Managing slagging at Monroe Power Plant using on-line coal analysis and fuel blending

Monroe Power Plant of DTE Energy is a 3100 MW (net) station in southeastern Michigan. This station consists of four Babcock & Wilcox wall-fired boilers firing blends of southern Powder River Basin (PRB) subbituminous coal along with Central Appalachian bituminous coals. The station manages the coal properties in the various fuel blends using an on-line analyzer. This analyzer measures the complete proximate analysis, the heating value, and the ash chemistry of the coal being loaded into the silos. The on-line analyzer program has been used to control the slagging properties of the coal being burned, with the result being a dramatic reduction in costly slagging incidents at the plant. The on-line analyzer is used to guide modifications to the blend; it is also used to provide guidance to operators concerning the fuel being fed to pulverizers and burners. This paper describes this effort in the context of an overall combustion program and it details the results of that program.