Performance Of Power Plant Research Articles

Event tree-based risk and financial assessment for power plants

Reliability and risk analyses in engineering have seldom been linked to financial analyses despite the significant role that risk assessment plays in the field of finance. Cash flow analyses for power plants typically do not account for contingent and successive events. Hence, the related financial assessments rarely incorporate a quantification of the adverse effects resulting from the combination of subsequent failures that could lead to extreme outcomes. The proposed approach aims to address this gap by employing the event tree method.The novel contribution lies in introducing an event tree-based method that enables a granular evaluation of the financial performance of power plants and can serve as a foundation for the development of a variety of sensitivity and optimization analyses. The method enhances the accuracy of financial performance estimates by specifically targeting the assessment of operation and maintenance costs. The results show the importance of an improved assessment of the expenses related to equipment failures, which are approximately one-third of the revenue and add up to around 380,000 EUR for the lifespan of а photovoltaic plant with an installed capacity of 1 MW.

Assessment of Off-Grid Power Plants in Nigeria: Location, Capacity, Performance and Current Status

The power sector in Nigeria still struggles with significant electricity challenges resulting from the unavailability of power supply and the unreliability of the conventional national grid. The total installed capacity of off-grid plants in Nigeria is approximately a meagre 52 MW, with a combination of 67 operational mini-grids and solar home systems across the country impacting only about one million households and around five million residents out of Nigeria’s population of over 200 million people. It has been reported that both urban and rural areas suffer the impact of power shortages and frequent blackouts. The unreliability of power supply in Nigeria has been identified as a significant problem affecting educational institutions in terms of productive learning, student residency and institutional operations, and also the overall operation of healthcare facilities as it limits access to quality healthcare services. The study examines the presence and potential of off-grid power solutions in Nigeria which present a more reliable approach to supplying electricity to users, as a deliberate response to the multiple and complex challenges in the Nigerian power systems to identify the present location, installed capacity, operational performance, and current status of off-grid power plants in Nigeria. The Geographic Information System and statistical approaches were employed. It was discovered that off-grid solutions are beginning to spread across the country on different scales. However, most rural areas in Nigeria still do not have access to electricity supply. The study encourages decentralized power generation in the country and emphasizes the need for the federal government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to consider investing in off-grid solutions, particularly in the rural areas for socio-economic benefits.

Determining the minimum required cooling time of profiled assemblies at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant taking into account the load schedule

Determining the minimum required cooling time of profiled assemblies at the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, taking into account the load schedule, is an analytical process to establish the shortest required period during which profiled assemblies used in the nuclear power plant energy process must remain in active use. This process considers factors related to changes in the electrical load on the station during different periods. Within the scope of this definition, an analysis of the technical characteristics of profiled assemblies is conducted as well as their impact on the overall performance of the nuclear power plant. Key considerations in the cooling time include operational safety, compliance with regulatory requirements, and efficient distribution of energy resources in accordance with the load schedule. The goal of this process is to ensure optimal and safe operation of profiled assemblies, adapted to changes in the electrical grid and aligned with the load schedule, thereby contributing to the more efficient functioning of the nuclear power plant. This study aims to substantiate the minimum required cooling time for profiled nuclear assemblies characterized by an average uranium enrichment of 3.82% and an average burnup of 45.7 Megawatt-days per kilogram of uranium (MWD/kgU). Calculations are performed using the ORIGEN-ARP program, part of the SCALE software package designed for the analysis and modeling of radioactive and nuclear processes. The study considers parameters such as the composition of nuclear assemblies, fuel burnup, modeling using the ORIGEN-ARP program, and safety analysis. The results obtained aim to make a significant contribution to enhancing the efficiency and safety of nuclear energy installations

Analyzing the Impact of Pressure Ratio Variation on Gas Power Plant Performance at Takoradi Thermal Power Station

This study investigates the influence of pressure ratio variation on the performance of a gas turbine plant located at Aboadze, Ghana. The operational data including daily hourly measurements of pressure ratio, power output, ambient temperature, and gas fuel flow rate were collected during field visits conducted in February and March 2021. The thermal efficiency was computed using a validated equation, and data were analyzed using MAT LAB. The study reveals significant temporal fluctuations in the pressure ratio, power output, and thermal efficiency, highlighting the dynamic nature of the gas turbine plant's performance during daily operation. It was also observed that as the pressure ratio increases, the power output and thermal efficiency also increases and vice versa. The average highest and lowest pressure ratio recorded between February and March 2021 were 10.40 and 9.84 respectively, with corresponding average highest and lowest power output of 109 MW and 102 MW respectively. The result also showed an average daily variation in pressure ratio of 0.35 with corresponding power output difference of 5.25 MW. The finding showed that averagely, the lowest thermal efficiency and the highest thermal efficiency were 27.00 % and 28.00 % respectively.
 This study is of crucial importance for optimizing power generation efficiency and ensuring sustainable energy production. By studying a specific gas turbine plant located in Aboadze, Ghana, this research contributes valuable insights into the operational characteristics of such plants in the region.

