Power Plants In Iran Research Articles

Full analysis and deep learning optimization of a sustainable and eco-friendly power plant to generate green hydrogen and electricity; A zero-carbon approach

Among alternative energy sources for fossil fuels, hydrogen has emerged as a promising candidate; however, its production methods, reliant on fossil fuels, constrain its widespread adoption as a sustainable energy source. To transcend this limitation, researchers have proposed the concept of green hydrogen production, leveraging renewable energy sources, as a viable solution. This study presents a comprehensive techno-economic analysis that seeks to evaluate the feasibility of establishing a multi-generation green power plant in Iran. Extensive climate data from diverse locations across Iran were collected to determine the most influential design parameters. A mathematical model was developed to simulate the entire system, and an innovative neural network algorithm was employed to optimize the objective functions, given the substantial computational time required for the optimization process. The results of the optimization revealed Qeshm island as the optimal location for the green power plant, considering its favorable annual average temperature, wind speed, and solar radiation intensity. Remarkably, the proposed green power plant boasts a robust power generation capacity of 10.1 MW, enabling the production of 250 tons of hydrogen per year, exhibiting a 10 % improvement in exergy efficiency, and a 6 % reduction in LCOE, in comparison to similar studies. Furthermore, it exhibits an impressive total exergy efficiency of 41.6 %, resulting in a substantial annual income of $3.9 million and achieving a commendable payback period of 1.8 years.

Evaluation of mercury emissions from the first coal-fired power plant in Iran using atmospheric dispersion modeling

Evaluation of mercury emissions from the first coal-fired power plant in Iran using atmospheric dispersion modeling

Two-stage DEA model with complex numbers: a case study of power plants in Iran

Two-stage DEA model with complex numbers: a case study of power plants in Iran

Feasibility of Using Solar Power Plants in Iran (Opportunities and Challenges)

Feasibility of Using Solar Power Plants in Iran (Opportunities and Challenges)

Integrating life cycle assessment and health risk assessment of direct and indirect exposure (case study: A combined cycle power plant)

In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development, the integration of life cycle assessment (LCA) and health risk assessment (HRA) as complementary tools is an effective step towards comprehensive environmental management. As the need for electricity generation is growing increasingly, the integration of these tools can provide a broader perspective for decision-makers and policy-makers. Due to the lack of research in the field of HRA of indirect exposure during the life cycle of an industry, this study was conducted with the aim of applying a comprehensive approach of integrating LCA and HRA. We investigated the emissions to air and water as direct and indirect exposure, respectively, in a combined cycle power plant in Iran. Based the results, the emission of ammonia and sulfuric acid showed the highest amount of non-cancer risks (HQ > 1), and the cancer risks of hydrazine and tetrachloromethane were also more than the limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Based on the risk assessment for indirect exposure through the food chain, the amount of petroleum compounds in the effluent was regarded as worrying due to their high risk. LCA was performed with ReCiPe method at midpoint and endpoint levels. The indicator result of human toxicity (HT) impact category at the midpoint level was 1.99E-03. Then, the results of the direct and indirect health exposure assessment were replaced by the characterization factor (CF) in the life cycle impact assessment stage in the HT impact category at the midpoint level and the indicator result was changed to 4.82E−03. This study showed, the integration of LCA and HRA increases the importance of the evaluation and the findings are closer to the real values. The developed framework increases the levels of interaction between the two tools and the LCA results, can identify the processes with the best environmental performance. Determining the uncertainty of the presented model indicated that “fossil fuel depletion” had the most environmental effects among the endpoint impact categories.

Investigating the effect of workplace noise exposure on cardiovascular disease risk factors in a power plant industry: A case-control study.

