SBIR-STTR Award

This project will develop an innovative Pulse Detonation Combustion (PDC) system for application with coal-combustion based power systems. PDCs are projected to significantly reduce the capital and operating costs of the boiler/furnace hardware for new power plants and increase the efficiency of existing power plants. PDCs take advantage of the higher heat transfer of a detonative combustion process over the typical deflagrative combustion process used in conventional direct-fire pulverized coal burners, cyclone furnaces, and pulse deflagration combustors. The initial development and bench scale testing in Phases I and II of a PDC for coal based power systems would validate the efficiency predictions and demonstrate the benefits of the technology. The Phase I effort will focus on conceptual development activities that are critical to eventual proof-of-concept testing. These activities include definition of power plant requirements for a PDC, assessment of PDC/boiler interfaces, a preliminary design of critical components, an assessment of the potential plant capital cost reductions possible with the PDC, and a quantification of prospective efficiency gains.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
Several attractive uses for the coal-based PDC exist in the areas of utility and industrial power plants, namely as a combustion method for boiler applications.

This project addresses the development of a Pulse Detonation Combustor (PDC) system for use in coal combustion-based power systems. By taking advantage of the higher, heat transfer rates of a detonative combustion process over the deflagrative combustion processes used in conventional direct-fire, pulverized-coal burners, cyclone furnaces, and pulse deflagration combustors, PDCs can reduce the overall costs of new coal-based power plants. In Phase I, a prototype design was developed that showed the potential to greatly reduce the size of the gas-side, heat transfer equipment of conventional, coal-fired plants. A preliminary cost analysis indicated the potential for reduced plant cost. Phase II will focus on proof-of-concept testing and a refinement of Phase I’s design and cost analysis. Experimental activities include a detonability characterization of pulverized-coal detonation, as well as heat transfer measurements. Then, the conceptual design will be refined and a budgetary cost estimate will be prepared to indicate the economic feasibility of the technology.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee:
The coal-based PDC should have several energy conversion applications, especially as a combustion method for boiler applications.