§ 82. Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Power if he will make a statement on the latest progress made in the technology of the fluidised combustion of coal.
§ Mr. FreesonWork on the combustion of coal in a fluidised bed is a major effort at the National Coal Board's Coal Research Establishment, and in the laboratories of the British Coal Utilisation Research Association. The feasibility of such combustion has been satisfactorily demonstrated on a small scale, and work is now in hand to evaluate the project on a larger scale. The N.C.B. are currently constructing a test rig which will provide the engineering data for the design of a power station boiler, and B.C.U.R.A. are collaborating with a boilermaker on the construction of a prototype industrial hot water boiler. B.C.U.R.A. are also studying the fluidised combusion of coal under pressure to evaluate its application to a combined gas turbine-steam turbine power generation cycle.