Integrated coal gasification combined cycle (IGCC), which is considered to be a promising
next-generation coal-fired power generation technology, is a clean coal-firing technology in which
coal is converted into "hydrogen-containing gas" before being combusted. However, it has issues
particular to hydrogen-rich fuel. Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (MHPS) has participated
in a New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) project since
2008. Combining rapid mixing and flame lifting technologies, MHPS developed a groundbreaking
distributed lean burning technology for low-NOx combustion, which is applicable to IGCC coupled
with a carbon dioxide (CO2) capture facility. The characteristics of this combustion technology
were examined using an actual-scale gas turbine at the EAGLE pilot plant, located in the
Wakamatsu Research Institute of Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. (aka J-POWER). Based on
the obtained results, we successfully installed the world's first dry low-NOx combustor for IGCC in
the H-100 gas turbine, which is to be supplied to the IGCC demonstration test facility (currently
under construction) of Osaki CoolGen Corporation (OCG). Although the H-100 gas turbine was
formerly referred to as the H-80 because of the permitted output of the first unit (approx. 80 MW),
it was thus renamed in accordance with the rated output of the gas turbine.
