Reliability prediction and its validation for nuclear power units in service

In this paper a novel method for reliability prediction and validation of nuclear power units in service is proposed. The equivalent availability factor is used to measure the reliability, and the equivalent availability factor deducting planed outage hours from period hours and maintenance factor are used for the measurement of inherent reliability. By statistical analysis of historical reliability data, the statistical maintenance factor and the undetermined parameter in its numerical model can be determined. The numerical model based on the main- tenance factor predicts the equivalent availability factor deducting planed outage hours from period hours, and the planed outage factor can be obtained by using the planned maintenance days. Using these factors, the equivalent availability factor of nuclear power units in the following 3 years can be obtained. Besides, the equivalent availability factor can be predicted by using the historical statistics of planed outage factor and the predicted equivalent avail- ability factor deducting planed outage hours from period hours. The accuracy of the reliability prediction can be evaluated according to the comparison between the predicted and statistical equivalent availability factors. Furthermore, the reliability prediction method is validated using the nuclear power units in North American Electric Reliability Council （NERC） and China. It is found that the relative errors of the predicted equivalent availability factors for nuclear power units of NERC and China are in the range of-2.16% to 5.23% and -2.15% to 3.71%, respectively. The method proposed can effectively predict the reliability index in the following 3 years, thus providing effective reliability management and mainte- nance optimization methods for nuclear power units.

Flexible self-charging power units for portable electronics based on folded carbon paper

The urgent demand for portable electronics has promoted the development of high-efficienc）9 sustainable, and even stretchable self-charging power sources. In this work, we propose a flexible self-charging power unit based on folded carbon （FC） paper for harvesting mechanical energy from human motion and power portable electronics. The present unit mainly consists of a triboelectric nanogenerator （FC-TENG） and a supercapacitor （FC-SC）, both based on folded carbon paper, as energy harvester and storage device, respectively. This favorable geometric design provides the high Young＇s modulus carbon paper with excellent stretchability and enables the power unit to work even under severe deformations, such as bending, twisting, and rolling. In addition, the tensile strain can be maximized by tuning the folding angle of the triangle-folded carbon paper. Moreover, the waterproof property of the packaged device make it washable, protect it from human sweat, and enable it to work in harsh environments. Finally, the as-prepared self-charging power unit was tested by placing it on the human body to harvest mechanical energy from hand tapping, foot treading, and arm touching, successfully powering an electronic watch. This work demonstrates the impressive potential of stretchable self-charging power units, which will further promote the development of high Young＇s modulus materials for wearable/portable electronics.

Primary Frequency Control Ability Evaluation of Valve Opening in Thermal Power Units Based on Artificial Neural Network

With the development of new energy,the primary frequency control(PFC)is becoming more and more important and complicated.To improve the reliability of the PFC,an evaluation method of primary frequency control ability(PFCA)was proposed.First,based on the coupling model of the coordinated control system(CCS)and digital electro-hydraulic control system(DEH),principle and control mode of the PFC were introduced in detail.The simulation results showed that the PFC of the CCS and DEH was the most effective control mode.Then,the analysis of the CCS model and variable condition revealed the internal relationship among main steam pressure,valve opening and power.In term of this,the radial basis function(RBF)neural network was established to estimate the PFCA.Because the simulation curves fit well with the actual curves,the accuracy of the coupling model was verified.On this basis,simulation data was produced by coupling model to verify the proposed evaluation method.The low predication error of main steam pressure,power and the PFCA indicated that the method was effective.In addition,the actual data obtained from historical operation data were used to estimate the PFCA accurately,which was the strongest evidence for this method.

