The favorable operating performance of two large ceramic tube filters at the 71 MWe Wakamatsu PFBC unit in Japan builds confidence toward commercial application of PFBC. The Asahi Glass Company, Ltd., ceramic tube filters offer unique improvements to the process design and plant arrangement. Several components in the current "first generation" PFBC plant design can be eliminated or their function can be incorporated into the function of the ceramic filter vessels leading to operational and economic advantages. The reduction of combustor vessel size, quantity of ash removal points, ash handling systems, and elimination of cyclones and cyclone ash coolers will provide significant economic and reliability improvements. The plant footprint and building volume are reduced and the access and cooling time for maintenance can be improved. Although hot gas piping protection complications and concerns must be addressed by double wall jacket systems, the majority of systems maintain the principle of cold high-pressure boundary separate from the hot temperature boundary. The impact on performance, operation and maintenance expense and cost of electricity are presented.
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