Sans sulphur-the Drax FGD project

The author discusses the reasons for the Drax coal fired power station flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) retrofit. It´s National Power´s biggest project, will take eight years to finish, and cost £684 million. At the end of 1993, the first phase of the project was completed with the handover by Babcock Energy, the project´s principal contractor, of the first two SO₂ absorber vessels and associated plant. A further two absorbers will become operational in 1995, and the project will be completed in mid 1996 when the last two absorbers are handed over. The Drax absorbers use the limestone-gypsum process, applied in more than half the world´s FGD installations, although never before on such a huge scale. The absorbers and their operation are discussed