LVP Modeling and Dynamic Characteristics Prediction of A Hydraulic Power Unit in Deep-Sea

A hydraulic power unit （HPU） is the driving ＂heart＂ of deep-sea working equipment. It is critical to predict its dynamic performances in deep-water before being immerged in the seawater, while the experimental tests by simulating deep-sea environment have many disadvantages, such as expensive cost, long test cycles, and difficult to achieve low-temperature simulation, which is only used as a supplementary means for confirmatory experiment. This paper proposes a novel theoretical approach based on the linear varying parameters （LVP） modeling to foresee the dynamic performances of the driving unit. Firstly, based on the varying environment features, dynamic expressions of the compressibility and viscosity of hydranlic oil are derived to reveal the fluid performances changing. Secondly, models of hydraulic system and electrical system are accomplished respectively through studying the control process and energy transfer, and then LVP models of the pressure and flow rate control is obtained through the electro-hydraulic models integration. Thirdly, dynamic characteristics of HPU are obtained by the model simulating within bounded closed sets of varying parameters. Finally, the developed HPU is tested in a deep-sea imitating hull, and the experimental results are well consistent with the theoretical analysis outcomes, which clearly declare that the LVP modeling is a rational way to foresee dynamic performances of HPU. The research approach and model analysis results can be applied to the predictions of working properties and product designs for other deep-sea hydraulic pump.

Research on the Prediction of Load Regulation Capacity for Supercritical Thermal Power Unit

Both the modeling and the load regulation capacity prediction of a supercritical power plant are investigated in this paper. Firstly, an indirect identification method based on subspace identification method is proposed. The obtained identification model is verified by the actual operation data and the dynamic characteristics of the system are well reproduced. Secondly, the model is used to predict the load regulation capacity of thermal power unit. The power, main steam pressure, main steam temperature and other parameters are simulated respectively when the unit load is going up and down. Under the actual constraints, the load regulation capacity of thermal power unit can be predicted quickly.

Unit stream power,minimum energy dissipation rate,and river engineering

Unit stream power is the most important and dominant parameter for the determination of transport rate of sand,gravel,and hyper-concentrated sediment with wash load.Minimum energy dissipation rate theory,or its simplified minimum unit stream power and minimum stream power theories,can provide engineers the needed theoretical basis for river morphology and river engineering studies.The Generalized Sediment Transport model for Alluvial River Simulation computer mode series have been developed based on the above theories.The computer model series have been successfully applied in many countries.Examples will be used to illustrate the applications of the computer models to solving a wide range of river morphology and river engineering problems.

Research and Demonstration of Direct Air-Cooling System for 600-MW Fossil-Fired Power Plants

Given the distribution feature of resources such as coal and water, the requirements for the development of Chinese power industry, and the fact of monopoly by foreign companies, it is very necessary and significant to independently research and develop air-cooling technologies. Through experimental research, simulative calculation, process and equipment development, field tests and a demonstration project, the design and operation technologies for air-cooling system are grasped and relevant key equipment is developed. The results of the demonstration project show that the technical indicators for the air-cooling system have met or exceeded the design requirements. Part of the research results have been incorporated into the relevant national design standards. The technologies developed have been applied to more than 23 sets of thermal power units of or above 600 MW in China.

2-MW wind power unit successfully manufactured

As of the end of April, by autonomous research anddevelopment on the basis of imported technologies,Beijing Beizhong Steam-Turbo Machinery Company Ltd.had successfully completed trial production of a 2-MWlow-temperature type wind power generating unit; andnow the company has put the new type of wind

Power Quality Comparative Analysis between UPF and SAPF

This paper makes a technical analysis of the converter’s topologies that are conventionally employed in three-phase three-wire in increasing the power factor and harmonics eliminating,namely unit power factor(UPF)and shunt active power filter(SAPF)and highlights the improvement of energy quality in the supply network.The paper highlights that the mathematical model of the three-phase PWM rectifier in the dq coordinate system is similar for both configurations.The structure of the control schemes of the two topologies for increasing the energy quality is similar by transformation of three-phase stationary coordinate system(a,b,c),to synchronous rotating(d,q)coordinate system that synchronously rotates with the fundamental voltage of the grid.Theoretical analysis and simulation results show that the control in synchronous rotating coordinate system has high power factor and low THDi for the both topologies.

