Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) is mulling inking a partnership in the circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) boiler segment.

For the purpose, the company is in various stages of talks with both, Alstom and Foster Wheeler.

Unlike in the case of coal that is powdered, pulverised and then burnt in a furnace, the CFBC boilers have the advantage of fuel flexibility. These boilers can also be operated with non-coal fuel options such as lignite, bagasse and straw.

While BHEL does have some in-house expertise in commissioning small CFBC sets of 125 MW, the state-owned company hopes to design and develop large-sized CFBC boilers in the technology partnership that it is tying with Alstom and Foster Wheeler.

Early last year, BHEL had commissioned its first unit of 250 MW lignite-powered CFBC boiler at Neyveli Lignite Corporation complex in Tamil Nadu.