Pilot Power Plant Research Articles

Exploitation of geothermal energy in active volcanic areas: A numerical modelling applied to high temperature Mofete geothermal field, at Campi Flegrei caldera (Southern Italy)

The active volcanic area of Campi Flegrei represents one of the “hottest” sites of worldwide continental areas. Exploitation for geothermal energy of this volcano is of great interest, because temperatures>150 °C occur at very shallow depth (0.5–1 km). Since present time, the exploitation of geothermal energy in Italy, for electric uses, has been confined to the Larderello and Mt. Amiata districts (Tuscany). With the recent introduction of new Italian regulations, which favor and incentivize innovative pilot power plants (5 MWe), many geothermal projects have been applied to volcanic districts of Southern Italy, providing a new important input to the development of zero-emission geothermal power plants. In this framework, we analyzed the sustainability of geothermal exploitation in the high temperature geothermal field of Mofete (Campi Flegrei caldera) in Southern Italy. By a review of all the available data of drillings performed at Mofete, from 1979 to 1987 by AGIP and ENEL companies, and using a numerical simulation (TOUGH2®), we evaluate the thermal and pressure perturbation of the reservoirs, and the possible induced seismicity, due to extraction and reinjection of fluids, at different depths and temperatures. The results are fundamental in planning a sustainable geothermal energy production in urbanized and high volcanic risk areas.

ARC: A compact, high-field, fusion nuclear science facility and demonstration power plant with demountable magnets

The affordable, robust, compact (ARC) reactor is the product of a conceptual design study aimed at reducing the size, cost, and complexity of a combined fusion nuclear science facility (FNSF) and demonstration fusion Pilot power plant. ARC is a ∼200–250MWe tokamak reactor with a major radius of 3.3m, a minor radius of 1.1m, and an on-axis magnetic field of 9.2T. ARC has rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) superconducting toroidal field coils, which have joints to enable disassembly. This allows the vacuum vessel to be replaced quickly, mitigating first wall survivability concerns, and permits a single device to test many vacuum vessel designs and divertor materials. The design point has a plasma fusion gain of Qp≈13.6, yet is fully non-inductive, with a modest bootstrap fraction of only ∼63%. Thus ARC offers a high power gain with relatively large external control of the current profile. This highly attractive combination is enabled by the ∼23T peak field on coil achievable with newly available REBCO superconductor technology. External current drive is provided by two innovative inboard RF launchers using 25MW of lower hybrid and 13.6MW of ion cyclotron fast wave power. The resulting efficient current drive provides a robust, steady state core plasma far from disruptive limits. ARC uses an all-liquid blanket, consisting of low pressure, slowly flowing fluorine lithium beryllium (FLiBe) molten salt. The liquid blanket is low-risk technology and provides effective neutron moderation and shielding, excellent heat removal, and a tritium breeding ratio≥1.1. The large temperature range over which FLiBe is liquid permits an output blanket temperature of 900K, single phase fluid cooling, and a high efficiency helium Brayton cycle, which allows for net electricity generation when operating ARC as a Pilot power plant.

The Badaling 1MW Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal Power Pilot Plant

Abstract In order to master the design, integration and operation technology of parabolic trough solar thermal power (PTSTP) plant and lay a solid foundation for the future development of large-scale PTSTP station, China sets up a research project “National High Technology Research and Development of China 863 Program (2012AA050603)”during the National “12th Five-Year Plan”, which aims to establish a 1MW Parabolic Trough Solar Thermal Power pilot plant in Badaling Yanqing. In this paper, it introduces the collector field arrangement, the composition and the function of 1MW pilot plant in detail.

Thermo-economic triple-objective optimization of a solar chimney power plant using genetic algorithms

A triple-objective design method was developed for a solar chimney power plant system that simultaneously optimizes the expenditure, total efficiency, and power output. A multi-objective genetic algorithm was used to obtain the best combination of geometric parameters of the power plant. The following design parameters were selected: collector radius, chimney height, and chimney diameter. Two different solar chimney power plant configurations were considered: the Kerman pilot power plant and Manzanares prototype power plant. A set of possible optimal solutions (Pareto optimal set) was obtained. Based on the optimal solutions, the best configuration for each power plant was selected. The performance and expenditure of the optimal solutions and the built power plants were compared. The results showed that the increment of the power output was higher than the increment of the expenditure in the optimal configuration. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the effects of changing design parameters on different objective functions. This paper provides a very useful design and optimization methodology for solar chimney power plant systems.

