Advantages of a Circulating Fluidized Bed Boiler

Circulating Fluidized Bed combustion is competing with Pulverised Coal firing to give boiler and power
plant operators a greater flexibility in burning a wide range of fuels. What is the specific advantage of this
technology? What are its limitations ?
The Circulating Fluidized Bed (CFB) technology offers definitely certain advantages over the conventional
Pulverized Coal (PC). As with any system there are limitations also. The key advantages and limitations
are discussed in this article.
Fuel Flexibility
The most important advantage of the CFB is the flexibility of firing a wide range of coal from 9500 to
25000 kJ/kg. CFBs can also burn a limitless number of other types of solid fuels, separately or mixed with
coal. The limitations if any are only in the feeding and other mechanical equipment. The output capacity
and steam parameters depend on the heating value of the fuel.
CFB boiler can use different types of solid fuels that include low quality coal, lignites, coal blends,
bagasse in sugar plants, bark in pulp and paper mills, coal washery rejects in mines, petcoke and other
bio mass products. Most of these fuels are seasonal, production or availability dependent. Mixing with
coal or using coal when other fuels are not available gives an uninterrupted steam and energy supply.
Sulphur Dioxide removal.
Firing high Sulphur coal requires the use of a Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) plant to keep emissions
within statutory limits. An FGD is a complicated plant that requires high capital investment and operational
cost. In a CFB limestone addition in the furnace converts the SO 2 to sulphates during the combustion and
circulation which goes out with the ash. A CFB boiler costs less than a PC fired boiler with an FGD.
NOx Reduction
The combustion temperature in the furnace in a CFB boiler is considerably less than PC boilers resulting
in lower NOx emissions. There is no additional requirement of separate NOx capturing devices which
reduces capital investment.
Maintenance
Eliminating the pulverizer and pulverized coal piping reduces maintenance, related outages and
equipment redundancy. A part of this saving is offset by higher maintenance due to erosion in pressure
parts and furnace area, and maintenance of the refractory.
Auxiliary Power
Eliminating the pulveriser reduces power but is offset by increased power for higher quantity of primary
air. Auxiliary power reduction by eliminating the FGD is a definite gain.
Limitations
Unit capacities with CFB technology are limited to 200 MW range. Higher capacities are in development.
Higher steam pressures and temperatures increase the power plant cycle efficiency. CFB technology has
yet to achieve the same level of parameters in the new large power plants.