Environmental performance assessments of different methods of coal preparation for use in small-capacity boilers: experiment and theory

The purpose of this article is to receive environmental assessments of combustion of different types of coal fuel depending on the preparation(unscreened,size-graded,briquetted and heat-treated)in automated boilers and boilers with manual load-ing.The assessments were made on the basis of data obtained from experimental methods of coal preparation and calculated methods of determining the amount of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions,as well as the mass of ash and slag waste.The main pollutants from coal combustion are calculated:particulate matter,benz(a)pyrene,nitrogen oxides,sulfur dioxide,carbon monoxide.Of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide is calculated.As a result of conducted research it is shown that the simplest preliminary preparation(size-graded)of coal significantly improves combustion efficiency and environmental performance:emissions are reduced by 13%for hard coal and up to 20%for brown coal.The introduction of automated boil-ers with heat-treated coal in small boiler facilities allows to reduce emissions and ash and slag waste by 2-3 times.The best environmental indicators correspond to heat-treated lignite,which is characterized by the absence of sulfur dioxide emissions.

R&D and Demonstration of Large Domestic CFB Boilers

In order to develop large CFB boilers with independent intellectual property, Xi'an Thermal Power Research Institute (TPRI) established a laboratory with complete functions for the technical development of CFB boilers. This laboratory consists of a 1-MW and a 4-MW CFB combustion test facilities and a laboratory for limestone desulphurization performance evaluation. It carried out tests on CFB combustion and desulphurization for Chinese typical coals and limestone and research on heat-transfer characteristics and key parts, and developed the first home-made 100-MW CFB boiler. Based on the experience of R&D, the laboratory further researched key techniques for enlarging capacity systematically, and cooperating with Harbin Boiler Co. (HBC), developed the first domestic 210-MW CFB boiler with independent intellectual property and put it into engineering demonstration, laying a solid foundation for the development of CFB boilers of even larger capacity.

Analysis of Prese nt Operating Situati on of Large Size Coal-F ired Utility Boilers

Large size utility boilers develop rapidly in China, both their reliability and economics have reached better level. The operating situations of various existing boilers on the basis of different coals are analyzed, it is held that, the notable energy imbalance of furnace exit, ever existing in the tangential firing boilers has been solved, with comparatively lower NOX emission concentration of gained. The higher NOX emission concentration and furnace slagging etc. problems existing in wall firing boilers are notable. The comprehensive analysis shows that, it is appropriate to choose lower furnace volume heat release rate and higher flame height in the type selection design of boilers, and sufficient margin should be kept in the selection of coal pulverizing mills.

Smart Boilers: Grid Support Services from Non-Critical Loads

The aim of this paper is to present the concept of a simple and cheap upgrade for electric water boilers, allowing them to provide power quality services to the distribution grid. The upgrade requires only minimum additional hardware and it is easily installable. “Smart Boilers”, as the upgraded boilers are named, perform precise active and reactive power control, but most significantly mitigate line current harmonics. Αctive and reactive power control is implemented by appropriate regulation of the modulation sinewave amplitude and phase, respectively. This type of control is easily customizable in order to accommodate a variety of power quality targets, depending on the required level of services and available grid monitoring equipment. The method used for line current harmonic compensation is based on the injection of mirror harmonics created at the modulation stage of the converter. It is indifferent of harmonic source: it is equally successful at mitigating harmonics caused by the power electronic converter of the Smart Boiler, other sources of current harmonics or loads. The achieved grid services are clearly beyond the “on/off” operation of electric boilers, currently implemented by Demand Side Management (DSM) in order to shift load away from peak hours. It has been demonstrated through simulations, that Smart Boilers can assist voltage regulation at terminal buses, compensate reactive power and suppress harmonic currents at lines.

Work Boilers in the Real Heat Loads

Analysis was performed on the boiler for solid fuels in a corresponding real-thermal load. The tests were conducted with the use of a low-temperature top-loading KWSM water boiler. For control of the burning process, three control algorithms were used as implemented in microprocessor temperature controls. The analysis aimed at determination of influence of the control algorithm upon quality of the buming process in conditions of actual demand for thermal energy. The detailed analysis of operating parameters in relation to the variable thermal load of the boiler provided necessary information and made it possible to state that control algorithms do influence quality of the controlled process. Particular attention was paid to a situation, in which demand for thermal energy is decreased.

INTRODUCTION TO INCONEL ALLOY 740: AN ALLOY DESIGNED FOR SUPERHEATER TUBING IN COAL-FIRED ULTRA SUPERCRITICAL BOILERS

Chinese utilities as well as those worldwide are facing increased demand for additional electricity, reduced plant emissions and greater efficiency. To meet this challenge will require increasing boiler temperature, pressure and coal ash corrosion resistance of the materials of boiler construction of future coal-fired boilers. A new nickel-based tube alloy, INCONEL^R alloy 740, is described aiming at meeting this challenge. Emphasis will be on describing the alloy＇ s mechanical properties, coal-ash and steam corrosion resistance. Microstructural stability as a function of temperature and time is addressed as well as some of the early methodology em- ployed to arrive at the current chemical composition.

