Clean coal collaboration

Praxair and Foster Wheeler North America have signed an agreement to jointly pursue demonstration projects that will incorporate clean coal technologies and integrated oxy-coal combustion systems into coal-fired power stations.

The companies expect to develop a coal-fired generating plant to reduce carbon dioxide stack emissions by more than 90 percent compared to a conventional coal-fired plant of a similar size.

Generating plants that burn opportunity fuels such as biomass and petroleum coke in combination with coal would also be able to effect similar reductions in CO₂ emissions. The two companies have agreed to share technical information to ensure successful integration of the combined systems.

Under the agreement, Foster Wheeler will develop and supply steam generators using oxy-coal combustion technology that can be installed in new or existing coal-fired power plants. Oxy-coal combustion is said to create a highly concentrated stream of CO₂ from a steam generator to facilitate carbon capture and sequestration.