Advanced Materials Enable Energy Production from Fossil Fuels

Abstract

Development of advanced materials and processes are vital to higher production efficiency and more economical and environmentally sustainable fossil energy systems. There is a need for the discovery of new materials that can withstand higher temperature and severe corrosive environments of the advanced fossil-fueled power generation technologies such as coal gasifiers, turbines, combustors, and coal-based fuel cells. Whether the fuel is converted to electricity in a combined cycle gas turbine or a boiler/steam turbine system, both systems produce higher efficiencies when operated at higher temperatures. Significant efforts have resulted in advanced materials for use in both gas turbines and boiler/steam turbine equipment. Coatings applied to hot components in gas turbines have allowed higher operating temperatures, thereby resulting in efficiency improvements. Advances in materials have also resulted in significant improvements in the overall efficiency of converting the energy in the fuel to electricity. Through the development of advanced coatings and new methods of applying the coatings as well as new materials, significant reductions in fuel consumption with an associated reduction in greenhouse gas and other criteria pollutant emissions have been realized. This chapter will focus on how to overcome materials challenges that are being actively pursued to achieve sustainable fossil energy systems, including ultra-supercritical materials, coatings and protection materials, high-strength and corrosion-resistant alloys, functional materials, as well as sensing materials used in harsh environments.