Abstracts - VGB PowerTech Journal 11/2009

Demography Management of RWE Power AG and the Special Challenges of Alternating Shift Work

Matthias Franzkowiak, Michael Schmitz and Christian Feldhaus

RWE Power has launched a comprehensive process to develop strategies for future demography management. A special focus is on the challenges which result from the age structure of the workforce in connection with alternating shift work. A comprehensive catalogue of measures was developed which is currently being implemented. Among other things, it includes programmes for the employees on issues like health and ergonomics or optimisation of existing shift systems. Several follow-up projects are also included. The measures presented in this paper are meant to help in responding proactively to future demographic trends and the resulting challenges.

Determinants and State of the Art of European Regulation on Occupational Health and Safety - The German Experience

Ralf Pieper and Miriam Gärtner

The article is dealing with the progress and the state of the art of OSH regulation in Europe and Germany. This regulation is closely linked to social, economic, technological and political processes. The European unifying process has had - and still has - a deep influence on national OSH policy and regulation, especially in Germany. Furthermore a trend of OSH can be recognised from pure safety purposes towards the sense of a new quality of work or decent work.

Coal Combustion Products in Europe - Developments and Trends

Nicolai Bech and Hans-Joachim Feuerborn

In 2007 more than 61 million tonnes of power plant by-products were produced in Europe (EU 25). The utilisation of power plant products is influenced by environmental legislation and market liberalisation. An overview on the production and utilisation of power plant by-products in Europe is given with a focus on the further development based on the new general frame directive (definition "by-product" and "end of waste characteristics" and REACH regulation). Revision and up-dating of technical standards is being discussed.

Registration of Coal Combustion By-products According to REACH

Hans-Dieter Kehrmann

A large amount of Coal Combustion By-products - CCPs - are not waste but marketable commodities. Wastes that are loosing their waste characteristics in preparation processes are substances in the sense of REACH and thus subject to this ordinance. Therefore, a lot of companies followed the recommendations of VGB and ECOBA to pre-register gypsum and ashes (fly ash, bottom ash and boiler slag) as phase-in-substances. With the aid of the associations involved it is ensured that the registration dossiers to the European Chemicals Agency - ECHA - are prepared and submitted in due time (until 1st December 2010).

Production and Utilisation of Coal Combustion Products

Thomas Eck and Karl-Heinz Puch

In the last years about 25 million tonnes of CCPs were annually produced and utilised in Germany. CCPs like boiler slag, bottom ash, fly ash or FGD gypsum have been used for many years as quality controlled raw material or building material in the construction industry or in civil engineering as well as for restoration and reclamation purposes in open-cast mines. The article gives an overview about the results of the VGB survey "Production and Utilisation of CCPs in Germany" of the years 1997 to 2007.

Research for the Utilisation of Coal-combustion Products - Projects Founded by the VGB Research Foundation

Thomas Eck and Hans-Joachim Feuerborn

In Germany, the use of Coal Combustion Materials (CCPs) as raw materials for the construction industry is well developed and established. This is the result of research work which is firstly to demonstrate the possible use which was proven in pilot projects. However, due to latest test procedures and requirements there is still a need for research. The research projects organised and funded by VGB RESEARCH FOUNDATION aim at establishing and safeguarding already existing fields of utilisation and to explore new ones.

Considerations about Utilising Household Waste

Ulrich Grabenhorst

The removal and/or economic utilisation of domestic waste require knowledge about waste constituents. A method will be described that permits waste assessment under certain assumptions. The considerations focus on the production of secondary fuels from domestic waste without commercial and industrial production residues. The mechanical-biological generation of "dry stabilate and "direct recycling" is not considered.

Early Fire Detection in Coal-fired Power Plants

Jörg Kelleter and Lothar Marth

Reliable, early fire detection leads to stopping a fire from spreading before it can cause considerable damage. However, in coal-fired power plants, early detection places tremendous demands on technology because of the rough site conditions. Conventional smoke detection cannot be used in storage and production areas simply because of dust pollution. Fire gas detectors, infra-red detectors, fibre-optical linear heat detectors are detection devices that are employed. Video cameras equipped with intelligent systems for video analyses can also be used in problematic areas.

Modern Fire-fighting Technology for Power Stations with High-pressure Water Mist

Rüdiger Kopp

Cable tunnels represent a particularly important part of the power supply and data infrastructure in power stations. Via these cable tunnels all units are supplied with power and controlled, data is collected and processed. A loss of these sensible areas leads to vast interruption of power supply as well as to control processes, respectively to a total loss in control of a unit. Beside this, the fire may spread to other components. This risk potential can effectively be reduced by the use of an automatically fixed fire fighting systems in conjunction with adequate fire detection. For this, high-pressure water mist represents a mostly effective extinguishing agent.

Measuring of Mineral Particulate Matter at Work Places in Coal-fired Power Plants - Aids for Determining Hazards

Margret Böckler and Reinhard Lux

If employees have to carry out operations with mineral particulate matter or if such blends - due to processes or operations - interfere with the breathing air at the work place, power plant operators have to assess and determine the hazards for employees and must introduce corresponding protection measures. Between 2006 and 2008 the Accident Prevention & Insurance Association "Energy, Textile and Electrics" has carried out work place measurements in coal-fired power plants (lignite and hard coal) in order to provide support when determining and assessing the hazard potential. The measuring results showed that normally the limit values for work places are safely met for A and E fractions. Further dust measurements will be carried out.

Bar Damage of a Roller Grate in a Municipal Waste Incineration Plant - Root Cause Analysis and Solution Approach

Jens Wiese, Klaus Führer and Bernhard Mathias

The present study investigates the damage of grate bars in the fourth boiler of the Karnap waste incineration plant. The results of the material analysis detected a thermal overload of the damaged grate bars. In this study two approaches will be discussed. The first considers the adaptation of combustion control and the second implies the selection of an alternative bar material (currently EN-GJL 200 is being used).