Occupational noise exposure is a significant health problem. In addition to hearing impairments, noise as a stressor may cause cardiovascular problems. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exposure to workplace noise on cardiovascular disease risk factors. This case-control study was conducted in 2021 in a power plant in Iran. In this study, the health status of 406 employees in both exposed (n = 203) and non-exposed (n = 203) to noise groups was examined for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Also, the trend of changes in the studied variables from 2012 to 2020 in exposed employees was examined. Data were collected from participants' annual physical examinations and occupational noise exposure measurements. To measure the noise in the present study, the KIMO-DB300 noise level meter was used. Data were analyzed in SPSS-26 software. The results revealed that mean fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglyceride, liver enzyme (SGOT), blood pressure, and body mass index were significantly different in the two groups (p-value<0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean of creatinine, cholesterol, and liver enzyme (SGPT) between the two groups (p-value>0.05). In the exposed group, the mean of all studied variables except diastolic blood pressure was statistically different during the study years (p-value<0.05). This study demonstrates that exposure to noise above the permissible level can affect the cardiovascular disease risk factors, so it is recommended to apply engineering and management measures like using Hearing Conservation Programme (HCP) to reduce the risk of these diseases with periodically assessing the health status of employees and timely diagnosis.

Realistic Energy, Exergy, and Exergoeconomic (3E) Characterization of a Steam Power Plant: Multi-Criteria Optimization Case Study of Mashhad Tous Power Plant

This paper presents an in-depth investigation into the performance of Mashhad Tous power plant in Iran, a natural-gas-fueled steam cycle with an output power of 4 × 150 MW. The analyses include energy, exergy, and exergoeconomic. To facilitate the study, a robust code is developed to simulate the thermodynamic topology of the power plant. The fidelity of the simulation is validated using realistic site conditions. The study incorporates three vital decision variables: boiler water mass flow rate, turbine inlet pressure from, and ambient temperature ranging from 90 kg⋅s−1 to 150 kg⋅s−1, 12 MPa to 19 MPa, and 10 °C to 40 °C, respectively. Three different heat loads, including 423 MW, 311 MW, and 214 MW, are used to analyze the performance of the power plant. A Pareto-based multi-criteria optimization intertwined with the technique for order of preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) is used to find the optimum conditions in terms of having the highest work output and exergy efficiency while simultaneously reducing the plant’s total cost. The optimization results demonstrate a 4.28% increase in output at full load (423 MW). Additionally, a 1.52% increase is observed at partial load (311 MW), and there is a notable 16% increase in output at low load (214 MW). These improvements also positively impacted energy efficiency. Specifically, there is a 4% improvement at full load, a 0.9% enhancement at partial load, and a remarkable 5.4% increase in energy efficiency at low load. In terms of costs, substantial reductions of 37% at full load, 31% at partial load, and an impressive 72% at low load are evident.

Optimal site selection for a solar power plant in Iran via the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

As a vast country with average solar radiation of 4.5 kW-hours per square meter, Iran enjoys a very high potentiality for initiating and utilizing solar systems and, in particular, electricity generation from solar power plants. Optimal site selection for solar power plants requires making multi-criteria decisions. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is one of the most comprehensive multi-criteria decision-making tools. The present study was conducted to select a regionally optimal site regarding climatic conditions using AHP and the Expert Choice software. Certain criteria and sub-criteria such as the amount of radiation, the number of sunny days, the average temperature, the amount of humidity, the amount of rainfall, the level of visibility, and the cloudiness factor were regarded. To select an optimal site using AHP and Expert Choice software, after specifying the hierarchic levels, including the target, criteria, sub-criteria, and alternatives (intended sites), pairwise comparison was made between the sets to weigh them up. The provincial centers of Iran were considered in the study and Zahedan has been selected as the best location for constructing a solar power plant. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis on the major criteria was performed and the impacts of parameter weight on the alternatives were assessed.

Valorization of fly ash by nickel ferrite and vanadium oxide recovery through pyro-hydrometallurgical processes: Technical and environmental assessment