Comparative Analysis of Ground-Based Solar Irradiance Measurements and Copernicus Satellite Observations

Solar irradiance data provided by the Copernicus program are crucial for several scientific, environmental, and energy management applications, but their validation by means of ground-based measurements may be necessary, especially if daily and hourly data resolutions are required. The validation process not only ensures that reliable information is available for solar energy resource planning, power plant performance assessment, and grid integration, but also contributes to the improvement of the Copernicus system itself. Ground-based stations offer site-specific data, allowing for comprehensive assessments of the system’s performance. This work presents a comparative statistical analysis of solar irradiance data provided by the Copernicus system and ground-based measurements on a seasonal basis at three specific Italian reference sites, showing a maximum average relative error of less than 7% for hourly horizontal global irradiance in the irradiance range defined by the IEC 61724-2.

Investigating the impact of the diameter of the solar collector on the output power of the solar chimney system

The aim of this of paper is to study the effects of the collector radius of a solar chimney power plant (SCPP) on the power output of a solar chimney system. The data was collected from a small prototype solar chimney which was conducted at the College of Engineering, Sabratha. Geometric measurements were taken from the first model used in Manzanares, Spain. In this research, the height of the chimney was fixed at 194.6 m, the geometric dimensions of the solar chimney station were fixed and, the value of the collector radius was varied for energy production .The power output value was calculated for each radius. MATLAB software was used as numerical solution tool to assess the thermal behavior and performance of a solar chimney power plant . The maximum value obtained for the output power was 192.19 kilowatts with a diameter of 544 meters whereas the lowest value was 55 kilowatts with a diameter of 244 meters. Both values were obtained at the same time at 3 p.m. which shows the effect of the collector radius on the amount power produced. Also, it was concluded that the theoretical power output of SCPP is directly proportional to the radius of the collector.

Evaluating the Impact of Transitioning Maintenance Strategy from Reactive to Proactive in Power Generation Companies: An Empirical Analysis

This empirical study rigorously investigates the impact of transitioning from a reactive maintenance strategy to a proactive approach within the context of power generation companies. The central aim is to quantify and provide a comparative analysis of the efficiency, cost implications, and overall operational impact of adopting proactive versus reactive maintenance strategies in a power plant setting. Drawing on meticulously collected data, the research considers an array of key performance indicators, including maintenance costs, equipment breakdowns, downtime duration, total power output, equipment lifespan, safety incidents, regulatory compliance violations, and investment in staff training and predictive maintenance tools. The findings of this study are both revealing and quantitatively substantial. A transition to a proactive maintenance strategy has demonstrated a reduction in maintenance costs by approximately 20%, coupled with a 35% decrease in the number of equipment breakdowns. Downtime duration was significantly reduced by 40%, enhancing operational efficiency and power output. Notably, the total power output increased by 15%, and the equipment lifespan was extended by an average of 25%. Furthermore, a marked decrease of 50% in safety incidents was observed, reflecting the profound impact of proactive strategies on enhancing safety protocols. However, these improvements are juxtaposed with an initial investment surge, where staff training costs increased by 30%, and expenditure on predictive maintenance tools rose by 25%. This research underscores the critical importance of a comprehensive and quantified understanding of maintenance strategies and their broader impacts on power plant performance. The study illustrates that while proactive maintenance demands initial investments, the long-term benefits significantly outweigh these costs, leading to enhanced operational efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. The insights gleaned from this study provide invaluable guidance for power plant operators, stakeholders, and policymakers in their pursuit to optimize operations, improve safety standards, and achieve economic efficiencies, thereby advocating for a strategic shift towards more proactive maintenance approaches in power plant operations.

Rated load state performance assessment and analysis of ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant

ABSTRACT To address the problems of unclear assessment standards and incomplete assessment systems in the performance assessment of ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plants. This study utilized the running dataset from a 660 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant in Xinjiang, China. By combining the analytic hierarchy process and the entropy weight method, a system of assessment indicators was established that used three layers of criteria. A running line graph representing power plant performance and containing 149 moments was obtained, which provided a theoretical basis and optimization direction for improving the power plant. The results show that the 149 running states of the power plant performance are all at level I. The boiler running level had 143 moments (95.97%), the steam-turbine level had 135 moments (90.60%), the power consumption rate level had 148 moments (99.33%), and the environmental performance level had 143 moments (89.94%) of running states at level I.

