Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has completed construction of a coal gasification furnace plant at its Nagasaki site.

The facility will supply core facilities for integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC) plants. With the completion of the new plant, MHPS now has the ability to create a fully integrated production system for IGCC, a next-generation technology in high-efficiency coal-fired power generation.

Production of furnaces is now underway, with a furnace now being produced for use in a 540 megawatt (MW) IGCC plant in Iwaki, Fukushima. The Iwaki Plant is currently under construction by Nakoso IGCC Power GK(Note) and delivery is scheduled for June 2018.

Coal gasification furnaces provide a high-temperature, high-pressure environment required for efficient gasification of coal. They utilize gasification equipment capable of withstanding high temperatures and a pressure container that can raise pressure levels.

In order to produce furnaces that can accommodate these conditions, a production system was adopted that utilizes both conventional underlying technologies, including welding, and newly developed proprietary technologies such as automated welding machines and ICT systems.

To shorten construction time, furnaces produced at the new plant will be modularized (integrating gasification equipment and pressure containers), and will then be transported to the construction site for installation.

In IGCC systems, coal is gasified in the gasification furnace and power is generated through a high-efficiency combined cycle that integrates gas and steam turbines. The system is groundbreaking, offering significantly higher efficiency and lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions than conventional coal-fired plants.

MHPS will continue to promote the adoption of cutting edge IGCC power generation technologies, thereby contributing to the efficient use of resources and protection of the environment.