The fly ash (FA) from the combustion of heavy oil in power stations is characterized by fine particles containing toxic metals. The sample utilized in this study was gathered from the dust precipitators of seven heavy-oil-consuming Iranian power plants. Substantial quantities of heavy metals, particularly vanadium, iron, and nickel, have been detected in the sample, indicating both its potential utility and hazard to the soil and groundwater. The harmful consequences of FA disposal on the environment have led to the adoption of recycling as a treatment approach in this study. The valorization of FA was investigated by producing nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) and vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) through a novel approach using a combination of pyro-hydrometallurgical processes, which resulted in proposing a recycling closed-loop flowsheet. Roasting was first practiced to form NiFe2O4 by reacting the nickel and iron content of the FA. The NiFe2O4 showed a low dissolution against inorganic acids (H2SO4, HCl, and HNO3). The vanadium content of the FA showed a remarkable recovery in H2SO4 (91%) and HCl (95.6%), while the dissolution of Ni was limited to 16.85% and 17.5%, respectively. The produced NiFe2O4 acted well in response to the magnetic field, and its purity was further increased to 95–96% through a two-stage process consisting of grinding and magnetic separation. The nano-sized spherical NiFe2O4 with saturation magnetization of 34.66 and 30.82 emu. g−1 was obtained from H2SO4 and HCl residues, respectively. The dissolved vanadium was recovered as V2O5 via oxidation-precipitation in sulfate media and oxidation-ammonium precipitation in chloride solution. The purity of V2O5 in sulfate and chloride media was 93% and 98.5%, respectively. Finally, a life cycle assessment (LCA) study was performed on the suggested methods to track the ecological effects of extracting V and Ni from oil combustion FA. According to the performed LCA, H2SO4 was determined as the proper leaching reagent considering the environmental and technical aspects.

Effectiveness of a transactional model-based education programme for enhancing stress-coping skills in industrial workers: a randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a stress management educational intervention programme based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) among industrial workers. Participants were 106 employees of a power plant in Iran, randomly assigned into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention comprised active and participatory methods to enhance employees coping skills and it was delivered in six face-to-face sessions. Data was collected using the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale at baseline and three months after the intervention. We found mean scores of distancing, self-controlling, seeking social support, escape-avoidance, planned problem-solving, positive reappraisal, total coping skills, perceived social support, and spiritual well-being significantly differed at follow-up compared to baseline in the intervention group, but not in the control group. There was also a significant difference in the mean score of perceived stress between the two groups. We conclude that the educational intervention based on the TMSC was effective in improving coping skills and reducing perceived stress. We suggest that interventions based on the TMSC model can be supportive in workplaces where job stress is common.

Assessing the water–energy–carbon nexus (WECN) in combined cycle power plants in Iran

Assessing the water–energy–carbon nexus (WECN) in combined cycle power plants in Iran

A strategic framework for sustainable and renewable energy development: small-scale building solar power plants in Iran.

In Iran, the comprehensive environmental analysis for the strategic planning of small-scale building solar power plant (SBSPP) development is a necessary activity to achieve more renewable energy. This study performed a strength-weakness-opportunity-threat (SWOT factor-based) analysis: (i) the identification and validation of factors by the fuzzy Delphi technique; (ii) the priority assessment using the fuzzy best-worst method; and (iii) the proposal of development strategies for SBSPPs. The results identified the factors of nine strengths, eight weaknesses, nine opportunities, and eight threats. The results of prioritization of the SWOT factors showed that the importance of O (w = 0.295) and W (w = 0.283) groups are higher than T (w = 0.232) and S (w = 0.190) groups. After prioritizing all factors, W2, O4, and T6 factors were ranked first to third with weights equal to 0.095, 0.075, and 0.047, respectively. Also, the share of W, O, T, and S groups in the first half of the ranking list of all factors were 75%, 56%, 50%, and 22% of the factors of these groups, respectively. Therefore, it is suggested that in selecting appropriate strategies for the future development of SBSPPs in Iran, WO strategies should be prioritized; strategies that use the opportunities available in the external environment to improve and eliminate weaknesses within the system.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Electricity Generation by Photovoltaic Power Plants Equipped with Trackers in Iran

The use of solar trackers can help increase the production and time period of electricity generation in photovoltaic power plants. Different types of trackers in terms of rotation mechanisms and sun tracking systems have been used in these types of power plants in recent years. In this article, a comparison has made between the electricity produced of fixed and tracking structures in a number of power plants which are located in different cities of Iran but in similar geographical locations. Following this, software modeling is used to evaluate various sun tracking scenarios in the design of sample power plants. Finally, a techno-economic analysis has been made to evaluate the decision-making regarding the construction of such power plants in Iran using this technology. Using east-west detectors has had a positive effect on increasing the production of power plants, especially in summer. Due to the higher initial costs of using this technology in the power plants, as well as the higher maintenance costs, the economization of the power plants’ business plan is extremely dependent on other economic conditions governing the project. Using trackers alone cannot lead to a better situation in a project’s lifetime. From the national point of view, if domestic companies can produce east-west single-axis tracking technology at an acceptable cost and provide related services in the long term, it would be beneficial for the power grid. One of the attractive proposals for the power plants under construction will be the use of this technology, because of additional electricity production in peak hours in summer. Annual experimental data from different tracking/fixed PV power plant have been used for the first time in this techno-economic investigations, they are validated with the simulation process, and the results have been predicted for a wide range of tracking scenarios. Techno-economic analyses of this type of power plant are an essential need for policy makers and investors in Iran’s energy market.

