Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) has successfully commissioned another 250 MW unit based on eco-friendly circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) technology, using low-quality coal (lignite) as the primary fuel.

The 250 MW lignite-based thermal unit has been commissioned at Bhavnagar Energy Co. Ltd’s (BECL) 2 x 250 MW thermal power project, located at Padva village in Bhavnagar District of Gujarat.

BHEL’s scope of work in the contract envisaged design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of boilers, steam turbines and generators along with associated auxiliaries and electricals, state-of-the-art controls & instrumentation (C&I) and electrostatic precipitators (ESPs).

The project is equipped with CFBC technology that enables use of low-quality lignite as fuel.The second unit of this project is also in an advanced stage of completion.

This is the third 250 MW unit based on CFBC technology, commissioned by BHEL, with two other units having been commissioned earlier by BHEL in Tamil Nadu.

Additionally, BHEL has earlier executed the 4 x 125 MW Surat lignite power project at Nani Naroli in district Surat, Gujarat, which also involved CFBC technology.

CFBC boilers are highly fuel flexible and can burn a wide variety of fuels, including lignite, efficiently. They are also highly environmentally friendly with very low pollutant emissions.

Lignite reserves in India have been estimated at around 40.9 billion t. Presently, only a small percentage of the total reserves of lignite have been exploited. CFBC boilers provide an opportunity to use these huge lignite reserves.

Edited from press release by Harleigh Hobbs