Aim of this project is to investigate the combination of the Oxyfuel process with Ciculating Fluidised Bed Combustion (CFBC) and determine its applicability and cost efficiency, when the actual best available technologies and realistic operating conditions are used. Out of this study it will be possible to conclude whether it makes sense or not to consider Oxyfuel CFBC as a main option within the national and international Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) strategy.

The integration of the CFB combustion and the Oxyfuel process with CO₂ separation offers the advantage that also more difficult fuels may be used in CCS and lower NO_x and SO_x can be achieved. Furthermore, the utilisation of the Oxyfuel process offers a significant reduction in the size of the steam generator needed, when compared with the conventional power plant process. Already available technologies for air separation and CO₂ separation can thus be utilised, to deliver another concept for fossil power plants with CO₂ separation.

The research work consists of simulation and modelling of the overall configuration of an Oxyfuel CFBC power plant, including the design of the necessary steam generator and its periphery. For the simulations commercial software tools are used. The research is conducted in collaboration with another two Universities (IFK of Stuttgart University and VWS of the TU-Dresden) to enable corroboration of the above simulations with experimental results on the CFB combustion of hard and brown coals taken at laboratory scale.

Through a holistic and praxis-oriented approach analysing the overall process and focused at large scale application of the Oxyfuel process with circulating fluidised bed, it will enable conclusive comparisons with other alternative concepts for electricity generation with reduced CO₂ emission. This can then serve as a building block for reducing the CO₂ avoidance costs. Furthermore, CFB combustion offers a high potential for co-firing CO₂ neutral fuels. This, especially in the case of the Oxyfuel process with CFB combustion, constitutes an interesting possibility for a quicker and more economical achievement of the CO₂ reduction targets.