A comprehensive approach to design and improve a solar chimney power plant: A special case – Kerman project

The objective of this paper was to present a comprehensive analysis including analytical and numerical models which were developed to predict the performance of a solar chimney power plant in Kerman, Iran. The numerical model results including air temperature, velocity and electrical power output were validated by comparing with experimental data of the Manzanares prototype power plant. Also the mathematical model was verified with the practical power output of the Kerman pilot plant. Also in this paper, a novel approach to evaluate the influence of the site altitude on the potential of solar chimney power plants was presented and thereby a coefficient called altitude effectiveness was defined using Manzanares prototype geometrical parameters in different site altitudes. The developed model was applied to improve the performance of a solar chimney pilot power plant built in Kerman, Iran. Based on an approximate cost model, the thermo-economic optimal configurations of the pilot power plant were illustrated; and also it was found that the chimney diameter was the most important structural dimension to improve the performance of this pilot power plant.

Experimental investigation of climatic effects on the efficiency of a solar chimney pilot power plant

Without any shadow of doubt, energy production based on renewable energies is one of most fundamental methods for energy generation for the near future. Solar chimney power plant is a relative novel technology for electricity production from solar energy. In this stud, after designing and making a solar chimney pilot power plant with 10m collector diameter and 12m chimney height, the temperatures and air velocities were measured. The temperature and velocity readings were carried out for some specified places of collector and chimney with varying some parameters on different days. Because of green house effect happened under the collector, the temperature difference between collector exit and the ambient reached to 25°C, and this phenomena caused creation of air flow from collector to chimney. The air inversion at the bottom of the chimney was observed after sunrise, on both cold and hot days. The air inversion appears with increasing solar radiation from a minimum point and after a while, it is broken by the collector warm-up. After the inversion breaking, there would be a steady air flow inside the chimney. The maximum air velocity of 3m/s was recorded inside the chimney, while the collector entrance velocity was zero.

Relating R&D and Investment Policies to CCS Market Diffusion Through Two-Factor Learning

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies have the potential to play a major role in the stabilization of anthropogenic greenhouse gases. To develop the capture technology from its current early pilot phase towards commercial maturity, significant public and private funding is directed towards R&D projects and pilot power plants. However, we know little about how this funding relates to the economics of CCS power plants and their market diffusion. This paper addresses that question. We initially review past learning effects from both capacity installations and R&D efforts for a similar technology, flue-gas desulfurization, using the concept of two-factor learning, and estimate the learning curve. We apply the obtained learning-by-doing rate of 7.1% and the learning-by-researching rate of 6.6% to CCS in the electricity market model HECTOR, which simulates 19 European countries hourly until 2040, to understand the impact of learning and associated policies on the market diffusion of CCS. Simulation results show that the individual impact of learning is similar for both learning rates, regardless of the CO2 price. We then evaluate the effectiveness of policies subsidizing CCS investment costs (addressing learning-by-doing) and of policies providing R&D grants (addressing learning-by-researching) by relating the policy budget to the realized CCS capacity. We find that policies promoting diffusion through subsidies are, at lower policy cost, about equally effective as policies providing R&D funding. At higher spending levels, diffusion-promoting policies are more effective. Overall, policy effectiveness increases in low CO2 price scenarios, but the CO2 price still remains the key prerequisite for the economic competitiveness of CCS, even with major policy support.

Study of water–oil emulsion combustion in large pilot power plants for fine particle matter emission reduction

The combustion of heavy fuel oil for power generation is a great source of carbonaceous and inorganic particle emissions, even though the combustion technologies and their efficiency are improving. The information about the size distribution function of the particles originated by trace metals present into the fuels is not adequate. In this paper, we focused our attention the influence of emulsion oil-water on the larger distribution mode of both the carbonaceous and metallic particles. Isokinetic sampling was performed at the exhausts of flames of a low-sulphur content heavy oil and its emulsion with water produced in two large pilot plants. The samples were size-segregated by mean of an 8-stages Andersen impactor. Further investigation performed on the samples using electronic microscopy (SEM) coupled with X-ray analysis (EDX) evidenced the presence of solid spherical particles, plerosphere, with typical dimensions ranging between 200 nm and 2–3 μm, whose atomic composition contains a large amount of the trace metals present in the parent oils (Fe, V, Ni, etc.). EDX analyses revealed that the metal concentration increases as the plerosphere dimension decreases. We also observed that the use of emulsion slightly reduce the emission of fine particles ( D 50 < 8 μm) in the large scale plant.

Monofilamentary Ag/Bi:2212 Tapes – Effects of Silver Powder Addition

The Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system has been one of the most studied superconducting ceramic materials for industry applications. The most of the studies with this aim are on silver/ceramic composites, due to the benefits and great compatibility of this metal with the oxide. Tapes made by the powder in tube (PIT) method have been successfully tested in pilot power plants in many countries but in Brazil. In this paper, 5, 10, and 20-wt% silver powders are introduced to compose the core of the tape along with the Bi:2212 ceramic powder. The results of electrical experiments are compared with those made with no silver addition Ag tapes. The best current density, at 60 K and no applied magnetic field, was found for the 10-wt% silver proportion, doubling the value obtained for the tape with no silver in the core.

