Impact Of Thermal Power Plants Research Articles

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF ATMOSPHERIC AIR IN THE ZONE OF INFLUENCE OF THERMAL POWER PLANTS WHILE USING SUNFLOWER WASTES

Air pollution is a significant and escalating global issue, posing a major threat to public health. Each year, it directly contributes to 6.5 million premature deaths, primarily due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases resulting from exposure to air pollutants, notably fine particulate matter (PM). Beyond its well-documented health effects, recent evidence from epidemiological studies and controlled animal research underscore its detrimental impact on cognitive function and brain health. It's worth noting that residing in heavily polluted areas is linked to increased cognitive impairment and a heightened risk of neurodegenerative conditions. This association is particularly strong with pollutants stemming from energy and transportation, such as PM and nitrogen oxides (NOx). The intricate nature of PM pollutants, particularly ultrafine particles (UFP) with a diameter of less than 100 nm, enables them to infiltrate the human body, bypassing various protective mechanisms. Given this context, investigations into the influence of solid-fuel power plants, recognized by the European Environment Agency as major contributors to atmospheric air pollution, are of utmost importance. Existing regulatory and methodological frameworks do not adequately address contemporary realities and requirements, especially concerning the assessment and control of the environmental impact of thermal power plants using agricultural waste as fuel. This study aims to provide scientific and theoretical support for additional aspects related to the emissions of thermal power plants and their effects on both humans and the environment. This research holds particular significance when evaluating the placement of such facilities near populated areas and when making informed decisions regarding energy production technologies from renewable sources.

Assessment of the Costs of Implementing the Best Available Ash Collection Technologies at Coal-fired Thermal Power Plants

According to existing plans, the environmental situation in Russia is going to be improved by modernizing or replacing outdated equipment at industrial enterprises and making a shift to the best available technologies. The thermal power industry is commonly referred to industrial sectors featuring the greatest negative impact on the environment. Emissions of fly ash with flue gases from coal-fired thermal power plants are of much significance from the viewpoint of atmospheric air pollution. Various ash removal technologies are used to reduce them, but a number of them are no longer able to provide the required quality of atmospheric air in areas experiencing a negative impact of thermal power plants. The aim of this work was to assess the possibility of using different types of ash collectors to fulfill the technological indicators of solid fuel ash emissions. For this purpose, the technical and environmental characteristics of various technologies for removing solid fuel ash from the flue gases of thermal power plants were compared, and their main indicators, advantages, and disadvantages were considered. The choice of the most effective ash collection technologies -- electrostatic precipitators and bag filters — to fulfill the technological indicators of ash emissions according to GOST R 50831-95 as the best available technologies is justified. A comparative technical and economic assessment of using electrostatic precipitators (EP) and bag filters (BF) downstream of the boilers of combined heat and power plants (CHPPs) and condensing thermal power plants (CTPPs) combusting the main Russian coals: grade SS Ekibastuz coal, grade SS Kuznetsk coal, grade 2B Irsha-Borodino coal, and Donetsk anthracite culm was carried out. The total capital and operating costs for the implementation, the specific costs for the removal of one ton of ash from different coals in EF and BF for pessimistic and optimistic inflation forecasts are determined. It is shown that an increase in inflation will have a very negative impact on the introduction pace of BATs at Russian thermal power plants and may slow down the introduction of bag filters, which are the most efficient BAT for ash collection. Recommendations on the use of electrostatic precipitators and bag filters at CHPPs and CTPPs for different types of coals have been formed. It is proposed to use bag filters in combusting high-ash coals, the ash of which is characterized by high electrical resistivity. Electrostatic precipitators should be used in combusting low- and medium-ash coals, because the difference in the mass of captured ash in the EF and BF for the same coal is small, whereas the cost of implementing EF is significantly lower. The specific cost of the ash removed differs little for the boilers of CHPPs and CTPPs operating on the same coal; however, it depends strongly on the level of inflation, the growth of which increases significantly the operating costs.

