Abstracts - VGB PowerTech Journal 11/2007

50 Years of KWS PowerTech Training Center - Way Stations -

Uwe Möller, Karl A. Theis and Heinrich Nacke

On 10th April 1957 the working group "Kraftwerksmeisterausbildung" started its activities in Essen which can now be considered as the date of birth of KRAFTWERKSSCHULE E.V. During the last 50 years KRAFTWERKSSCHULE E.V. turned into an efficient training center for the whole industry. The know-how in highly qualified training and advanced training can now be offered worldwide, thanks to state-of-the-art technology and simulators.

Future Training Concepts: Prospects and Visions on How to Establish a Sustainable Energy Supply

Karl A. Theis, Heinrich Nacke and Hans-Werner Otte

The paper describes the ideas of the PowerTech Training Center regarding the future training of power plant personnel. The topic will be approached from two different angles, taking a look at the perspectives for training in the energy industry as seen in the light of experience and the visions that inspire the PowerTech Training Center and without which no high-quality training services can be provided in the long run. Three perspectives are outlined: The PowerTech Training Center sees a growing demand to raise training standards and increase competence, as well as an increased demand for simulator training and training for nuclear power plants. Furthermore, the article explains three visions that could influence training in future. The PowerTech Training Center sees a demand to utilise the potential of qualified women to a larger extent, to develop a European training perspective for power plant personnel within the European Union and to develop new forms of co-operation on the basis of networked communication, perhaps in the form of competence teams in power plants.

Bachelor - Power Plant Technology - Breaking New Ground in Academic Training at the PowerTech Training Center

Christian Umierski

For the power industry, recruiting suitable young engineers is a daunting task in the face of university reforms and the decline of highly-qualified academics in engineering sciences. This means that the power industry needs to increase their involvement with universities beyond its current extent. Participation in defining the course contents and raising the educational standards are aspects that are important to future employees; the same can be said of interesting perspectives. For the power industry, imparting the required competence and key qualifications is not the only issue - securing the future employees' long-term loyalty also plays a role. Together with the University of Applied Sciences Aachen and in close co-operation with technical committees of VGB PowerTech, the PowerTech Training Center has developed a bachelor course aimed at fulfilling the power industry's future need for engineers; students can enroll for the course from the winter semester 2007/2008 onwards. The specialisation area "power plant technology" is offered to students of mechanical engineering as well as to employees from trainee programs in the industry.

From Apprenticeship to Competence Center

Klaus Bailer

Today, training, advanced training, recognition of potential and promotion are key functions and tasks which we take seriously and handle excellently by turning the apprenticeship workshop into a competence center. Apart from globalisation, the present and future challenge is without any doubt the "war of talents" which is due to demographic impacts and for which we are well armed owing to our co-operation with numerous partners. We have set our sights on the future!

Simulator Training as a Decisive Means to Maintain the Level of Expert Knowledge among Operating Personnel in German Nuclear Power Plants

Jochen Kruip

Among all the different kinds of training used in training and in maintaining the level of expert knowledge, simulator training is particularly significant and is made obligatory by the BMU regulations. Depending on the plant type, basic training includes seven to eight weeks of simulator training, and after that one to two weeks of simulator training are to be completed every year. Simulator training has gained in significance - this is proved by the increase in the number of courses and the development of the simulators.

Training Maintenance Personnel from Nuclear Power Plants - From Chalon-sur-Saône to Zwentendorf -

Stefan Wich-Schwarz and Jens Manthey

Analyses of the VGB Working Panel "Maintenance Manager Workshop" have shown that, for various reasons, the demand for training possibilities for maintenance personnel in nuclear power plants had already started increasing years ago. Different solutions - also from foreign countries - were examined, and the combined efforts of the panel members of VGB PowerTech, the PowerTech Training Center and Areva yielded a comprehensive program (hard- and software) for the German plants that is able to fulfil the basic training needs for maintenance personnel in nuclear power plants, combining theoretical as well as practical parts.

E-learning is Regaining in Importance

Thomas Schmidt

Today - after its introduction about 10 years ago and a phase of disillusion - companies are now more investing in e-learning. Learning according to previous knowledge and the possibility to teach and circulate knowledge worldwide within a relatively short period of time are considered as advantages. Good e-learning products and qualified mentoring are decisive to make e-learning a success. In numerous cases e-learning is the optimum possibility to spread knowledge quickly and sustainably.

Vattenfall's New Development Generating Units and their Technical Challenges

Hans Mandel and Hartmut Schettler

In the past, Vattenfall Europe Generation set a good example by operating the 800/900 MW generating units from 1991 to 2000. The introduction of supercritical steam parameters made net efficiency factors of more than 40 % possible, even for lignite-fired power plants. To be exact, levels of about 42 % could be reached. The article presents examples for the heat cycle layout and offers solutions to problems of the turbo-generating set, the main-steam pipelines and the steam boiler. The next generation of coal-fired power plants will then reach efficiency factors of more than 50 %, thanks to steam temperatures of about 700 °C.

New Power Plant Projects of RWE Power AG - Technologies and Challenges -

Oliver Then, Heinz-Jürgen Wüllenweber and Bernd Keinhörster

Current requirements of supply security, a sparing use of resources and climate protection call for extensive investment in innovative power plant technology. Coal-fired generation offers multiple potentials for CO2 reduction through efficiency improvement and flexibility making it competitive to other generating options. This paper covers the main technologies and challenges of coal-based projects at RWE. Moreover, the company is spending substantial amounts to promote a further rise in efficiency, zero-CO2 power plant technology and integrated coal gasification plants.

FLOX Combustion with High Pressure for the Application in Gas Turbines

Rainer Lückerath, Harald Schütz, Berthold Noll and Manfred Aigner

Flameless Oxidation (FLOX®) has been used successfully for many years in technical furnaces under atmospheric conditions with very low NOx emissions. The applicability of this combustion system was investigated with regard to the use in gas turbines at high pressure. The behaviour established for atmospheric FLOX® conditions could be also verified for typical gas turbine conditions at pressures up to 20 bar and at thermal powers up to 475 kW with very low emissions of NOx and CO. Experiments with natural gas as fuel were performed at the high-pressure test facility at the DLR in Stuttgart in a combustion chamber with good optical access which was used for different optical diagnostics like OH* chemiluminescence and OH planar laser-induced fluorescence.

Detection of Tube Leakages in Fluidised Bed Combustion Boilers by Monitoring the Flue Gas Humidity - Moisture Measurement According to the Psychrometric Method

Thorsten Sommerfeld and Uwe Herrmann

The early detection of tube leakages in fluidised bed combustion boilers in power plants is very important to prevent subsequent damage. The developing of the flue-gas humidity at the end of the boiler enables an inference to the leakage. The experiences of Stadtwerke Wuppertal over more than eight years show that the psychrometric measuring method enables metering in these rough conditions, which faces all demands. The used materials are easy to be adapted to the corrosive surroundings. Thus, long-term stability can be provided. A limit value monitoring as well as a rising humidity that has to be evaluated, permit an automatic alarm to the operator of the leakage. A limit value monitoring as well as a rising humidity that has to be evaluated, permit an automatic alarm to the operator of the leakage.