Monitoring System Design of a 4 kWp Off-grid Solar Power Plant

A monitoring system is needed to determine the performance of an off-grid solar power plant. This paper presents a monitoring system design for an off-grid solar power plant with a capacity of 4 kWp. This off-grid solar power plant system was built on campus 2 of Institut Teknologi Nasional Malang. The purpose of a monitoring system is to collect and present information systematically about the state of the off-grid solar power plant system. This information can be accessed anywhere and anytime by users. Hardware used includes SPM91 to read energy meters digitally, PZEM-017 as a Modbus-based measuring instrument, and communication devices to send data to a database server. The monitoring system dashboard was built using Haiwell SCADA software. The result was a monitoring system that can display parameter data, data loggers, and graphs of the condition of the off-grid solar power plant. The PZEM-017 has an accuracy rate of 99.48% for voltage readings and 98.76% for current readings. Meanwhile, the SPM91 has an accuracy rate of 99.89% for voltage readings and 99.25% for current readings.
 Keywords: monitoring system, off-grid solar power plant, SCADA software

Assessing the Performance of Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic Power Plants in Supporting Aquaponics Systems

In an aquaponics system, the electricity produced by photovoltaic solar power (PLTS) is stored in batteries and used to power the water pumps. Using natural microorganisms to transform fish waste into plant nutrients, aquaponics is a cultivation method that blends fish and plant cultivation. The aquaponics system helps reduce the amount of trash released into the environment and is beneficial to the environment. The main goal of this study is to evaluate an off-grid PLTS system's functionality as a DC water pump power source in an aquaponics setting. This study's goal is to evaluate how well the PLTS operates when powering the DC water pump that circulates water in the aquaponics system.According to performance tests, the off-grid PLTS generates an average energy of 503.8 Wh, which is enough to power the DC pump for 20 hours a day of water circulation. The water pump uses only 382.6 Wh of electricity each day. With an average solar panel efficiency of 4.97%, an average solar charge controller (SCC) efficiency of 60.51%, and an average pump efficiency of 79.91%, the Off-grid PLTS demonstrates efficiency. With a daily solar irradiation of 7.8 kWh/m2, the average energy loss in the solar panel is 5.29 kWh/kWp, whereas the average energy loss in the system is 0.10 kWh/kWp. All things considered, these results provide insight into how well the Off-grid PLTS functions as a power source for the DC water pump in an aquaponics system.

Numerical investigation on performance of a solar chimney power plant with different absorber configurations

AbstractA solar tower system is a nonpolluting solar thermal power plant that utilizes a combination of a wind turbine and generator to convert thermal energy generated from a solar collector into electrical energy. The study focuses on a system comprising a solar collector that transforms solar energy into thermal energy, a chimney that converts thermal energy into kinetic energy, and a wind turbine that further converts kinetic energy into electrical energy. The system's performance is evaluated through the implementation of a numerical model, which is validated by comparing it with experimental data. Four different types of meshes are tested to determine the most suitable mesh for the system. The discrete ordinate radiation model is used to solve the radiative transfer equation, and the RNG k‐𝜀 turbulence model is implemented to calculate turbulence. In a subsequent study, the effect of absorber configuration on the system's performance is investigated. Three different absorber configurations—sinusoidal, square, and triangular—are proposed, and the numerical results showed that the system's performance is affected by the absorber configuration. The velocity in the chimney inlet increases for all proposed configurations compared to the standard configuration, with the triangular configuration showing the highest velocity increase. Additionally, the newly proposed configurations enhance the thermal efficiency of the system, leading to a thermal efficiency of 12.18%, 12.2%, and 13.65% for the sinusoidal, triangular, and square configurations, respectively. Overall, the solar tower system demonstrates its potential as a clean and efficient source of electrical power.

Thermo-economics, emissions, and sustainability comparison of a novel hybrid evaporative cooled solid oxide fuel cell-recuperated gas turbine with conventional system

A novel integration of a solid-oxide fuel cell to an evaporative intercooled recuperated gas turbine (SOFC-EIc-RGT) is presented. The goal of this integrated system is to reduce power consumption associated with the work of compression and hence augment power plant performance. The proposed system is compared with a conventional evaporative intercooled recuperated gas turbine (EIc-RGT). Both energetic and exergetic performance of the systems were carried out. A range of sustainability indexes were evaluated for each component of both configurations. The sustainability index helps to identify the impact on the environment. A novel entropy generation number, a dimensionless number, was proposed to identify “the ratio of component’s irreversibility to the heat supplied.” The maximum energy and exergy efficiencies for SOFC-EIc-RGT were nearly double that of the EIc-RGT. A novel performance map and emission map were plotted for power plant design engineers and researchers to analyse CO and NOx emissions with various operating parameters for EIc-RGT and SOFC-EIc-RGT. This economic analysis makes the system more reliable, which includes environmental and fuel cost rates.

