Problems of Hazardous Waste Storage Facilities in Coal-fired Power Plants and Countermeasures

The hazardous waste produced by coal-fired power plants are large in quantity and variety. It is important for ecological environment protection to properly store hazardous waste in coal-fired power plants. The environmental management of hazardous waste in coal-fired power plants started late, and there are many problems in the construction and management of their storage facilities. In this paper, taking eight typical coal-fired power plants as examples, the present problems of hazardous waste storage facilities in coal-fired power plants are analyzed, and corresponding countermeasures are put forward to solve the main common problems.

A Special Issue:“Key Technologies of Virtual Power Plant and Distributed Energy Resources”for Global Energy Interconnection

The increasing penetration of renewable and distributed energy resources(DERs)is transforming the power grid into a new type of clean and low-carbon power system.However,the uncertainty and volatility of DERs have also brought severe challenges to the secure and reliable operation of the power systems.In order to successfully integrate renewable DERs,virtual power plant(VPP)has emerged as a new technique for coordinating demand-side DERs,which has drawn significant attention from industry and academia.

Virtual Power Plants for Grid Resilience: A Concise Overview of Research and Applications

The power grid is undergoing a transformation from synchronous generators(SGs) toward inverter-based resources(IBRs). The stochasticity, asynchronicity, and limited-inertia characteristics of IBRs bring about challenges to grid resilience. Virtual power plants(VPPs) are emerging technologies to improve the grid resilience and advance the transformation. By judiciously aggregating geographically distributed energy resources(DERs) as individual electrical entities, VPPs can provide capacity and ancillary services to grid operations and participate in electricity wholesale markets. This paper aims to provide a concise overview of the concept and development of VPPs and the latest progresses in VPP operation, with the focus on VPP scheduling and control. Based on this overview, we identify a few potential challenges in VPP operation and discuss the opportunities of integrating the multi-agent system(MAS)-based strategy into the VPP operation to enhance its scalability, performance and resilience.

GRU-integrated constrained soft actor-critic learning enabled fully distributed scheduling strategy for residential virtual power plant

In this study,a novel residential virtual power plant(RVPP)scheduling method that leverages a gate recurrent unit(GRU)-integrated deep reinforcement learning(DRL)algorithm is proposed.In the proposed scheme,the GRU-integrated DRL algorithm guides the RVPP to participate effectively in both the day-ahead and real-time markets,lowering the electricity purchase costs and consumption risks for end-users.The Lagrangian relaxation technique is introduced to transform the constrained Markov decision process(CMDP)into an unconstrained optimization problem,which guarantees that the constraints are strictly satisfied without determining the penalty coefficients.Furthermore,to enhance the scalability of the constrained soft actor-critic(CSAC)-based RVPP scheduling approach,a fully distributed scheduling architecture was designed to enable plug-and-play in the residential distributed energy resources(RDER).Case studies performed on the constructed RVPP scenario validated the performance of the proposed methodology in enhancing the responsiveness of the RDER to power tariffs,balancing the supply and demand of the power grid,and ensuring customer comfort.

Proposal of a Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion Reactor Intended for a Large Power Plant

This article looks for the necessary conditions to use Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) fusion for a large power plant. At the moment, for nearly all the projects (JET, ITER…) only the Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) fuel is considered for a power plant. However, as shown in this article, even if a D-D reactor would be necessarily much bigger than a D-T reactor due to the much weaker fusion reactivity of the D-D fusion compared to the D-T fusion, a D-D reactor size would remain under an acceptable size. Indeed, a D-D power plant would be necessarily large and powerful, i.e. the net electric power would be equal to a minimum of 1.2 GWe and preferably above 10 GWe. A D-D reactor would be less complex than a D-T reactor as it is not necessary to obtain Tritium from the reactor itself. It is proposed the same type of reactor yet proposed by the author in a previous article, i.e. a Stellarator “racetrack” magnetic loop. The working of this reactor is continuous. It is reminded that the Deuterium is relatively abundant on the sea water, and so it constitutes an almost inexhaustible source of energy. Thanks to secondary fusions (D-T and D-He3) which both occur at an appreciable level above 100 keV, plasma can stabilize around such high equilibrium energy (i.e. between 100 and 150 keV). The mechanical gain (Q) of such reactor increases with the internal pipe radius, up to 4.5 m. A radius of 4.5 m permits a mechanical gain (Q) of about 17 which thanks to a modern thermo-dynamical conversion would lead to convert about 21% of the thermal power issued from the D-D reactor in a net electric power of 20 GWe. The goal of the article is to create a physical model of the D-D reactor so as to estimate this one without the need of a simulator and finally to estimate the dimensions, power and yield of such D-D reactor for different net electrical powers. The difficulties of the modeling of such reactor are listed in this article and would certainly be applicable to a future D-He3 reactor, if any.