IGNITION OF WOODEN BIOMASS PARTICLES UNDER MICROWAVE EXPOSURE AT HIGH-TEMPERATURE RADIATION-CONVECTIVE HEATING

Link for citation: Syrodoy S.V., Malyshev D.Yu., Kostoreva Zh.A., Kostoreva A.A., Omarov A.A. Ignition of wooden biomass particles under microwave exposure at high-temperature radiation-convective heating. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Аssets Engineering, 2023, vol. 334, no. 5, рр.159-167. In Rus. The relevance. Despite the active development of technologies for the production of electrical energy by means of wind power generators and solar batteries, by 2100, most of the energy will still be generated at thermal power plants that burn fossil fuels. As a rule, thermal power plants use coal as fuel (about 40 %). However, it should be noted that during the combustion of coal in the furnaces of steam and hot water boilers, toxic oxides of sulfur and nitrogen are intensively formed. In this regard, many scientists of the world working in the field of energy are working to create new innovative technologies for the eco- and energy-efficient production of heat and electricity. The latter include technologies for burning woody biomass in the furnaces of steam and hot water boilers of thermal power plants. The use of woody biomass can significantly reduce the environmental impact of thermal power plants on the atmosphere. However, no technology has yet been developed to burn wood with high energy efficiency. The latter is due to the high moisture saturation of woody biomass in its initial state. The main aim: experimental determination of the main stages and identification of a complex of physicochemical processes occurring together during the ignition of woody biomass particles under microwave exposure under high-temperature radiation-convective heating. Object: dry and moisture-saturated wood of two types (pine and cedar). The relative humidity of the wood from which the particles were made (with a characteristic size of 4 mm) varied from 6 (relatively dry biomass) to 42 % (moisture-saturated wood). Method. To establish the main characteristics of wood particle ignition under microwave exposure under high-temperature radiation-convective heating, a special experimental stand was developed, representing a reaction tube with heat-insulated radio-transparent walls through which a high-temperature oxidizer (air oxygen) was blown. The wood particle was mounted on the axis of the pipe so as to fall into the focus of the emitter. All processes were recorded by a high-speed video camera. Results. The paper introduces the results of experimental studies of ignition of dry and wet particles of woody biomass in the environment of air heated to high temperatures under conditions of radiation-convective and radiation-convective microwave heating. A significant influence of the type of wood on the ignition delay times (tign) was established. Rather significant effect of heating conditions on ignition is also shown, since microwave exposure leads to an acceleration of ignition of woody biomass particles. It was shown that during the ignition of wet wood particles, the effect of exposure to microwave radiation (acceleration of ignition) is more significant compared to ignition of dry wood particles. It was also found that the moisture content (φ) of woody biomass significantly affects the ignition delay times (increase in φ leads to growth in the tign value). The regularities established in the conducted experiments illustrate the prospects of using woody biomass (including moisture-saturated) in thermal power engineering as the main fuel.

Environmental Stress and Health Vulnerability Assessment around Kolaghat Thermal Power Plant, West Bengal

One of the 17 types of severely polluting sectors in the nation is thermal power plants which exert pressure upon the environment and health aspects in several ways e.g. creating thermal, air, and water pollution, exacerbating physiological acute and chronic responses, and affecting the subjective wellbeing of an individual residing proximal to the source. Situated on the right bank of the Rupnarayan river, Kolaghat thermal power plant is one of the major power generating plants of West Bengal, which is also producing 7500-8000 metric tons of fly ash every day but having only 325 acres of land for its disposal. Hence the plant has been exerting pressure upon the surrounding environment since its establishment and growth between 1980-1985. This study is to evaluate the overall impact of thermal power plants on the local environment and public health using a composite index that incorporates environmental and health dimensions i.e. Air quality index, drinking water quality index, land surface temperature, social parameters, Non–communicable disease rate, etc. The study reveals the local-level impact of air pollution and the impact of fly ash emissions. Nandakumar, Tamluk, and Kolaghat have been identified as blocks under stress. The workers of the plant have reported undesirable thermal and ambient air quality conditions within the battery limit, with the prevalence of skin problems, allergies, and fatigue among them. Site-specific plantation and phytoremediation techniques with the use of riparian buffers have been recommended.

