Integrated pollutant removal (IPR), a process that consists of a series of compression and condensation steps with heat recovery integrated into the boiler, has been developed through modeling and experimentation at the USDOE/Albany Research Center. This process, when combined with oxy-fuel combustion - pulverized coal combustion using oxygen enriched air – offers a route to integrating the removal of all pollutants from a coal combustion stream, including capture and storage of CO2. Because little or no N2 is present in this combustion “air”, the remaining gasses are condensable, making a product which is well suited for integrated pollutant removal. Oxy-fuel systems have the promise of reducing boiler foot-print and boiler construction costs.

Using off-the-shelf components and existing technology, the USDOE/Albany Research Center and Jupiter Oxygen Corporation, working together under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, built and operated a system that demonstrated proof-of-concept for the integration of oxy-fuel combustion and an integrated system for the removal of all pollutants. The results of the test showed that the system can capture SOx, NOx, particulates, and even mercury as a part of the process of producing liquefied CO2 for sequestration. Economic estimates indicate that this process is competitive with air fired power plants when the cost of removing all pollutants and CO2 are included.