Increasing the Efficiency and Level of Environmental Safety of Pro-Environmental City Heat Supply Technologies by Low Power Nuclear Plants

In connection with the current prospect of decarbonization of coal energy through the use of small nuclear power plants (SNPPs) at existing TPPs as heat sources for heat supply to municipal heating networks, there is a technological need to improve heat supply schemes to increase their environmental friendliness and efficiency. The paper proves the feasibility of using the heat-feeding mode of ASHPs for urban heat supply by heating the network water with steam taken from the turbine. The ratio of electric and thermal power of a “nuclear” combined heat and power plant is given. The advantage of using a heat pump, which provides twice as much electrical power with the same heat output, is established. Taking into account that heat in these modes is supplied with different potential, the energy efficiency was used to compare these options. To increase the heat supply capacity, a scheme with the use of a high-pressure heater in the backpressure mode and with the heating of network water with hot steam was proposed. Heat supply from ASHPs is efficient and environmentally friendly even in the case of significant remoteness of heat consumers.

Conceptual Strategy for Mitigating the Risk of Hydrogen as an Internal Hazard in Case of Severe Accidents at Nuclear Power Plant Considering Existing Risks and Uncertainties Associated with the Use of Traditional Strategies

Hydrogen challenge mitigation stands as one of the main objectives in the management of severe accidents at Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). Key strategies for hydrogen control include atmospheric inertization and hydrogen removal with Passive Autocatalytic Recombiners (PARs) being a commonly accepted approach. However, an examination of PAR operation specificity reveals potential inefficiencies and reliability issues in certain severe accident scenarios. Moreover, during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development, in some severe accident scenarios PARs can unexpectedly become a source of hydrogen detonation. The effectiveness of hydrogen removal systems depends on various factors, including the chosen strategies, severe accident scenarios, reactor building design, and other influencing factors. Consequently, a comprehensive hydrogen mitigation strategy must effectively incorporate a combination of strategies rather than be based on one strategy, taking into consideration the probabilistic risks and uncertainties associated with the implementation of PARs or other traditional methods. In response to these considerations, within the framework of this research it has been suggested a conceptual strategy to mitigate the hydrogen challenge during the in-vessel stage of severe accident development.

Seasonal Performance of Solar Power Plants in the Sahel Region: A Study in Senegal, West Africa

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the seasonal performance of 20 MW solar power plants in Senegal. The analysis revealed notable seasonal variations in the performance of all stations. The most significant yields are recorded in spring, autumn and winter, with values ranging from 5 to 7.51 kWh/kWp/day for the reference yield and 4.02 to 7.58 kWh/kWp/day for the final yield. These fluctuations are associated with intense solar activity during the dry season and clear skies, indicating peak production. Conversely, minimum values are recorded during the rainy season from June to September, with a final yield of 3.86 kWh/kW/day due to dust, clouds and high temperatures. The performance ratio analysis shows seasonal dynamics throughout the year with rates ranging from 77.40% to 95.79%, reinforcing reliability and optimal utilization of installed capacity. The results of the capacity factor vary significantly, with March, April, May, and sometimes October standing out as periods of optimal performance, with 16% for Kahone, 16% for Bokhol, 18% for Malicounda and 23% for Sakal. Total losses from solar power plants show similar seasonal trends standing out for high loss levels from June to July, reaching up to 3.35 kWh/kWp/day in June. However, using solar trackers at Sakal has increased production by up to 25%, demonstrating the operational stability of this innovative technology compared with the plants fixed panel. Finally, comparing these results with international studies confirms the outstanding efficiency of Senegalese solar power plants, other installations around the world.

