Pilot-Scale Condensing Heat Exchanger Tubing

Lehigh University will conduct pilot-scale testing of a condensing heat exchanger to recover water from coal-fired power plant flue gas.  Testing will include using a slipstream of flue gas from a natural gas-fired boiler with sulfur trioxide injection and slipstreams of flue gas from two coal-fired boilers. The project continues the development of condensing heat exchanger technology for coal-fired boilers initially started under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Project DE-FC26-06NT42727 (Recovery of Water from Boiler Flue Gas).

In particular, Lehigh researchers will: (1) expand the database on water and acid condensation characteristics by performing slipstream tests at two different power plants; (2) develop cost-effective solutions to reducing acid corrosion of heat exchanger tubes; (3) determine condensed flue gas water treatment needs; and (4) develop condensing heat exchanger designs for full-scale applications.

The successful development of cost-effective, corrosion-resistant condensing heat exchanger systems for use in coal-fired power plants will provide opportunities to recover water from boiler flue gas.