NO_x emission model for coal-fired boilers using partial least squares and extreme learning machine

To implement a real-time reduction in NOx,a rapid and accurate model is required.A PLS-ELM model based on the combination of partial least squares(PLS)and the extreme learning machine(ELM)for the establishment of the NOx emission model of utility boilers is proposed.First,the initial input variables of the NOx emission model are determined according to the mechanism analysis.Then,the initial input data is extracted by PLS.Finally,the extracted information is used as the input of the ELM model.A large amount of real data was obtained from the distributed control system(DCS)historical database of a 1 000 MW power plant boiler to train and validate the PLS-ELM model.The modeling performance of the PLS-ELM was compared with that of the back propagation(BP)neural network,support vector machine(SVM)and ELM models.The mean relative errors(MRE)of the PLS-ELM model were 1.58%for the training dataset and 1.69%for the testing dataset.The prediction precision of the PLS-ELM model is higher than those of the BP,SVM and ELM models.The consumption time of the PLS-ELM model is also shorter than that of the BP,SVM and ELM models.

Optimal dynamic dispatch of surplus gas among buffer boilers in steel plant

As valuable energy in iron-and steel-making process,by-product gas is widely used in heating and technical processes in steel plant.After being used according to the technical requirements,the surplus by-product gas is usually used for buffer boilers to produce steam.With the rapid development of energy conservation technology and energy consumption level,surplus gas in steel plant continues to get larger.Therefore,it is significant to organize surplus gas among buffer boilers.A dynamic programming model of that issue was established in this work,considering the ramp rate constraint of boilers and the influences of setting gasholders.Then a case study was done.It is shown that dynamic programming dispatch gets more steam generation and less specific gas consumption compared with current proportionate dispatch depending on nominal capacities of boilers.The ignored boiler ramp rate constraint was considered and its contribution to the result validity was pointed out.Finally,the significance of setting gasholders was studied.

Optimization of Load Assignment to Boilers in Industrial Boiler Plants

Along with the increasing importance of sustainable energy, the optimization of load assignment to boilers in an industrial boiler plant becomes one of the major projects for the optimal operation of boiler plants. Optimal load assignment for power systems has been a long-lasting subject, while it is quite new for industrial boiler plants. The existing methods of optimal load assignment for boiler plants are explained and analyzed briefly in the paper. They all need the fuel cost curves of boilers. Thanks to some special features of the curves for industrial boilers, a new model referred to as minimized departure model (MDM) of optimization of load assignment for boiler plants is developed and proposed in the paper. It merely relies upon the accessible data of two typical working conditions to build the model, viz. the working conditions with the highest efficiency of a boiler and with no-load. Explanation of the algorithm of computer program is given, and effort is made so as to determine in advance how many and which boilers are going to work. Comparison between the results using MDM and the results reported in references is carried out, which proves that MDM is preferable and practicable.

Shock resistance of supercharged boilers through integration with ship structure

The non-linear finite element software ABAQUS was used to simulate the dynamic response of a marine supercharged boiler when subjected to impact loading. Shock resistance was analyzed by the time-domain simulation method. After exhaustive simulations,the effect of air pressure induced by different working conditions on the shock response of a supercharged boiler was reviewed,leading to conclusions about the variability of structural response with different loading parameters. In order to simulate the real impulsive environments of supercharged boilers,the integration of equipment and ship structure was then primarily used to analyze shock response. These distinctly different equipment shock test methods,run under equivalent work conditions,were compared and the causes of discrepancy were analyzed. The main purpose of this paper is to present references for the anti-shock design of marine supercharged boilers.

Fault Diagnostics on Steam Boilers and Forecasting System Based on Hybrid Fuzzy Clustering and Artificial Neural Networks in Early Detection of Chamber Slagging/Fouling

The slagging/fouling due to the accession of fireside deposits on the steam boilers decreases boiler efficiency and availability which leads to unexpected shut-downs. Since it is inevitably associated with the three major factors namely the fuel characteristics, boiler operating conditions and ash behavior, this serious slagging/fouling may be reduced by varying the above three factors. The research develops a generic slagging/fouling prediction tool based on hybrid fuzzy clustering and Artificial Neural Networks (FCANN). The FCANN model presents a good accuracy of 99.85% which makes this model fast in response and easy to be updated with lesser time when compared to single ANN. The comparison between predictions and observations is found to be satisfactory with less input parameters. This should be capable of giving relatively quick responses while being easily implemented for various furnace types.