A Validation Methodology for a Combined Heating Cooling and Power (CHCP) Pilot Plant

A great number of variables significantly influence the energetic, environmental and economic results of CHP (Combined Heating and Power) and CHCP (Combined Heating Cooling and Power) plants operation, and as a consequence their project activity is rather complex. In order to select the best layout and properly size the machines, detailed data on hourly electric, thermal, and cooling demand are necessary, so that a series of plant life cycle simulations may have to be carried out. Unfortunately, such detailed data are rarely available, because energy consumptions data for existing buildings are usually derived from aggregated monthly or bimonthly gas and electricity bills. Even more difficulties are encountered for new types of buildings, for which no consumptions data are available. In such cases, the most common procedure consists in performing, using case-oriented criteria, an estimate of the thermal and cooling consumption levels, and to refine it during construction, if necessary. This is the case of an existing medium size CHCP pilot plant for office buildings that covers the electrical, thermal, and cooling loads of two office buildings situated in a Mediterranean area (Palermo, Sicily, Italy). Estimated demand profiles were used; the effect on thermal demand of the conversion of the cooling load into thermal one through an absorption chiller was assessed. This is a very significant aspect in all warm climates zones. Cumulative curves were obtained for the aggregate thermal demand, by summing the heat direct applications and the heat consumptions for feeding the absorption chiller. In this paper the existing plant was compared with other plant configurations, varying both for machine sizes and management criterion, in order to affirm whether or not the plant selected by the designer in a simplified manner was or not an appropriate solution. The comparison was performed from an energetic and economic viewpoint.

Monitoring pollutant emissions in a [formula omitted] power plant through neural network

The prime aim of this paper is to address the relevant issues associated to the development of neural-based software sensors for monitoring the pollutant emissions coming out from combustion chambers. The objective is to prove the potential of software sensors as alternative monitoring systems to conventional analytical equipment. The preliminary results refer to a 4.8 MW power pilot plant operating at the Enel Santa Gilla Research Center in Cagliari (Italy).

Intelligent system for transient data collection and fatigue monitoring of pressurised water reactors nuclear steam supply system

Electricité de France (EDF), the French national electricity company, is operating 54 standardised pressurised water reactors. This about 500 reactor-years experience in nuclear stations operation and maintenance area has allowed EDF to develop its own strategy for monitoring of age-related degradations of NPP systems and components relevant for plant safety and reliability. After more than fifteen years of experience in regulatory transient data collection and seven years of successful fatigue monitoring prototypes experimentation, EDF decided to design a new system called SYSFAC (acronym for SYstème de Surveillance en FAtigue de la Chaudière) devoted to transient logging and thermal fatigue monitoring of the reactor coolant pressure boundary. The system is fully automatic and directly connected to the on-site data acquisition network without any complementary instrumentation. A functional transient detection module and a mechanical transient detection module are in charge of the general transient data collection. A fatigue monitoring module is aimed towards a precise surveillance of five specific zones particularly sensible to thermal fatigue. After a first step of preliminary studies, the industrial phase of the SYSFAC project is currently going on, with hardware and software tests and implementation. The first SYSFAC system will be delivered to the pilot power plant by the beginning of 1996. The extension to all EDF’s nuclear 900 MW is planned after one more year of feedback experience.

An axial-flux permanent-magnet generator for a gearless wind energy system

The paper discuses the development of an axial-flux permanent-magnet generator for a gearless wind energy system which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating wind and photovoltaic energy converters for the generation of electricity and to achieve optimum exploitation of the two energy sources. The merits of an axial-flux generator topology are discussed with reference to the particular requirements of an electrical generator for a direct-coupled wind turbine application. The design, construction and test results of a 5 kW, 200 rev/min permanent-magnet generator, to form a 10 kW pilot power plant with a 5 kW photovoltaic array, are presented.

Preliminary pilot plant tests of a corona discharge-electron beam hybrid combustion flue gas cleaning system

Pilot power plant tests of a corona discharge-electron beam hybrid combustion flow gas cleaning system have been conducted. Gas flow rate of the test loop is a heavy oil fired boiler flue gas with 1200 Nm/sup 3//h, and one electron beam generator (500 kV/spl times/30 mA) is used with a corona discharge ammonia radical injection system (60 kV/spl times/5 mA), SO/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, NH/sub 3/, NO, NO/sub x/ and O/sub 2/ gases are monitored. The results show that up to 85% of NO/sub x/ and 98% of SO/sub x/ in flue gases are removed under a corona discharge-electron beam hybrid operations with significant small amount of leaked ammonias from exhaust flue gases.