Ignition and combustion characteristics of coal - water fuels based on coal & semi-coke

AnnotationThe article presents the results of experimental and theoretical studies of the ignition processes of coal- water fuel (CWF) drops made from coals of various degrees of metamorphism and coal semi-coke of these coals. It is shown that the preliminary torrefaction of coal leads to a significant improvement in environmental performance (50–60% reduction in flue gas concentrations of the main anthropogenic coal combustion products: nitrogen oxides NOx and sulfur SOx) of coal- water fuel combustion processes. This effect is most pronounced during the combustion of CWF based on lignite. Also, according to the results of the experiments, the ignition delay times of typical droplets (in the initial state), and then particles (after drying the near-surface fuel layer) of coal- water fuel s based on coals and coal semi-coke were established. It has been established that the ignition delay times of coal- water fuel particles based on pre-torrefied coals at relatively low ambient temperatures (Tg≤873 K) are on average 20% higher than when igniting CWF droplets based on natural coal. Under conditions of high-temperature heating, the ignition delay times of CWF particles made from natural coal and semi-coke differ insignificantly (no more than 2%).Based on the results of the experimental studies, a mathematical model of the ignition process of a coal- water fuel drop based on semi-coke was developed, which differs from the known ones in a relatively simple description of the most significant processes of thermal preparation and ignition, but at the same time retains a fairly high predictive potential. Using the previously developed method of quasi-stationary "thermal approximation" with the selection of an asymptotic estimate, an analytical solution is derived for the essentially nonlinear problem of coal- water fuel droplet ignition. ColloquiumAn analysis of modern political discourse shows that the information entropy associated with the problem of the anthropogenic impact of mankind on the planet's atmosphere as a result of the operation of energy facilities is constantly growing. At the same time, the constant growth of energy consumption in the world makes it necessary to introduce more and more new heat and power generating capacities. For a long time (the last 30 years) it was believed that the solution to all energy problems is the large-scale introduction of non-traditional renewable energy sources (solar batteries and wind power generators - RES) into the overall balance of energy generation. However, recent events in North America and Western Europe show that the potential for using renewable energy sources is significantly limited, and electricity generation from these renewable energy sources is still significantly unstable. In this regard, a new impetus for development is acquiring coal energy. However, the main problem of coal power engineering, the anthropogenic impact of thermal power plants on the planet's atmosphere, remains unresolved. This situation creates prerequisites for the development of new "clean" coal technologies with complete sequestration of anthropogenic emissions generated during coal combustion. This article presents the results of experimental and theoretical studies of the combustion processes of coal-water suspensions prepared from pre-torrefied coals. As a result of preliminary thermal (pyrolysis under conditions of high-temperature heating in an inert environment) preparation of coal, gaseous pyrolysis products are formed and removed into the external environment, a large proportion of which are hydrogen sulfide (the main source of sulfur oxides) and hydrocyanic acid (the main source of nitrogen oxides). After the preliminary pyrolysis of coal, a mixture of coke carbon and the mineral part of coal remains. When burning a coal-water suspension based on torrefied coal, only carbon dioxide and water vapor are formed. The latter can be relatively easily condensed and returned back to the power generation cycle (or disposed of). Accordingly, the combustion of CWF based on torrefied coal creates the prerequisites for the fundamental justification of the technology for environmentally friendly combustion of coal in the combustion chambers of gas turbine plants operating on the Allam cycle.

The use of cartographic methods in assessing the risks of the impact of thermal power plants on the environment

The article analyzes the nature and intensity of the impact of the Novosibirsk CHPP-3 on the environment. To assess environmental risks, two types of threats were identified and corresponding risk groups were identified: violation of the temperature regime of networks; violation of the hydraulic regime of networks; reduction in the quality of make-up water; breakthrough of heating networks; suction of polluted water from the near-tube space; nitrogen oxide pollution; sulfur dioxide pollution; soot pollution; ash pollution. By constructing risk maps for each risk with the subsequent addition of the obtained maps, the area of the least well-being is picked out. In it, the probability of threats being realized, and, accordingly, the risks, are the greatest. Based on the obtained maps, recommendations have been developed that may be important in the planning process of prospective development of territories affected by CHP-3. The recommendations take into account modern environmental safety strategies, in particular, environmental management methods.

Features of the impact of thermal power plants on the environment on the example of the Uy River Basin

The probabilistic analysis of intra-annual and interannual variability of river flow in the Uy river basin is carried out using the theory of random processes. The results of the analysis are summarized in terms of a probabilistic model. The regulatory capacity of the catchment area and man-made structures is estimated. Materials of observations made it possible to assess the hydrological structure of flowing water bodies and the impact of waste water from thermal power plants. Analysis of the hydrological and hydrochemical regime of reservoirs has shown that dynamic mixing plays a significant role in the regime of water bodies.

