SPHERA project: Assessing the use of syngas fuels in gas turbines and combined cycles from a global perspective

The use of gasified fuels for electricity generation is gaining interest as an alternative to traditional fuels especially in regions with abundant biomass or coal resources. However their use in some of the most extended power generation technologies like gas turbines and combined cycles is not straightforward. The authors have studied the use of gasified fuels in the gas turbine and combined cycle technologies within a four year research project funded by the Spanish Government (SPHERA project). The main goals of the research were to identify the components and processes that limit the use of the syngas fuels (bottle-necks) and suggest the necessary modifications to be implemented in standard combined cycle power plants, selecting them according to their technical feasibility and economic viability. To this purpose, the research was divided in six tasks, each one was aimed at analysing the effects of syngas fuels on the performance of a particular component within the power plant or at assessing the impact of fuel composition at a particular level (from component level through system level and up to plant level). These tasks were focused essentially on the following topics: technology review, combustion system, turbine expansion and plant performance both for standard and redesigned equipment. This paper provides a global overview of the main steps and outcomes of this research showing the main results and conclusions obtained in each task. It is intended to show, from a global point of view and in a single document, a roadmap to adapt the existing combined cycle technology to syngas operation. It is therefore out of the scope of this project to provide a deep insight into particular issues or into models that have been covered in detail in other publications by the authors. ► A roadmap for syngas fuelling in state or art combined cycles is presented. ► Approached from a global perspective: from component level to plant analysis. ► Challenges of using these fuels in the current technologies are shown. ► Modifications and updates on cycle components are proposed. ► They were selected because their technical feasibility and economic viability.