Correlating furnace characteristics of utility boilers with coal characteristics

1.IntroductionCoal is listed in China’s energy policy as the predominant fuelto be used for thermal power generation.It includes nearly the wholespectrum of coals that China has,ranging from anthracite to browncoal.This poses a situation to China’s utility boiler manufacturers thattheir products have to cope with all kinds of coal available.China is now producing a full range of utility boilers with ca-pacities from 35 t/h through 2000 t/h.They have successfully burnedanthracities with volatile matter greater than 7% and low grade coalswith high moisture and high ash contents.They burn bituminouscoals and lignites with satisfactory efficacy.

Development and Installation of High Pressure Boilers for Co-Generation Plant in Sugar Industries

The sugar cane containing minimum 30% fiber was referred as bagasse and used the generation of power required for the operation of sugar mill. The bagasse is fired in the boiler for producing steam at high pressure, which is extracted through various single high capacity turbines and used in the process. The installation of high pressure boilers and high pressure turbo-generators has provision for the operation of co-generation plant during the off-season also that enhances the power generation from 9MW to 23MW. The annual monetary benefits achieved are Rs. 204.13 million and this was based on cost of power sold to the grid @ Rs 2.548 per unit, sugar season of 219 days and off season of 52 days. This required an investment of Rs 820.6 million. The investment had an attractive simple payback period of 48 months.

Development of 600 MW Class Coal Fired Boilers in China

This article introduces the present status anddevelopment of 600 MW class boilers in China. The statisticaldata indicate that most 600 MW generating units experiencedrelatively length" growing up" period. In this period, unitscould not operate stably , their unplanned outage times weremany and durations long, and availabilities low. On the basis oftesting and research and the summing-up of practice, it wasindicated slagging in the furnace, deviation of tine gas energy atthe exit of furnace, and overheating bursting of superheater andreheater etc, endangering the safety and economics ofoperation,main problems could be completely alleviated oravoided through design and type selection of boiler furnace andburners, coal characteristics and coal handling management,and optimization management of operation conditions etc.

800-MW Supercritical Coal-Fired Boilers in Suizhong Power Plant

This article reviews the problems of Russia-made 800-MW coal-fired supercritical boilers in Suizhong Power Plant, such as burner bumout, water-wall leakage, slag screenⅠexplosion, crack happened on the desuperheater outlet of reheater and welding defect of economizer; tells the process of renovating these units by modifying the original design and adjusting the operation parameters. After several years' effort, all the problems have been well solved. The experience may be useful for other imported units in China.

Discussion on Selection of Pulverizer and Moisture of Pulverized Coal for Lignite Boilers

In China,the abrasion index and the free moisture are regarded as the criteria for determining whether the medium-speed pulverizer or the fan pulverizer could be selected.Based on comprehensive studies on foreign methods for choosing the pulverizing system for lignite boilers,it is suggested that the particle size of coal,the drying time,the drying temperature and the humidity should be taken into account when measuring the free moisture of lignite,and the total moisture could also be the principle for type selection of pulverizer for lignite boilers.Furthermore,the determination of pulverized-coal moisture has great influence on the running of pulverizing systems.The actual moisture of certain pulverized coals is compared with that calculated with different methods and a feasible method for determining the moisture of the pulverized coal is suggested.

Combustion and Self-Desulfurization Characterization of Blended Low-Rank Coals for Improved Resource Utilization in Fluidized Bed Boilers

The co-combustion of low-rank coals through fluidized bed boiler(CFB)is an effective approach to enhance the level of resource utilization.To date,there has been a lack of investigation concerning the co-combustion kinetics and self-desulfurization characteristics of coal slime,coal gangue,and raw coal.In this study,we adopted multiple model-free and model-fitting methods to comparatively analyze co-combustion kinetics of blended coals on the basis of thermogravimetric data.Then,the sulfur balance and self-desulfurization of blended coals in the co-combustion were intensively investigated using a tube furnace set-up.The results reveal that in the presence of coal gangue in blended coals,the average activation energy(E_(a))falls within the range of 65.7 kJ/mol to 100.4 kJ/mol,as determined by four model-free methods.Conversely,in the absence of coal gangue,only the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa(FWO)and Friedman(FM)methods are deemed appropriate for calculating the average E_(a),yielding a value of 77.3 kJ/mol.The first order reaction model is confirmed to be reliable for analyzing the co-combustion kinetics of low-rank blended coals.Irrespective of the specific composition of the blended coal,a significant linear correlation exists between the Ea and the natural logarithm of the pre-exponential factor(lnA)within an extensive range of parameters.Moreover,the addition of coal gangue to the blended coal substantially enhances the self-desulfurization level,resulting in an increase from 25.7%to60.7%at 1073 K.The self-desulfurization efficiency exhibits a good linear relationship with both the mass ratio of coal gangue to coal slime and the molar ratio of calcium to sulfur.In a practical implementation,the optimal addition ratio of coal gangue is a trade-off between the self-desulfurization efficiency and the ignition capacity.

