Edwardsport IGCC
Encyclopedia
Edwardsport Power Station is a 120-MW coal
-fired electrical power plant in Vigo Township
, Knox County
, near the town of Edwardsport, Indiana
. The plant is located at 38°48′24"N 87°14′49"W. An integrated gasification
combined cycle
power plant (Edwardsport IGCC) is being constructed by Duke Energy
at the plant.
The existing Units 1 and 2, rated at 45 and 75 MW respectively, were launched into service in 1949 and 1951. They will be retired as the new 600-MW plant comes online. The new plant is slated to be a base-load station, capable of supplying Indiana
with additional capacity in the future. The plant will also be carbon capture-ready.
The gasification
process at the new plant involves converting coal into a combustible syngas
that will be used in a combustion turbine. The exhaust gases are routed through a large heat recovery steam generator that will be used in conjunction with a steam turbine
to further increase the plant's efficiency.
Edwardsport's pollution will be greatly reduced, as particulate matter and mercury
will be removed from the syngas
. The coal-derived synthetic gas is much cleaner than conventional coal combustion to begin with, and it is easier to clean to greater extent. Coal gasification allows carbon capture to occur before the fuel is combusted — a much easier and economically feasible operation than carbon capture of exhaust gases.
It is expected that Edwardsport IGCC will be online during 2012.
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-fired electrical power plant in Vigo Township
Vigo Township, Knox County, Indiana
Vigo Township is one of ten townships in Knox County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 4,798.-External links:* *...
, Knox County
Knox County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 39,256 people, 15,552 households, and 10,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 76 people per square mile . There were 17,305 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile...
, near the town of Edwardsport, Indiana
Edwardsport, Indiana
Edwardsport is a town in Vigo Township, Knox County, Indiana, United States. The population was 363 at the 2000 census. It was founded in 1839 and was named after Edward Wilkins, a founding father...
. The plant is located at 38°48′24"N 87°14′49"W. An integrated gasification
Gasification
Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures , without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam...
combined cycle
Combined cycle
In electric power generation a combined cycle is an assembly of heat engines that work in tandem off the same source of heat, converting it into mechanical energy, which in turn usually drives electrical generators...
power plant (Edwardsport IGCC) is being constructed by Duke Energy
Duke Energy
Duke Energy , headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an energy company with assets in the United States, Canada and Latin America.-Overview:...
at the plant.
The existing Units 1 and 2, rated at 45 and 75 MW respectively, were launched into service in 1949 and 1951. They will be retired as the new 600-MW plant comes online. The new plant is slated to be a base-load station, capable of supplying Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
with additional capacity in the future. The plant will also be carbon capture-ready.
The gasification
Gasification
Gasification is a process that converts organic or fossil based carbonaceous materials into carbon monoxide, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and methane. This is achieved by reacting the material at high temperatures , without combustion, with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam...
process at the new plant involves converting coal into a combustible syngas
Syngas
Syngas is the name given to a gas mixture that contains varying amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Examples of production methods include steam reforming of natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen, the gasification of coal, biomass, and in some types of waste-to-energy...
that will be used in a combustion turbine. The exhaust gases are routed through a large heat recovery steam generator that will be used in conjunction with a steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
to further increase the plant's efficiency.
Edwardsport's pollution will be greatly reduced, as particulate matter and mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
will be removed from the syngas
Syngas
Syngas is the name given to a gas mixture that contains varying amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Examples of production methods include steam reforming of natural gas or liquid hydrocarbons to produce hydrogen, the gasification of coal, biomass, and in some types of waste-to-energy...
. The coal-derived synthetic gas is much cleaner than conventional coal combustion to begin with, and it is easier to clean to greater extent. Coal gasification allows carbon capture to occur before the fuel is combusted — a much easier and economically feasible operation than carbon capture of exhaust gases.
It is expected that Edwardsport IGCC will be online during 2012.