Performance evaluation and optimization of a multigeneration hybrid system for power, hydrogen, cooling, and freshwater production from renewable sources

Designing a hybrid system emerges as a highly efficient strategy for augmenting the performance of renewable-based power plants, owing to their adaptability in integrating diverse subsystems. In this study, a new multigeneration system is introduced, showcasing its capability to concurrently generate power, hydrogen, cooling, and freshwater through a synergy of methanol-steam reforming, modified absorption refrigeration cycles, humidification-dehumidification, and multi-effect desalination. The operational foundation of the system is rooted in the harmonious integration of solar and geothermal energy sources. To comprehensively evaluate the proposed system's performance, a combination of exergy and economic analyses is employed. This research studies the impacts of varying key parameters on the system's operation. Notably, the water-to-methanol ratio is identified as the most influential variable affecting reformer performance, underscoring the pivotal role of reforming pressure. The estimated total fixed cost of the system stands at $4.039 million, with a calculated payback period of 6 years and a net present value of $3.454 million. Furthermore, in its optimized state, the system achieves an impressive exergy efficiency of 49.80 % and a unit product cost of $32.38/GJ. These findings unequivocally validate the feasibility and economic viability of the proposed hybrid renewable-based power generation system. In conclusion, the amalgamation of solar and geothermal energy, coupled with meticulous parameter optimization, substantiates the potential of this innovative system to serve as a sustainable and economically viable solution for power generation.

Performance analysis and effect of pandemic condition on utility grid connected PV system

In this research paper effect of pandemic and performance analysis of the utility grid connected PV system under net metering is evaluated for one years based on PV plant generation data. The performance of the system depends on annual average final yield, reference yield, and array yield and their values are 3.87 kWh kWp-1. d-1, 4.57 kWh kWp-1. d-1, and 4.29 7kWh kWp-1d-1 the performance ratio and capacity utilization factor are 77.48% and 15.68%. Due to pandemic campus energy consumption is less so energy export to grid is more than the energy import from grid. As per the state energy policy minimum billing is done even the export units are more than the imported units which result in increase in return on investment (ROI) compared to post pandemic. The above statistics illustrate the quite strong performance of solar power plants built in the Indian state of the Andhra Pradesh, Guntur.

Effect of facet gap on heliostat wind loading

Multi-facet heliostats are more versatile and advantageous in design compared to single facet heliostats, while generating new design challenges. Multi-facet designs can reduce manufacturing costs, allow for decentralisation of power supply, and bring the option of face down stow. Addition of a gap between two facets, changes the flow structure around the heliostat. The effect of gap between two heliostat facets is therefore investigated on wind loads through experimental investigation in a large wind tunnel. A heliostat model was placed in a simulated atmospheric boundary layer at The University of Adelaide wind tunnel. The investigation covered gap ratios between two panels (gap spacing/facet width) from 0 to 2, and panel aspect ratios (facet width/chord length) of 0.35 to 0.65, forming a complete heliostat aspect ratio of 0.7 to 1.3 with no gap. Wind load coefficients were determined using load cell measurements at the base, and application of differential pressure sensors on the surface, of the heliostat model. Findings indicate the presence of a gap, in general, increases the wind load on the heliostat, with facet aspect ratio exacerbating the results. The maximum load cases shift further into the operating range of heliostats where a change in centre of pressure, due to a change in gap ratio, shifts maximum coefficients from an elevation angle of 30° to 45° for lift force and hinge moment, and 90° to 75° for azimuthal moment. Increasing loads on elevation and azimuth drives potentially increases tracking deviations and beam misalignment, reducing concentrated solar power plant performance.

