Abstracts - VGB PowerTech Journal 7/2007

EDF and the NAM Theun 2 Hydro-Power Project in Laos

Jean-Francois Astolfi

Hydro-power based electricity generation and export are vital for Laos, because the country does not dispose of further resources for its economic development. The Nam Theun 2 project has long been recognised as having the greatest potential to achieve the country’s development objectives. The contract for the construction of the main project works became effective in May 2005. It is forecasted that commercial operation will commence in December 2009.

Optimisation of Operating Cost of Fossil-fired Power Plants through CDM and JI

Johannes Lambertz, Michael Fübi

The optimisation of the power plant park as well as the development of innovate, efficiency-increasing and thus CO2-decreasing technologies will make an important contribution to the harmonisation between secure energy supply and the requirements of climate protection. Investments in climate protection projects within the scope of CDM and JI are an additional option to make-up for cost arising in connection with CO2 control and such projects will make climate protection economically efficient and sustainable.

Performance Characteristics and Their Analyses of 900 MW Supercritical Steam Turbine

Feng Weizhong

This study analyses the technical characteristics of two 900 MW steam turbines installed for Phase II Project of the Waigaoqiao thermal power plant. The turbine is designed without the governing stage, and its overall blade profile and steam admission are optimised. As a result, its efficiency is greatly improved, the quick start-up is guaranteed under cold, warm and hot conditions, and the vibration is minimised and stabilised under various conditions.

Operational Experience with Start-up Optimisation for Steam Boilers in E.ON's Staudinger, Heyden, Ingolstadt and Zolling Power Plants

Rüdiger Franke, Bernd Weidmann

In search of ways to improve power plant efficiency, engineers increasingly pay attention to the effects of start-up procedures and load cycles. BoilerMax is a predictive boiler load-margin computer implementing a non-linear, model-based multi-variable controller that is used for optimising boiler start-up operation. Over the last two years, BoilerMax has been installed in several E.ON power plants. This paper gives a general overview of the operational experience gathered during that time.

Development of Fluidised Bed Gasification

Sirko Ogriseck, Bernd Meyer

The domestic energy source lignite has an important role for the future energy supply in Germany. Lignite will be available with a static range of more than 250 years and at steady prices. The gasification of lignite has the advantage of product flexibility over combustion. It is possible to provide heat and power, synthesis gas, hydrogen, methanol, fuels or other chemical products from gasification gas. Two advanced fluidised bed gasification variants are presented, which lead to a process-technical improvement of fluidised bed gasification.

Flexible Load Operation and Frequency Support for Steam Turbine Power Plants

Andreas Wichtmann, Michael Wechsung, Jens Rosenkranz, Wolfgang Wiesenmüller, Ulrich Tomschi

Transmission System Operators (TSO) have to fulfill two main tasks: first, to ensure the quality of the supplied electricity and second, to ensure the reliability of supply. Today the liberalisation of the electricity market requires more and more the separation of generation and transmission (“unbundling”). The fulfilment of these targets is therefore no longer a purely technical challenge, but rather has to be seen as an interaction of technology and market. Additionally to the selling of continuously generated MW output, power plant owners in many countries have the opportunity to offer ancillary services to the TSO, e.g. different kinds of reserve power. Often such reserve power capability also is a mandatory requirement for the power plant.

Implementation of the Technical Regulations TRBS Exemplified by the VGB Guideline R 200 “Design and Operation of Power Plant Furnaces“ and the VGB Instruction Sheet M 213 “Coal Mills“

Wolfgang A. Benesch, Ludwig Müller, Ulrich Schirmer

The codes are being revised. However, technology is consistent. The consistency between new and old codes and power plant engineering – in particular concerning furnace and mill – is to be re-established. It is more and more important to present the corresponding relationships closely according to their development. The paper will demonstrate how to achieve these targets with the VGB Guideline R 200 and the VGB Instruction Sheet M 213H. VGB guidelines mainly are to observe special operating conditions and are commonly drafted by the VGB working panels, i.e. a wealth of experience is made available to the entire community of power generation.

Advanced Analysis for the Choice of Imported Coals and Fuels

Hermann Winkler, Marion Neumann

During the last decade STEAG faced great changes in their coal supplies because most of the domestic Ruhr mines were closed down, therefore, the band of fuels had to be extended to imported coal and other fuels. The change-over caused some difficulties and it was no longer possible to recognise these changes with conventional analysis using DIN standards. The paper describes three methods that allow trouble-free and economic plant operation at large but justified analytical expenditure.

Analysis of the Ignition and Burning Behaviour of Hard Coal Referring to Explosion Protection

Martin Schmidt, Marcus Marlow, Ulrich Krause, Frank Neumann

The knowledge of the ignition, burning and explosion behaviour of dusts enables the definition of adequate measures of explosion protection and prevention. The properties of combustible dusts which are decisive for explosion protection (safety characteristics) are determined by standard tests. According to existing thermal boundary and initial conditions in coal mills adequate tests were selected and, if necessary, adapted. Based on the investigations performed, explosion protection measures are presented.

Dust Resistivity a Characteristic Parameter for Coal Ashes and Electrostatic Precipitator Efficiency

Herbert Prenzel, Anna Dux

Within the scope of the revision of the 13th German Federal Emission Control Act (13. BImSchV) it became clear that the emission limits for dust would be reduced to 20 mg/m3 (standard dry). This value does not only apply to all new plants under planning or construction but also to all old plants that are to be operated beyond 2012. For particulate control in ESP, specific dust resistivity is an important parameter. The investigation is aiming at the identification of possible changes in dust precipitation in connection with fuel properties.

Integrity Concept for Piping Systems with corresponding Leak and Break Postulates in German Nuclear Power Plants

Harald Hoffmann, Ulf Ilg, Günter König, Wolfgang Mayinger, Gerhardt Nagel, Dirk Schümann, Martin Widera

In order to continuously guarantee the component integrity of light water reactors during operation the “leak-before-break concept“ is applied in Germany. This has been developed in the past 25 years on the basis of the safety criteria of the guidelines for damage precaution, of the German Reactor Safety Commission guidelines (RSK-LL) and the basis safety concept. The present paper will demonstrate that the German “leak-before-break concept“ has been proven successfully for the last 25 years and reflects the state of the art of science and technology.

Cycle with Flash Evaporation in the Working Chamber of a Piston Engine

Michael Löffler

The transfer of heat into mechanical and electrical power plays a major role in the field of renewables. A piston process was developed which allows producing 50 % to 100 % more power out of heat compared to the known processes. Measurements at a testing facility were carried out which prove the feasibility of the process. The paper shows the thermodynamic background of the process and first results of flash tests. Random market values show the current possible applications for the cycle.