Reducing the negative environmental impact of thermal power plants by optimization of the operational modes of hydropower plants in the power grids

The paper analyses the current state of energy and the environment in the regions where the Russian largest HPP cascades are located – Volga region and Siberia. The effect of various limitations on HPP operations (power systems and water users restrictions, deviations from design operation characteristics) and resulting excess load at TPP are estimated. The environmental impact assessment (reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases in energy systems assuming maximum hydropower generation) is conducted. It is shown, that actions to increase HPPs usage efficiency (construction of new transmission lines, raising water reservoir level to level established by HPP design, enhancement of basic rules of water resources use) can save 3 million tce of fossil fuel annually and decrease emissions of air pollutants by 50 thousand tons and of carbon dioxide by 6 million tons annually

The distribution distance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the tundra zone under the impact of thermal power plant

Being widely distributed in the tundra zone and highly sensible to temporal or spatial changes in composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ecosystems, Pleurozium schreberi Brid. can serve a pollution indicator of tundra biocenoses with polyarenes. The purpose of the present study is estimating the PAH distribution distance in the tundra zone under the impact of thermal power plant (TPP). The study was conducted in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra area of the Vorkuta region (Komi Republic, Russia). The surface accumulation and total content of PAHs in Pleurozium schreberi and organic horizon of tundra surfacegley soils (Stagnic Cambisols) at the background site and sites removed from the TPP at 0.5; 1; 1.5; 3; 5 and 12 km were studied. The PAH content in Pleurozium schreberi under the impact of TPP changes with distance not linearly. The maximum accumulation was noted at 3 km distance, then the content of PAHs decreased and reached a background level of 12 km from the source. The high molecular weight structures seemed to be transported at distance of no more than 3 km and fell down to the moss surface. The light structures could fly further. This fact responded for concentration of heavy and light structures on particles with different diameter. The moss surface at the background and polluted sites did not contain naphthalene. The total polyarene capacity on the moss surface is relatively the same for the background and polluted sites. At 3 km site, there was a sharp increase in the mass fraction of surface PAH by a factor of 3 due to an increase in the mass fraction of 4-5 - nuclear polyarenes. Being contaminated, the moss activates the bioaccumulation processes of PAHs and so transports polyarenes from its surface to inner organs. The exclusion is a site at a distance of 3 km where the proportion of surface accumulation increased with maximum pollution, i.e., PAH ingress into moss decreased. Determined that the dead part of Pleurozium schreberi or the whole plant is to be used for true identification of polyarenes. The changes in polyarene content in organic soil horizons are the same as in Pleurozium schreberi . By the obtained data, PAHs in tundra can move at large distances. The background-like PAH values are estimated for the site as 12 km from the pollution source for Pleurozium schreberi . The background-like PAH values for organic soil horizons are not estimated. The obtained results agree with the cluster analysis data.

Regulatory and Methodical Support of the Transition to the BATs in Heat Power Engineering

Federal Law no. 219-FZ of July 21, 2014, “On the Amendments to the Federal Law On Environmental Protection and Certain Legislative Acts” of the Russian Federation established new principles of environmental policy aimed at significantly reducing the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment. Currently, active work is under way to harmonize the Russian environmental legislation with regard to the transition to a system of technological regulation of impacts using the best available technologies (BATs). A national regulatory system based on BATs can be developed only through the implementation of integrated measures that are adopted and regulated at different levels (from decisions of the government of the Russian Federation to normative documents). For this purpose, more than 50 sectoral information and technical reference books on BATs have been developed that include descriptions of BATs for particular types of activities and their technological indicators. Starting on January 1, 2019, an integrated environmental permit will be introduced for enterprises with the greatest negative impact on the environment (category I enterprises). In addition, these enterprises will have to implement automatic systems for continuous control and metering of contaminants emissions (ASCCMCEs) into the atmosphere. Therefore, the development and adoption of the preliminary national standard of the Russian Federation PNS 187–2017, which is to come into force on January 1, 2018, will significantly accelerate and facilitate the implementation of ASCCMCEs of thermal power plants (TPPs) in accordance with Federal Law no. 219-FZ. The main goal of implementing ASCCMCEs on TPPs is to consistently reduce the negative impact of thermal power plants on the environment.