Potential and Economic Evaluation of Biogas Resources and Location of its Power Plants with GIS in Iran

Excessive consumption of fossil fuels has led to threats to energy reserves and environmental issues as two common concerns of today’s societies. On the other hand, renewable energy sources have been growing as alternative sources to reduce severe environmental problems such as global warming, climate change, and acid rain. As a result, it is necessary to assess the potential of renewable resources and the location of power plants related to them. Among renewable energies, biomass energy and biogas have a high status and importance, accounting for a significant share of energy production. Therefore, choosing a suitable location for biogas power plants in energy production and transmission, cost reduction, and environmental aspects. Today, the use of GIS has made it possible to integrate the information needed for location effectively. Therefore, in this study, while identifying the influential factors and criteria in the location of biogas power plants and the AHP hierarchical analysis process as one of the multi-criteria MCDSS decision-making methods to the location of biogas power plants in Iran, as one of the criticalroles in the production of agricultural biomass, livestock and poultry, and waste has been addressed. The results of the economic analysis showed that the construction of biogas power plants is justified in cities where the cost of the power plant is less than 0.098 USD per cubic meter of gas produced and the average cost of biomass is less than 0.0915 USD per cubic meter of synthetic gas.

Developing and ranking the strategies of Zarand power plant using quantitative strategic planning matrix and best-worst method

Developing the power plants in any country is considered an economic development strategy as it changes the country’s market despite the competitive pressures. However, to grow the electricity market, policymakers need to evaluate the domestic Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of electric power plants. So, the necessity of a strategic plan for the power plants is inevitable to reach the goals such as eliminating the shortcomings, and meeting the desired criteria of an organization, such as more market share, acceptable profitability, customer satisfaction, increasing profit growth rate, and productivity through economic and cost-effective operations. Therefore, in this paper, the Zarand power plant in Iran is chosen as a case study to develop the associated strategies and rank them. A power plant strategic plan was generated by using a SWOT matrix. Then, the developed strategies were prioritized using a quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) and the best-worst method (BWM). The results confirm that developing the main product (electricity power), managing water consumption, and providing equipment are the most critical strategies for the Zarand power plant. Findings also demonstrated that the results of the BWM method are more accurate and correct than the QSPM method for prioritizing strategies

Investigating Threats to Power Plants Using a Carver Matrix and Providing Solutions: A Case Study of Iran

This paper examines Iran's power plants as potential targets of enemy groups. It identifies the most plausible targets and suggests preventive strategies to counter the threats. There are different models to assess the threat to potential targets. A commonly used model in various fields is the Carver matrix model, which, due to its comprehensiveness, has been used to assess power plants as targets of enemy action. The Carver model has six main factors, each of which is assigned a certain coefficient. To evaluate Iran's power plants as targets, information on their capacity, location, number, age, and fuel type is collected, as well as information on the various threatening groups based around Iran. Using the information on the power plants and the specified coefficients of the Carver matrix, the Iranian power plants have been evaluated as targets. The results of this study indicate that Iran's largest and most sensitive power plants are highly attractive targets for enemies.

A Hybrid Multi-Criteria-Decision-Making Aggregation Method and Geographic Information System for Selecting Optimal Solar Power Plants in Iran

Policy-makers should focus on solar energy due to the increasing energy demand and adverse consequences such as global warming. Conflicting criteria influence choosing the most desirable place to construct a Solar Power Plant (SPP). Researchers have popularized multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) methods because of the potential. Although the simultaneous use of several methods increases the robustness and accuracy of the results, existing methods to integrate MCDM methods mainly consider the same weight for all methods and utilize the alternatives ranking for the final comparison. This paper presents a hybrid decision-making framework to determine the best location for SPPs in Iran using a set of criteria extracted from the literature and expert opinions. An initial list of decision-making alternatives is prepared and evaluated using GIS software in terms of criteria. Decision-makers prioritized the identified alternatives using the MCDM methods, including SWARA and different ranking methods (TOPSIS, TODIM, WASPAS, COPRAS, ARAS, and MULTIMOORA). Finally, the CCSD method aggregates the results and identifies the best location. Results highly correlate with the results of previous methods and demonstrate the robustness of the proposed approach and its capability to overcome the limitations of previous methods.