The Application of Intelligent Lighting in Thermal Power Plants

With the rapid development of electronic information technology,the Internet of Things(IoT),Internet technology,and modern communication technology,people are demanding higher standards for the building environment.Especially in modern large-scale buildings with high levels of industrialization,lighting systems should also be optimized accordingly.This article explores the application path of intelligent lighting in thermal power plants for reference.

Exploration of Construction Organization for Maintenance of Steam Turbine Equipment in Thermal Power Plants

The continuous development of the power industry has had a positive impact on thermal power plants,helping them maintain a good production form.In the use of steam turbine equipment in thermal power plants,to prolong its lifespan and avoid safety hazards,it is necessary to pay attention to strengthening maintenance and construction organization,better implementing effective organizational work,and effectively applying steam turbine equipment to ensure the sustainable development of thermal power plants.This article discusses the concept of equipment maintenance from the perspective of steam turbine equipment in thermal power plants,analyzes the current situation of equipment maintenance,and proposes a specific construction organization to provide a reference for steam turbine equipment maintenance.

Mercury Emission From Coal-fired Power Plants in China

燃煤是最大的人为汞排放源之一，燃煤电厂的汞排放控制问题也越来越为人们所关注。该文将目前公布的中国电厂的汞排放数据进行筛选汇总，得到18个电厂的汞排放数据，通过对比和分析，总结出了符合我国燃煤电厂特点的一般性汞排放规律。结果表明：与美国煤种相比，我国的燃煤具有低氯、高灰的特性，这不利于汞的排放控制；循环流化床燃烧可能会因燃尽率的不同而较煤粉炉燃烧易获得较高的Hgp；空气污染控制设备的使用能够有效地减少汞排放，选择性催化还原＋静电除尘器／布袋除尘器＋石灰石-石膏湿法脱硫（SCR＋ESP／FF＋WFGD）组合的平均脱汞率可达71．48％；SCR的大规模应用可能会将汞大量转移到飞灰和脱硫石膏中，带来二次污染的问题。

Formation and emission characteristics of VOCs from a coal-fired power plant

On-site measurements of volatile organic compounds(VOCs)in different streams of flue gas were carried out on a real coal-fired power plant using sampling bags and SUMMA canisters to collect gas samples,filters to collect particle samples.Gas chromatography-flame ionization detector/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was the offline analysis method.We found that the total mass concentration of the tested 102 VOC species at the outlet of wet flue gas desulfuration device was(13456±47)μg·m^(-3),which contained aliphatic hydrocarbons(57.9%),aromatic hydrocarbons(26.8%),halogen-containing species(14.5%),and a small amount of oxygen-containing and nitrogencontaining species.The most abundant species were 1-hexene,n-hexane and 2-methylpentane.The top ten species in terms of mass fraction(with a total mass fraction of 75.3%)were mainly hydrocarbons with a carbon number of 6 or higher and halogenated hydrocarbons with a lower carbon number.The mass concentration of VOC species in the particle phase was significantly lower than that in the gas phase.The change of VOC mass concentrations along the air pollution control devices indicates that conventional pollutant control equipment had a limited effect on VOC reduction.Ozone formation potential calculations showed that aromatic hydrocarbons contributed the highest ozone formation(46.4%)due to their relatively high mass concentrations and MIR(maximum increment reactivity)values.

Cause Analysis and Countermeasure of Gypsum Rain in Coal-fired Power Plants

Focusing on the phenomenon of gypsum rain while wet desulphurization(WFGD) were adopted in coal fired power plant without GGH, the paper studied and put forward the solutions : (1) desulfurization facilities related equipment modification;(2) optimal operation of existing desulfurization facilities.

Progress and prospects of innovative coal-fired power plants within the energy internet

The development of electrical engineering and electronic, communications, smart power grid, and ultra-high voltage transmission technologies have driven the energy system revolution to the next generation: the energy internet. Progressive penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources into the energy system has led to unprecedented challenges to the currently wide use of coal-fired power generation technologies. Here, the applications and prospects of advanced coal-fired power generation technologies are analyzed. These technologies can be summarized into three categories:(1) large-scale and higher parameters coal-fired power generation technologies, including 620/650/700 oC ultra-supercritical thermal power and double reheat ultra-supercritical coal-fired power generation technologies;(2) system innovation and specific, highefficiency thermal cycles, which consist of renewable energy-aided coal-fired power generation technologies, a supercritical CO_2 Brayton cycle for coal-fired power plants, large-scale air-cooling coal-fired power plant technologies, and innovative layouts for waste heat utilization and enhanced energy cascade utilization;(3) coal-fired power generation combined with poly-generation technologies, which are represented by integrated gasification combined cycle(IGCC) and integrated gasification fuel cell(IGFC) technologies. Concerning the existing coal-fired power units, which are responsible for peak shaving, possible strategies for enhancing flexibility and operational stability are discussed. Furthermore, future trends for coal-fired power plants coupled with cyber-physical system(CPS) technologies are introduced. The development of advanced, coal-fired power generation technologies demonstrates the progress of science and is suitable for the sustainable development of human society.