Sensitivity Analysis of a 50+ Coal-Fired Power Unit Efficiency

The coal-fired power unit integration with a CO2 capture and compression installation involves a considerable rise in the costs of electricity generation. Therefore, there is a need for a continuous search for methods of improving the electricity generation efficiency in steam power plants. One technology which is especially promising is the advanced ultra-supercritical (A-USC) power unit. Apart from steam parameters upstream the turbine, the overall efficiency also depends on the efficiency values of individual elements of the plant and the size of energy consumption of the process of CO2 sequestration from the boiler flue gases. These problems are considered herein to emphasize that without specifying the efficiency values of the power plant main elements the information concerning its electricity generation efficiency is incomplete. This paper presents the influence of the efficiency of individual elements of the power plant on its electricity generation efficiency. The lack of information of the efficiencies of the power plant individual elements, by presenting its overall efficiency, may lead to the false conclusions.

Unit 2 of Tianjin Beijiang Power Plant commissioned

Tianjin Beijiang Power Plant, one of the first series of Circular Economy Demonstration Project in the country, successfully put its second unit into operation on November 30, 2009

Contribution of UHV Grid to United National Power Market

Power market construction is an important part of the marketization reform in China's electric power industry and an essential part of the economic system reform in China. With the social and economic development, the contradiction between distribution of energy resources and development of regional economies gets increasingly noticeable, and a united national power market is consequentially required to optimize the allocation of energy resources over the whole country. Analyses indicate that the development of UHV grid will provide a strong material support for the united national power market by expanding market coverage, lowering load fluctuation and promoting diversif ication of power resources.

500 MW Unit Simulator for Panshan Thermal Power Plant Passed Acceptance

After a thorough demonstration in Panshan Thermal Power Plant, the 500 MW super critical pressure unit simulator developed by the Simulation & Control Institute under the North China University of Electric Power was accepted by experts from the North China Electric Power Group Company on 3rd August 1996.

Prospects of Technological Improvement of Nuclear and Environmental Safety of World Energy

Today, the most urgent problem of the existing and future nuclear power industry is to ensure the nuclear and environmental safety of the operation of nuclear power reactor units (NPPs) and nuclear power plants (NPPs). It is solved thanks to the application of deeply echeloned protection and an anti-accident complex of methods and means for effective control of the operation of active reactor zones (AZR). However, the danger of existing NPPs in the world from time to time manifests itself in the form of severe post-project accidents and catastrophes with the release into the environment of a significant amount of radioactive materials dangerous for all living things. The results of the analysis show that the unconditional fulfillment of the main requirements of nuclear environmental safety and biocompatibility is possible only in the so-called wave nuclear reactor of the G-V generation, which, unlike reactors of the previous generations III, II+ and IV, does not require supercritical loading of the core with nuclear fuel. In the active zone of this reactor, nuclear-physical processes governed by physical law are implemented, which exclude the operator’s participation in regulating the reactivity of the reactor’s active zone, which makes it the reactor with the highest level of nuclear and environmental safety today, which is based on the principles of so-called internal safety, free from the human factor. The possibility of burning nuclear fuel based on U238 and Th232 in it expands the reserves of energetic nuclear fuel almost to inexhaustibility. The technology of nuclear reactors of the G5 generation through the secondary use of spent irradiated nuclear fuel (SNF) for the production of energy and energy raw materials with simultaneous burning of it to an environmentally safe state is able to quickly reduce the available stocks and further production of dangerous SNF, guarantee the nuclear and environmental safety of NPPs with reactors G5 and to technologically make nuclear post-project accidents and disasters impossible at the level of physical law with the complete elimination of the human factor.

Adaptive coordinated control of engine speed and battery charging voltage

In this paper, the control problem of auxiliary power unit （APU） for hybrid electric vehicles is investigated. An adaptive controller is provided to achieve the coordinated control between the engine speed and the battery charging voltage. The proposed adaptive coordinated control laws for the throttle angle of the engine and the voltage of the power-converter can guarantee not only the asymptotic tracking performance of the engine speed and the regulation of the battery charging voltage, but also the robust stability of the closed loop system under external load changes. Simulation results are given to verify the performance of the proposed adaptive controller.