The International Flame Research Foundation has coordinated a pan European Research Consortium, PowerFlam1, which has been set up to assess the impact and technical issues associated with co-firing low cost substitute fuels (SF) with pulverised coal for Power Generation. In particular the tolerable level of fuel substitution that may be achieved in an unmodified boiler will be examined with respect to thermal efficiency, combustion quality, ash utilisation, emissions, slagging and fouling.

European Power Generators and research institutions participating in the consortium are:

• Electrabel/Laborelec, Belgium
• Electricité de France, France
• ENEL Produzione, Italy
• Cardiff University, UK
• IFRF, The Netherlands
• VGB PowerTech, Germany

The PowerFlam1 project begins in September 2001 and continues for 2 years.

A second project, PowerFlam2, is now being prepared and so far includes all partners involved in the PowerFlam1 project. The objective of PowerFlam2 is to define the best available technologies for assessing the co-combustion of substitute fuels in pulverised coal fired utility boilers. In contrast to PowerFlam1, which is a pilot-plant laboratory based R&D project with rig tests up to 500 kW, the PowerFlam2 project will assess such methodologies at full scale on the boilers of the Power Generator partners participating in the consortium.

An application is being prepared to bid for funding under the EC 5th Framework ENERGIE Programme to finance part of the cost of PowerFlam2. The current partners involved in the project are seeking other European Power Organisations to strengthen and expand the possibilities for a successful consortium. PowerFlam2 offers participating organisations the opportunity to:

• Participate in a strategic alliance of Pan-European Power Generators pursuing common objectives to develop methods for assessing the use of Substitute Fuels for Power Generation.
• Apply immediately the methodologies tested and developed in PowerFlam2 to:
  • Assess the potential substitution level of a new SF in an existing boiler.
  • Transfer quickly and accurately the results from one boiler to another.
  • Assess the impact of changing a base fuel in a SF co-firing set-up.
• Access to characterisation data for a wide range of pulverised coals and substitute fuels studied in the PowerFlam2 project, as well as to experience with their use on full scale boilers.
• Participate in this project on a co-funded and shared cost – data exchange basis

A meeting of all parties interested in participating in PowerFlam2 is being held in Essen, Germany on September 17th 2001, hosted by VGB PowerTech. At this meeting the application for EU funding will be discussed and a strategy formulated.

Organisations wishing to know more about participating in the PowerFlam2 Consortium are invited to attend this meeting at the VGB offices in Essen on September 17th 2001.

Further information on this meeting and on participation in the PowerFlam2 Consortium is available from:

Peter Roberts, 
IFRF NET
Tel: +31 251 49 49 05
Email: peter.roberts@ifrf.net

This periodical forms part of the group of publications owned by the IFRF
The IFRF Monday Night Mail is published by:
IFRF NET, P O Box 10,000, The Netherlands
Edited: Peter Roberts
ISSN 1562-4781