Enhancement of thermal power plant performance through solar-assisted feed water heaters: An innovative repowering approach

Increasing the efficiency of a power plant by optimization or repowering has always been a crucial challenge for energy analysts. At the same time as natural energy resources are limited, the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar energy has been prioritized for the past few decades. This study presents a way of enhancing a thermal power plant with a regenerative reheating Rankine cycle, evaluating the impact of solar-powered heat exchangers on feed water heating at 200 MW single unit of the Shahid Montazeri Power Plant operating at 13 MPa and 540 °C. Increases in energy-exergy efficiencies, power output and fuel save due to this modification have been studied in 14 different cases which have been analyzed in Engineering Equation Solver (EES). The case studies cover replacing single, double, and triple Feed Water Heaters (FWH). Parametric analysis of the four most promising cases has been performed in varying operating conditions such as main steam and reheat steam temperature and pressure and condensation pressure. In the most favorable configuration (case 12), the net thermal power output increases to 225 MW while energy and exergy efficiency increases to 39.73 % and 43.99 % respectively. Exergy and energy loss across different major components have been presented as well which indicates room for further improvement and contributes valuable insights to thermal power plant optimization for sustainable and efficient energy solutions in the future.

Dual fault warning method for coal mill based on Autoformer WaveBound

The coal mill is one of the important auxiliary equipment of thermal power units. Power plant performance and reliability are greatly influenced by the coal mill. To avoid abnormal operating conditions of coal mills in time and effectively, a dual fault warning method for coal mill is proposed. Three typical faults of coal mill plugging, coal breakage and deflagration are warned by this method. Firstly, the maximum information coefficient method and double complex wavelet packet transform are employed to approximate the historical data of the coal mill. Secondly, WaveBound regularization is incorporated to improve the generalization capabilities of Autoformer. Normal state data is used in the construction of unsupervised learning models. Then, combined with a multi-step rolling prediction method, vital monitoring parameters are supervised by setting the corresponding thresholds. Furthermore, an abnormal detection method based on Wasserstein distance is developed for coal mills overall state monitoring. A dual alarm method considering univariate abnormal detection and multivariate coupling thresholds is formed. Finally, the proposed method is validated with real data from a medium-speed coal mill. The results illustrate that early warning is effectively carried out using the method.

Investigations on seismic performance of nuclear power plants equipped with an optimal BIS-TMDI considering FSI effects

This paper introduces a base isolation system-tuned mass damper inerter (BIS-TMDI) hybrid system to the AP1000 nuclear power plant (NPP), which reduces seismic damage potential of the NPP structure. The effects of fluid-structure interaction (FSI) caused by the passive containment cooling system water storage tank (PCCWST) on NPP's seismic performance are investigated. The FSI of water tank theoretical model is considered based on the Housner's model, and a series of time history analyses are performed to prove the rationality of the proposed model. Three single-objective optimization strategies are employed to minimize the relative displacement variance and absolute acceleration variance of the upper structure, as well as the filtered energy index (FEI). Furthermore, a multi-objective optimization strategy considering all these three indexes is proposed to obtain optimal parameters of vibration control. The influence of vibration control strategies on the relative deformation and acceleration of the upper structure is explored with various water level ratios. The analytical results indicate that the proposed BIS-TMDI strategy has significantly reduced the NPP structure's seismic response. The effectiveness of the vibration control strategy is influenced by the water level ratio, emphasizing the significance of designing an appropriate water level ratio to reduce NPP structure's seismic response.

Presenting new artificial intelligence techniques for finding optimum performance of solar chimney power plant

The various applications of solar energy have progressed significantly over recent decades. In this paper, finding the optimum performance criteria of a SCPP is studied. The mathematical modelling of 1-D flow is written and the optimum performance is determined for each group of geometric and environmental variables including the angle of collector roof (β), chimney divergence (α) and ambient wind velocity (Va ). In addition, different artificial intelligence techniques including regression tree, genetic programming and a novel method named trended regression tree are applied to find optimum performance conditions at any arbitrary group of α, β and Va . Results indicate that maximum power output (Pt ) and associated mass flow rate ( m ˙ ) increase with increasing chimney divergent angle and wind velocity at a constant collector roof angle. Comparing the obtained results of artificial intelligence techniques shows that trended regression tree method predicts the optimum conditions of SCPP better than other methods. Genetic programming is used to present fitted algebraic functions on Pt and m ˙ and the ratio of turbine pressure drop to pressure potential (PR). Results demonstrate the algebraic relation of PR estimates the PR accurately at each group of variables.

Numerical Study of the Solar Chimney Power Plant Performance in the Region of M’Sila-Algeria

This work offers the opportunity to examine the possibility of implementing a solar chimney power plant in the region of M'Sila (Algeria) whose solar potential is exceptional. The solar chimney is a generator of electricity starting from solar energy. Performance analysis of a solar chimney which has similar characteristics to prototype Manzaneres (Spain), that could produce 39-72 kW, and that would be used to supply electricity to 39 000- 72 000 inhabitants, was performed using the software fluent. The results obtained are very promising.