Edwardsport, IN: Duke Energy 2013 618mw IGCC Plant

(Satellite)
IGCC = Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle

I discovered this Duke Energy Power Plant while researching the Indiana Southern Railroad's branch south of their Beehunter junction with Canadian Pacific. This branch was on a former Pennsy route, and it is shared with CP. The ISRR map indicated the branch went south of Sanborn to a spur that went northwest to the Hawthorne Mine. The spur no longer goes across a farmer's field, BUT the PC abandoned RoW south of the former spur has track with fresh white ballast. There is not only new track, there are new bridges. This new track ended in a new yard next to a new power plant. (Given the size of the property, I'm surprised that they built a yard rather than loop tracks around the property.)

DukeEnergy

Satellite

Parts of the power plant looks more like a chemical plant --- lots of big pipes. That is because they don't burn the coal, they turn it into gas. This allows them to use Indiana coal instead of Wyoming coal because it keeps the sulfur out of the atmosphere. It also reduces the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. The plant also uses an activated carbon bed to absorb mercury. Releasing mercury into the local rivers and lakes had been one of the pollution issues concerning coal-fired power plants.

The synthetic gas is then used to generate electricity in a manner similar to the use of natural gas --- burned in a gas turbine and then using the exhaust to make steam to drive a steam turbine. A gas turbine is basically a big jet engine. This allows the plant to achieve efficiencies comparable to a modern coal-fired boiler plant.

Chris Nicholson posted
Edwardsport Indiana
Integrated coal gasification combined cycle 618 MW “clean coal” power plant. Home away from home for me.
Timothy Brumfield: I had the privilege of being on the crew that welded what they called “The Golden Joint” at the top of those gasifiers. It was a hell on an experience.
Chris Nicholson: Timothy Brumfield top flange for the feed injector
Timothy Brumfield: It was actually the dome of the gasifier where it welded to the main body. 3 1/2” thick double bevel heliarc root on the inside with only a half inch of bevel inside and 3 inches to weld on the outside. We tested for weeks to make that weld, even inside a simulator that mocked up the inside with a 30” long weld coupon inside the window of the vessel. They wanted absolutely zero grinding on the inside. Preheated to 400 degrees. We went inside for 15 minutes at a time with fresh air hoods and vests.
Jeff Guziec: New York proposed it but pulled the plug on it.

Chris Nicholson: Jeff Guziec they built one in Alabama using different technology and gave up trying to get the gasifiers to run.