Audai Hussein Al-Abbas

Oxy–Fuel Combustion in the Lab–Scale and Large–Scale Fuel– Fired Furnaces for Thermal Power Generations

Recently, the environmental and health threat from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) of power plants has been considered as one of the main reasons for global climate change [1]. The undesirable increase in global temperature is very likely because of increase the concentrations of these syngas in the atmosphere. The most important resource of these anthropogenic GHG emissions in the atmosphere is carbon dioxide emissions. At present, fossil fuels provide approximately 85% of the world’s demand of electric energy [2]. Many modern technologies in the electricity generation sector have been developed as sources of new and renewable energies. These new technologies include solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydro energy. While these sources of renewable energy are often seen as having zero greenhouse gas emissions, the use of such technologies can be problematic. Firstly, sources of renewable energy are often still under development. Therefore, there can be a higher cost involved in their installation and in other related technical requirements. Secondly, the sudden switching of these energy sources (zero emission) has caused serious problems with the infrastructure of energy supply and global economy [3]. In order to reduce the problem and obey the new environmental and political legislation against global warming, it is necessary to find an appropriate solution to cut pollution which is with cost-effective, from the energy sources. The most effective technique, which can achieve a high level of reduction in GHG emission to atmospheric zone, is to capture carbon dioxide from the conventional power generations. At present, several organizations, energy research centres, companies, and universities, particularly in developed countries, are working to develop these conventional power plants in order to make them more environmentally friendly, with near-zero emissions sources. This chapter continues on different CO2 capture technologies such as pre-combustion capture, post-combustion capture, and oxy-fuel combustion capture. The developments on