Dynamic modeling and control studies for the Elevated Pressure Air Separation Unit in an IGCC power plant

IGCC (Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle) power plant is one of the promising power generation systems for the future as it can utilize the plentiful resource of coal in an eco-friendly way. The IGCC system is more complicated than the conventional pulverized coal power plant, so its dynamics should be investigated and an appropriate control strategy must be devised to ensure stable and efficient operation. In this research, Elevated Pressure Air Separation Unit (EP ASU) in an IGCC power plant is studied from the viewpoint of dynamic systems analysis. EP ASU separates cryogenic air feed into oxygen and nitrogen in a high pressure column and sends them to the gasification unit and gas turbine. Equation-based modeling of the cryogenic rectification column in EP ASU has been carried out using the software platform of gPROMS. Also, the transient behavior in response to various disturbances is studied through the dynamic simulation. Based on dynamic analysis, a control strategy is suggested at the end.