Advanced CFB technology for large-scale biomass power plants

Circulating fluidised bed (CFB) technology can be used for large scale power generation with a broad variety of biomass fuels: offering fuel flexibility, inherently low emissions and high availability.

Biomass-fired CFB technology offers a high efficiency boiler scale-up to 400 MWe and fuel flexibility from clean biomass to RDF.

This paper describes the status of Foster Wheeler’s ‘Advanced Bio CFB’ technology and discusses the technical features for large scale biomass fired CFB’s. It includes reference data from latest commercial CFB projects firing very different type of biomass and agro-biomass fuels.

The paper focuses on an award from GDF Suez Energia of a CFB boiler island for the Polaniec Power Station in Poland, a 100% biomass design in the 190 MWe (gross) size range.

The project demonstrates the capability of the Foster Wheeler concept that allows the co-firing of high-alkaline agro biomass fuels with wood-based biomass fuels in utility-size power production.

Once operational (expected 4Q, 2012) this will be the world’s largest 100% biomass boiler burning wood residues and up to 20% agro biomass fuel.

Key design features of a CFB boiler concept up to 400 MWe for pure biomass and agro-biomass fuels co-firing is also presented.

Advanced CFB for large-scale biomass power plants