Optimizing Two-Phase Flow Heat Transfer:DCS Hybrid Modeling and Automation in Coal-Fired Power Plant Boilers

In response to escalating challenges in energy conservation and emission reduction,this study delves into the complexities of heat transfer in two-phase flows and adjustments to combustion processes within coal-fired boilers.Utilizing a fusion of hybrid modeling and automation technologies,we develop soft measurement models for key combustion parameters,such as the net calorific value of coal,flue gas oxygen content,and fly ash carbon content,within theDistributedControl System(DCS).Validated with performance test data,thesemodels exhibit controlled root mean square error(RMSE)and maximum absolute error(MAXE)values,both within the range of 0.203.Integrated into their respective automatic control systems,thesemodels optimize two-phase flow heat transfer,finetune combustion conditions,and mitigate incomplete combustion.Furthermore,this paper conducts an in-depth exploration of the generationmechanismof nitrogen oxides(NOx)and low oxygen emission reduction technology in coal-fired boilers,demonstrating a substantial reduction in furnace exit NOx generation by 30%to 40%and the power supply coal consumption decreased by 1.62 g/(kW h).The research outcomes highlight the model’s rapid responsiveness,enabling prompt reflection of transient variations in various economic indicator parameters.This provides a more effective means for real-time monitoring of crucial variables in coal-fired boilers and facilitates timely combustion adjustments,underscoring notable achievements in boiler combustion.The research not only provides valuable and practical insights into the intricacies of two-phase flow heat transfer and heat exchange but also establishes a pioneering methodology for tackling industry challenges.

Optimization Study of Active-Passive Heating System Parameters in Village Houses in the Southern Xinjiang Province

Aiming at the problems of large energy consumption and serious pollution of winter heating existing in the rural buildings in Southern Xinjiang,a combined active-passive heating system was proposed,and the simulation software was used to optimize the parameters of the system,according to the parameters obtained from the optimization,a test platform was built and winter heating test was carried out.The simulation results showed that the thickness of the air layer of 75 mm,the total area of the vent holes of 0.24 m^(2),and the thickness of the insulation layer of 120 mm were the optimal construction for the passive part;solar collector area of 28 m^(2),hot water storage tank volume of 1.4 m^(3),mass flow rate of 800 kg/h on the collector side,mass flow rate of 400 kg/h on the heat exchanger side,and output power of auxiliary heat source of 5∼9 kWwere the optimal constructions for active heating system.Test results showed that during the heating period,the system could provide sufficient heat to the room under different heating modes,and the indoor temperature reached over 18°C,which met the heating demand.The economic and environmental benefits of the system were analyzed,and the economic benefits of the systemwere better than coal-fired heating,and the CO_(2) emissionswere reduced by 3,292.25 kg compared with coalfiredheating.The results of the study showed that the combinedactive-passiveheating systemcouldeffectively solve the heating problems existing in rural buildings in Southern Xinjiang,and it also laid the theoretical foundation for the popularization of the combined heating systems.

Comparative investigation of coal-and oil-fired boilers based on emission factors,ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation potentials of VOCs

Volatile organic compounds(VOCs)are the important precursors of the tropospheric ozone(O3)and secondary organic aerosols(SOA),both of which are known to harm human health and disrupt the earth’s climate system.In this study,VOC emission factors,O3 and SOA formation potentials were estimated for two types of industrial boilers:coal-fired boilers(n=3)and oil-fired boilers(n=3).Results showed that EVOCs concentrations were more than nine times higher for oil-fire d boilers compared to those for coal-fired boilers.Emission factors ofΣVOCs were found to be higher for oil-fired boilers(9.26-32.83 mg-VOC/kg)than for coal-fired boilers(1.57-4.13 mg-VOC/kg).Alkanes and aromatics were obtained as the most abundant groups in coal-fired boilers,while oxygenated organics and aromatics were the most contributing groups in oil-fired boilers.Benzene,n-hexane and o-ethyl toluene were the abundant VOC species in coal-fired boiler emissions,whereas toluene was the most abundant VOC species emitted from oil-fired boilers.O3 and SOA formation potentials were found 12 and 18 times,respectively,higher for oil-fired than for coal-fired boilers.Total OFP ranged from 3.99 to 11.39 mg-O3/kg for coal-fired boilers.For oil-fired boilers,total OFP ranged from 36.16 to 131.93 mg-O3/kg.Moreover,total secondary organic aerosol potential(SOAP)ranged from 65.4 to 122.5 mg-SOA/kg and 779.9 to 2252.5 mg-SOA/kg for the coal-fired and oil-fired boilers,respectively.