A new method to overcome difficulties of measurements for energy and exergy auditing of municipal solid Waste-to-Energy plants

The current study develops the energy auditing method presented in ASME PTC 4.3 and introduces a novel and applicable method to exergy audit the waste-to-energy power plants. The presented method does not require the waste’s chemical analysis, and the heating value of the solid waste (fuel) is calculated using energy and mass balances around several control volumes within the system instead. Moreover, to calculate the chemical exergy of the fuel, based on its HHV, a set of equations are tested, and the best one is chosen that yields the most negligible error. The fuel mass flow is estimated indirectly using an innovated method. The energy and exergy efficiencies are estimated by the indirect method. The different sources of exergetic inefficiency are presented that are defined as nine exergy losses and two exergy destruction elements. Losses are mainly due to the exiting exhaust gas from the stack, exiting residue and leachate, unburnt carbon, and casing heat loss. Irreversibilitties in the gasifier, combustion chamber, and the HRSG is defined as the exergy destructions that contribute to efficiency reduction. Finally, the developed method is applied to the actual data acquired from an existing power plant in Iran. According to the results of the exergy audit, the exergy efficiency of the considered plant is 25.3%. Here, the exergy destruction in the gasifier and combustion chamber and the exergy loss due to the exiting exhaust gas have the most remarkable impact on reducing the efficiency of the system.

The high performance of diethylhydroxylamine in comparison with hydrazine for the removal of dissolved oxygen from boilers of power plant

In boilers and hot water heating systems, hydrazine is used as one of the powerful reducing agents for eliminating oxygen. Due to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of this material, a suitable replacement named diethylhydroxylamine (DEHA) can be used. DEHA has low acute toxicity and animal tests do not show mutagenic activity. In this study, hydrazine and DEHA as deoxygenation materials were used in boilers of Tarasht power plant in Iran (Tehran). In different months (May to November), deoxygenation was examined by these two substances. The oxygen removal value of DEHA was equal to hydrazine and sometimes far better than it. The rate of deoxygenation reaction of DEHA was 40 ppb in most months of the year, but the number of peaks in hydrazine was greater (2 peaks with 50 ppb and 1 peak with 60 ppb). Hydrazine analysis is time-consuming, as well as pollutes the environment. On the other hand, DEHA of tests were completed sooner. Also, DEHA as an economical material with low toxicity can be a good alternative to hydrazine in boilers. This material can prevent boiler corrosion by oxygen removal.

Energy and economic analysis of photovoltaic, concentrating photovoltaic, and combined concentrating photovoltaic/ thermal‐organic Rankine cycle power plants in Iran

In this study, energy and economic analyses of three small-scale solar power plants were conducted in various parts of Iran. The power plants were polycrystalline photovoltaic (PV), concentrating photovoltaic (CPV), and combined concentrating photovoltaic/thermal (CPV/T) and Rankine organic cycle (ORC). Electricity productions for the PV and CPV power plants were initially obtained. The electricity generation from the combined CPV/T and ORC power plant was then calculated and compared with the other two plants studied. In addition, an economic analysis of all the plants studied was also conducted. All calculations have been performed using in-house computer code written in MATLAB software. Results showed that the CPV and CPV/T and ORC plants are most suitable for those regions of Iran where the global annual horizontal solar energy is more than 1900 and 2000 kWh/m2, respectively. In these regions, the CPV and CPV/T and ORC plants generate up to 200% of the electrical energy generated by the PV plant. Based on the current feed-in tariff for photovoltaic systems in Iran, the economic analysis suggests that when the land costs are not a major concern in all the plants under consideration, the CPV and CPV/T and ORC plants are mainly profitable in the regions where the annual horizontal solar energy is more than 1900 kWh/m2.