Influence of flue gas cleaning system on characteristics of PM_(2.5)emission from coal-fired power plants

This study investigated the influence of precipitators and wet flue gas desulfurization equipment on characteristics of PM_(2.5)emission from coal-fired power stations.We measured size distribution and removal efficiencies,including hybrid electrostatic precipitator/bag filters(ESP/BAGs)which have rarely been studied.A bimodal distribution of particle concentrations was observed at the inlet of each precipitator.After the precipitators,particle concentrations were significantly reduced.Although a bimodal distribution was still observed,all peak positions shifted to the smaller end.The removal efficiencies of hybrid ESP/BAGs reached 99%for PM_(2.5),which is considerably higher than those for other types of precipitators.In particular,the influence of hybrid ESP/BAG operating conditions on the performance of dust removal was explored.The efficiency of hybrid ESP/BAGs decreased by 1.9%when the first electrostatic field was shut down.The concentrations and distributions of particulate matter were also measured in three coal-fired power plants before and after desulfurization devices.The results showed diverse removal efficiencies for different desulfurization towers.The reason for the difference requires further research.We estimated the influence of removal technology for particulate matter on total emissions in China.Substituting ESPs with hybrid ESP/BAGs could reduce the total emissions to 104.3 thousand tons,with 47.48 thousand tons of PM_(2.5).

Optimization of an Existing Coal-fired Power Plant with CO²Capture

Nowadays, the worsening environmental issue caused by CO2 emission is greatly aggravated by human activity. Many CO2 reduction technologies are under fast development. Among these, monoethanolamine (MEA) based CO2 capture technology has been paid great attention. However, when connecting the CO2 capture process with a coal-fired power plant, the huge energy and efficiency penalty caused by CO2 capture has become a serious problem for its application. Thus, it is of great significance to reduce the related energy consumption. Based on an existing coal-fired power plant, this paper proposes a new way for the decarburized retrofitting of the coal-fired power plant, which helps to improve the overall efficiency of the power plant with less energy and efficiency penalty. The decarburized retrofitting scheme proposed will provide a new route for the CO2 capture process in China.

Field Studies on the Removal Characteristics of Particulate Matter and SO_(x) in Ultra-Low Emission Coal-Fired Power Plant

In order to reduce the environmental smog caused by coal combustion,air pollution control devices have been widely used in coal-fired power plants,especially of wet flue gas desulfurization(WFGD)and wet electrostatic precipitator(WESP).In this work,particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10μm(PM_(10))and sulfur oxides(SO_(x))have been studied in a coal-fired power plant.The plant is equipped with selective catalytic reduction,electrostatic precipitator,WFGD,WESP.The results show that the PM_(10)removal efficiencies in WFGD and WESP are 54.34%and 50.39%,respectively,and the overall removal efficiency is 77.35%.WFGD and WESP have effects on the particle size distribution.After WFGD,the peak of particles shifts from 1.62 to 0.95μm,and the mass concentration of fine particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 0.61μm increases.After WESP,the peak of particle size shifts from 0.95 to 1.61μm.The differences are due to the agglomeration and growth of small particles.The SO_(3)mass concentration increases after SCR,but WFGD has a great influence on SO_(x)with the efficiency of 96.56%.WESP can remove SO_(x),but the efficiency is 20.91%.The final emission factors of SO_(2),SO_(3),PM_(1),PM_(2.5)and PM_(10)are 0.1597,0.0450,0.0154,0.0267 and 0.0215(kg·t^(−1)),respectively.Compared with the research results without ultra-low emission retrofit,the emission factors are reduced by 1~2 orders of magnitude,and the emission control level of air pollutants is greatly improved.