STUDY ON THE POTENTIAL FOR USING WIND RESOURCES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR TO REDUCE EMISSIONS INTO THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE CASE OF THE LOWER VOLGA REGION

The paper examines the environmental impact of energy facilities, namely harmful emissions to the atmosphere, pollutants into the waters, and contamination of the surrounding areas. The energy facilities emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, particulates and CO2 as well as fine particles of ash have the most negative environmental impact. Based on the reporting data on electricity generation and emissions of energy facilities for the period from 2011 to 2015, it is determined the average number of emissions per quantity of produced energy in the region. The development of wind power engineering in promising regions of Russia can become an alternative to traditional energy facilities. The paper evaluates the wind resources of the Lower Volga region (Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov regions) on the basis of long-term meteorological measurements of 5 meteorological stations for 2006-2016 taking into account the correction factors: the roughness of the underlying surface, the wind speed increase with height. Based on the ratio of the rotor diameter to the working height of the wind power plants (more than 80 models), an average value of this dependence is obtained in order to determine the correction factors taking into account the diameter of the rotor. The resulting value of possible annual electricity generation by wind power plants of various diameters allows the researchers to evaluate the effect in reducing the negative impact of thermal power plants.

Studies on Uptake and Localization of metals in lichens growing around Thermal Power Plant through application of SEM and FTIR techniques

Coal based thermal power plants are considered as major point sources emitting considerable amount of particulate matter, fly ash, greenhouse gases, non-combustible hydrocarbons and metals. In order to assess the impact of thermal power plant in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India, two morphologically distinct lichen species Pyxine cocoes and Bacidia incongruens have been used for conducting biomonitoring studies around thermal power plant located in Tanda district (Uttar Pradesh). Result shows that both the species differs in morphology and anatomy but bioaccumulates more or less similar concentration of metal through adsorption and absorption, as validated by SEM and FTIR respectively. The bioaccumulation in particulate form absorbed on the surface of the lichen thallus further support the particulate bound association of the pollutants emitted from thermal power plant a source of metals. .

Исследование негативного воздействия на состояние окружающей среды в Российской Федерации

The article deals with the problems of ecology and managing natural resources. The author investigated the main sources influencing on the environment and identified the processes that don’t allow the environment to be clean.
 The author shows the distribution of harmful substances emissions as a result of the impact of automobile transport, the dependence of the concentration of harmful substances in the different categories of vehicles is presented, the predominant pollutant chemical compounds from automobile transport are revealed, also the most dangerous factors of transport pollution, affecting on the health of the population are identified, the norms of harmful substances emissions into the atmosphere (the maximum allowable levels), actual data and comparative analysis of emissions into the atmosphere by 2005, 2010 2013 are given.
 The article presents the results of analysis of the influence of thermal power plants on the ecological state of the environment and their impact on health of population, and particularly highlighted the results of the ash and slag dumps TPP environmental impact, the analysis of which allowed to reveal extent of exerted environmental damage, that defined by composition of ash, preserving type, physiographic and climatic characteristics of the area. In addition to the negative impact of thermal power plants on the environment, there is considered the significant harm caused by wastewater discharges of TPP into water bodies, the sources of which are petroleum products, chlorides, sulfates, salts of heavy metals and other.
 The author carried out the monitoring of pollutants emissions into the atmosphere and water bodies and offered the ways to solve this problem for improving the state of the environment and water.

Impact of Thermal Power Plants on Aquatic Ecosystems: The French Experience

Impact of Thermal Power Plants on Aquatic Ecosystems: The French Experience

Impact of thermal power plant emissions on vegetation and soil

Studies were made to assess the impact of a thermal power plant located at Obra on vegetation and soil in surrounding areas. Pollutant concentration in the area gradually decreased along a belt in the prevailing wind direction and a gradient of structural and functional changes in plants and soil was observed. Natural vegetation in the area varied significantly at different sites and on the basis of plant responses can be classified as insensitive, intermediate and sensitive. The effect of the power plant emissions on soil and eco-physiological characteristics such as pH, organic matter and N, P, K and S concentrations in soil; leaf injury symptoms, number and distribution of plant species; chlorophyll content in leaves, percentages of photosynthetically active leaf area; accumulation of N, P, K, and S in leaves etc. seemed to be a function of the pollutant gradient existing in the area. There was a relationship between plant responses and changes in the chemical factors of soil and plants due to pollution. This study indicates possible elimination of plant species, first the trees then the shrubs and lastly the herbs and grasses from the environs of the thermal power plant. The increase in soil acidity in the area may cause cation-anion imbalance and microbe population reduction to affect soil fertility.