New developments in French transient monitoring system: SYSFAC From the experiments to the industrial process

After more than 15 years of experience with regulatory transient data collection, Electricité de France decided to design a new concept of fatigue monitoring system called SYSFAC. This new system is the result of seven years of successful experimentation with fatigue meters. This system will be connected to the on-site data acquisition system without any complementary instrumentation. The SYSFAC system has a modular structure: the mechanical transient module, the functional transient module, the fatigue meters module and the global damage computing module all have a high level of flexibility to be applied to various types of circuits. After the preliminary studies had been achieved, it was decided to undertake the industrial phase of the SYSFAC project. Specific codes on PC computers have been used to validate the basic concepts and the operator interface. Real-size coding will last one year and the first SYSFAC system will be delivered to the pilot power plant by the end of 1995.

New developments in French transient monitoring system: SYSFAC from the experiments to the industrial process

After more than 15 years of experience with regulatory transient data collection, Electricité de France decided to design a new concept of fatigue monitoring system called SYSFAC. This new system is the result of seven years of successful experimentation with fatigue meters. This system will be connected to the on-site data acquisition system without any complementary instrumentation. The SYSFAC system has a modular structure: the mechanical transient module, the functional transient module, the fatigue meters module and the global damage computing module all have a high level of flexibility to be applied to various types of circuits. After the preliminary studies had been achieved, it was decided to undertake the industrial phase of the SYSFAC project. Specific codes on PC computers have been used to validate the basic concepts and the operator interface. Real-size coding will last one year and the first SYSFAC system will be delivered to the pilot power plant by the end of 1995.

System study for a tens MWe size coal-fired MHD retrofit pilot power plant in China

System analysis is made in this paper of the coal-fired MHD/steam combined cycle pilot power plant in the size range tens of MWe. System performance are presented of such plants with three sizes: one 12 MWe unit, two 12 MWe units and one 50 MWe unit which are considered as retrofits to the existing Beijing No.3 Heat and Power Plant. Parametric studies are performed for the 2 × 12 MWe units and the optimum system parameters are obtained.

An accelerated fusion power development plan

Energy for electricity and transportation is a national issue with worldwide environmental and political implications. The world must have energy options for the next century that are not vulnerable to possible disruption for technical, environmental, public confidence, or other reasons. Growing concerns about the greenhouse effect and the safety of transporting oil may lead to reduced burning of coal and other fossil fuels, and the incidents at Three Mile Island and Chernobyl, as well as nuclear waste storage problems, have eroded public acceptance of nuclear fission. Meeting future world energy needs will require improvements in energy efficiency and conservation. However, the world will soon need new central station power plants and increasing amounts of fuel for the transportation sector. The use of fossil fuels, and possibly even fission power, will very likely be restricted because of environmental, safety, and, eventually, supply considerations. Time is running out for policymakers. New energy technologies cannot be brought to the marketplace overnight. Decades are required to bring a new energy production technology from conception to full market penetration. With the added urgency to mitigate deleterious environmental effects of energy use, policymakers must act decisively now to establish and support vigorous energy technology development programs. The U.S. has invested $8 billion over the past 40 years in fusion research and development. If the U.S. fusion program proceeds according to its present strategy, an additional 40 years, and more money, will be expended before fusion will provide commercial electricity. Such an extended schedule is neither cost-effective nor technically necessary. It is time to launch a national venture to construct and operate a fusion power pilot plant. Such a plant could be operational within 15 years of a national commitment to proceed.

Modelling and Simulation of a Pilot Power Plant Fired with Oil and Coalwater Fuel

With the aim of testing the use of coal-water fuels for electric power generation, ENEL (the Italian Electricity Board) promoted a pilot project based both on single-burner and on whole-unit tests. This paper describes the development and the different utilizations of a modular dynamic model of the boiler where whole-unit tests are being performed. Particular enphasis is given to the concept of multi-fuels fornace modelling and to its use for the prediction of boiler performance.

A Multivariable Optimal Control System for a Generator

A new digital generator control system has been developed, which coordinates excitation and governing systems of a generator by using multivariable optimal control scheme on the basis of modern control theory. Control performance of the developed system was investigated with computer simulations and tested at a 200KVA pilot power plant with 3KV transmission lines. This paper first outlines the control system, next describes the control schemes including process models, optimal control algorithms, control sequence, and state estimation schemes, and finally shows its control performance obtained from the pilot plant tests and the computer simulations.