Further Developments

To obtain the maximum benefit from knowledge of IGCC technology, an R&D group was created. Its lines of research was initially laid out in what was called "Basic Programme of the Technological Group," and research projects were exclusively financed by the specific contributions of partners, PIE funds, the Ministry of the Economy and European subsidies. In 2000, the Basic Programme of the Technological Group and all its activities concluded having met their targets:

• The Plant Monitoring System adds an interface to the Distributed Control System (DCS), laboratory and other sources of information, supplying raw data for classification, validation and storage. Applications like the Process Explorer or LiMon allow real-time monitoring or signal recovery. Thermoeconomic Diagnosis (TDG) has allowed a detailed characterization of the plant in operation, providing support for engineering studies and analyses. It was also used for assessment in tests with different fuel mixtures (THERMIE tests) and in the acceptance tests for the combined cycle plant.
• Unique in the world, the Dynamic Simulator is an indispensable tool used to train not only our operating personnel but also external personnel and for engineering studies in ELCOGAS and elsewhere.
• Environmental Programme. As a result of its by-product characterization activities, ELCOGAS sells its slag and fly-ash production. Ceramic material such as bricks and tiles can be obtained from the slag, and the ash is used in the manufacture of cement and concrete.
• Materials Programme. The purpose of this programme is assessment of the behaviour of the power station's critical equipment and materials (mainly Sanicro 28) to predict their duration and the advisability of their replacement. For this purpose, during overhauls, systematic inspections of the critical units in the gasification unit were held and the behaviour of the Sanicro 28 alloy was tested using calibrated probes. The data base of the Plant Reference Status was developed to contain all the information from equipment inspections since their installation.

At the end of 2000, the activities of the new R&D&I (research, design and innovation) group were launched, among which the following are worthy to note:

• Characterization of the process operation
• Co-gasification of biomass and solid urban waste (SUW)
• New applications for by-products: metal extraction from IGCC ash
• Selection of processes for a "Second Generation of IGCC Technology"
• Definition of a procedure for the recovery of ceramic elements from ash filtration
• An information system for operating support
• New publication activities

In 2007, these activities were grouped and broadened into the following lines of research:

• Reduction of CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels
   
• Production of H₂ by gasification of fossil fuels
• Diversification of fuels and products
   
• Other environmental improvements
• Optimization of IGCC processes
   
• Publication and dissemination of results

Publication