Materials for FBC Cogeneration Systems

The US Department of Energy (DOE) sponsored the Atmospheric Fluidized-Bed Cogeneration Air Heater Experiment (ACAHE) to assess the performance of various heat-exchanger materials and establish confidence in the resultant designs of fluidized-bed combustion air heater systems. Westinghouse Electric Corporation, in association with Babcock and Wilcox, Foster Wheeler, and ABB/Combustion Engineering, prepared specifications and hardware for the ACAHE. Argonne National Laboratory, through a contract with the Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International, conducted tests in the DOE 6-ft {times} 6-ft atmospheric fluidized-bed combustion facility in El Segundo, California. This paper presents and overview of the project, a description of the facility and test hardware, and corrosion results from several uncooled probes exposed in the facility. Alloy penetration data were determined for several of the materials as a function of specimen orientation and as a function of the exposure location in the combustor. Finally, the data are compared with previous laboratory data in support of ACAHE and an assessment is made of the long-term performance of candidate materials for air heater applications.