POWER June 2014 - 73

ELECTRIC POWER 2014 ROUNDUP
many new coal plants being considered in the
U.S., the ones that are still in operation need
to be maintained, invested in, and stay competitive.
Because fuel expense is such a large
part of a power plant's operating cost, there
are big opportunities for plants that have fuel
flexibility. (For more, see " Fuel-Flexible
CFBs Add Flexibility to Resource Plans " in
the May issue, online at powermag.com.)
The process of moving toward fuel flexibility
requires a team effort. It demands
station management to be on board to help
promote the strategy. Fuel procurement personnel,
central engineering, outage and project
group members, environmental staff, and
perhaps most importantly, operators and production
managers must all collaborate for the
program to be successful.
Donochod suggested that having a dedicated
team that is focused on fuel flexibility
is important. " When you have people focus
on something, you don't get them pulled in
a bunch of different directions. They're focused
on the mission, " he said.
Every plant is different, but some items
that need to be considered when developing
a fuel diversity strategy include: fuel-handling
systems, potential slagging and fouling
concerns, SO3
mitigation capabilities,
combustion issues, FGD operation, and
wastewater treatment. In some cases, the
coal will be drier, resulting in more dust.
Chute liners may be necessary to prevent
plugging issues. Additives may be needed,
such as magnesium hydroxide, to keep the
slag friable and improve sootblowing effectiveness.
Getting the boiler combustion
tuned properly prior to making changes
is also very important. A lot of testing is
usually necessary, so starting with a good
baseline allows easier evaluation of future
adjustments.
Blending is also a critical factor for fuel
flexibility. " Coal is not coal, " Chuck Renner,
inspection and performance testing manager
for SGS Minerals Services, said during another
coal track breakout session. What he
meant by the statement is that there is a great
deal of variability in coal from different parts
of the country (see sidebar) and world. Even
coal from the same mine can vary considerably
from one seam to another.
With that in mind, the primary objective of
blending is to mix the coal to maximize uniformity.
Producing the desired blend requires
accurate information about coal quality and
proper control of the proportions blended.
" You can't control what you don't measure, "
said Renner. " A competent quality assurance
plan includes verification of sampling, analysis
and weighing equipment, and methods. "
In order to achieve consistent results,
representative samples and precise analysis
are required. Acceptable blending can result
in increased profits. Renner noted that one
plant-burning three million tons of coal per
year-was successful in blending 10% of a
much less expensive product, which saved
the company $3 million.
Lowering fuel costs through fuel diversity
isn't usually free, however. Senior
management needs to be involved because
investments are often required. Donochod
said, " Try to get your funding separate from
your maintenance capital. Don't get into a
dogfight with maintenance capital, because
you'll never win. Strategic projects need to
have their own bucket. "
In the end though, the investment can
pay off. From January 2012 through February
2014, Duke Energy's Carolina stations
saved $160 million in fuel costs. Once the
investment has been made and fuel flexibility
is an option, it is the gift that keeps on
giving. ■
-Aaron Larson is a POWER associate editor
(@AaronL_Power, @POWERmagazine).
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POWER June 2014

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