)

Objective:

• Reduce operating cost by half (switch to low-cost high-sulfur Illinois coal - 2.5 lb. SO₂/mmBtu)
• Construction Permit w/waiver NSPS, PSD; no NSR

Project Initiated: Oct 2005
Commissioning: Jan 2007
CLEC Scope: Design & Engineering

• Supply all equipment, hardware, electrical, instrumentation / controls
• Commercial Warrantee & License

Client Scope:

• Site Construction
• Installation
• Management
• Commissioning & Start-up

Project Support:

• Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
• Illinois Clean Coal Institute
• Illinois Office of Coal Development

For more information, request a copy of the paper:

"Operating Experience of a Coal-Fired Boiler Retrofit with an Advanced Hybrid of Coal Gasification for SO₂ & NO_x Emissions Control and Reduced Operating Cost"