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Utilities today are undergoing one of the greatest transformations in their history. Many global, political and economic pressures on today’s electric utilities are resulting in regulatory requirements and financial incentives that create the need for utilities to evolve from a semi-connected, silo-based, reactive organization to a fully connected, integrated, proactive organization. For decades, the underlying technology that comprises the utility’s generation, transmission and distribution architectures has remained relatively constant. Similarly, the original analog communication systems that were deployed to support the field worker’s voice needs as well as basic telemetry requirements are now reaching their end of life.   To read more click download.

Combining a cogeneration plant with an absorption refrigeration system allows utilization of seasonal excess heat for cooling.  The hot water from the cooling circuit of the cogeneration plant serves as drive energy for the absorption chiller. The hot exhaust gas from the gas engine can also be used as an energy source for steam generation, which can then be utilized as an energy source for a highly efficient, double-effect steam chiller. Up to 80% of the thermal output of the cogeneration plant is thereby converted to chilled water. In this way, the year-round capacity utilization and the overall efficiency of the cogeneration plant can be increased significantly.  To read more click view or download.

The Claus C contract is part of the Dutch investment plant, which anticipates the development of large-scale gas-fired units and wind projects. The investments arise from Essent’s strategic objectives of providing reliable, reasonably-priced and sustainable energy. The Claus C power plant will provide an additional highly flexible plant in the Netherlands by replacing the old gas-fired boiler of Claus B by three new GT26 gas turbines. This will increase the power output up to approximately 1,300 MW while substantially reducing CO2 emissions by 40%.  To read more click download.

Cogeneration systems – also called combined heat and power or CHP systems – generate both heat and power. Jenbacher CHP systems economically utilize the waste heat incurred during engine operation to generate overall plant efficiencies of more than 90%. This efficient form of energy conversion achieves primary energy savings of roughly 40% by using a gas engine cogeneration system instead of separate power and heat generation equipment. Transportation and distribution losses are also reduced or eliminated as the decentralized energy supply is set up where it is needed.  To read more click view or download.

Coal mine gas (firedamp) is a problematic phenomenon associated with pit coal mining, as the gas can form explosive mixtures together with air. The main component of coal mine gas is methane (25 – 60%), which develops during the geochemical conversion of organic substances into coal (carbonization).  Coal mine gas is present both as liberated gas in fissures, faults and pores and as adsorbed gas on the inner surface of the coal and neighboring rock.  To read more click view or download.

Utility power in the U.S. is very reliable; we count on it to be there, expect it to be there, and it usually is. Barring natural disasters (ice storms, tornados, hurricanes are notorious for destroying local distribution) and the rare systemwide blackout (such as the Northeast Blackout on August 14, 2003), the U.S. has a continuous supply of electrical power. But what is the quality of that power? It is not a digital product; on or off. It is an analog product, with continuous variations in voltage and phase, depending on load profiles and myriad variables across the transmission and distribution network. The utilities do an admirable job controlling what they can, but with the hundreds of thousands of local loads affecting power quality, local consumers with critical loads should consider what steps they can take on their own to harden their systems against poor power quality.  To read more click view or download.

CPS ENERGY NEEDED A MOBILITY STRATEGY. THE UTILITY’S EXISTING SMARTNET AND DATATAC SYSTEMS WERE NEARING THE END OF THEIR USEFUL LIFE, AND THEY NEEDED A REPLACEMENT SYSTEM. INSTEAD OF MERELY REPLACING THE WIRELESS SYSTEM, CPS, WHICH SERVES MORE THAN 600,000 ELECTRIC CUSTOMERS AND MORE THAN 300,000 NATURAL GAS CUSTOMERS IN AND AROUND SAN ANTONIO, USED THE SITUATION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN OVERALL MOBILITY STRATEGY.  To read more click view or download.

In February 1999, a natural gas explosion destroyed a 500MW coal-fired utility boiler at Kansas City Power & Light Company’s Hawthorn Generating Station.  The loss of this critical base-load unit left Kansas City Power & Light (KCPL) with a difficult decision—replace the coal-fired boiler, or convert to gas-fired combined cycle. Although most of KCPL’s power generating plants burn coal, Unit #5 was the only coal-fired unit at Hawthorn Station. Ultimately, KCPL decided to replace the destroyed steam generator with another coal-fired unit, and repower the existing turbine/generator equipment. By August, 1999 the utility, Burns & McDonnell and Babcock & Wilcox had a plan in place to build a new, 550MW pulverizedcoal-fired facility and have it producing power and revenue by June 2001.  To read more click download.

The Substation Communications Equipment (SCE) is the intelligent interface between the Central TWACS® Net Server (TNS) master station software and remote transponders in DCSI’s TWACS® (Two-Way Automatic Communication System) power line network.  To read more click view or download.

This paper describes the testing and verification of Siemens gas turbine SGT-700 (formerly GT10C) and the first phase of operation experience from this. Erection, commissioning and the first 10 000 hours in commercial operation will be summarized.  To read more click download. 

Stoker-fired boilers often burn biomass (recently alive organic matter) to provide electrical power or to generate process steam for plant use (Strempek, 1995).  Biomass fuel is typically a waste product of an industrial process, such as bark, wood shavings, and sawdust from paper mill or by-products from a food-processing plant.  It is also a component of municipal solid waste, the precursor to refuse-derived fuel.  To read more click download.

Orimulsion™, the fourth fossil fuel, has gained increasing acceptance as an economically viable fuel for power generation. The first full-scale demonstration commenced almost ten years ago. A number of power plant boilers have been converted in Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Denmark, with more conversions planned. Early conversion experience is discussed, along with specific attention to the SO2 reduction system at the Dalhousie plant in New Brunswick, Canada.  To read more click download.

This historic "bubble" of capacity was followed by a "bust" period between 2001 and 2005, where little or no new power was created and the surplus was absorbed into the marketplace. In many parts of the US, excess capacity drove down market prices for electricity, financially impacting many IPPs. At the same time, the price of natural gas tripled, resulting in significantly higher electricity prices. Power companies passed-through these higher fuel costs to retail consumers, leading to a public and governmental outcry for a return to strict price regulation.  Due to this new norm in natural gas prices, electrical power producers are heavily scrutinizing every aspect of their plant operation expenses. Some of the greatest potential for cost efficiencies is being found in the operational lifecycle of F-class gas turbines. This renewed and reinvigorated look at controlling operations and maintenance costs has prompted innovative market solutions. In fact, several new F-class hot gas path turbine parts suppliers and improved repair technologies for these components have been introduced to the industry in recent years.  To read more click download. 

Facing the risk of critical power shortages in 2009 – 2012, South Africa is investing heavily in its energy infrastructure. Ageing power plants and strong economic growth have increased the demand for power beyond available supply. In response Eskom, South Africa’s state-owned utility company, has proposed an ambitious investment programme to avert this crisis. After Medupi, Kusile is the second new major power station ordered by Eskom since the early 1980s.  To read more click download.

The Arkansas River Power Authority installed a coal fired circulating fluidized bed boiler at their Lamar Light & Power Plant in Lamar, Colorado.  The plant is scheduled to be in full operation in 2008.  To read more click download.

Since the beginning of power market’s liberalization in the mid 1990ies, the power plant business has been changing fundamentally. Nowadays operators of power plants find themselves in a much more challenging market environment with the presence of strong competition, higher fluctuation of fuel prices and missing long term power purchase agreements. But apart from these new challenges, market’s liberalization also comes along with new business opportunities: Utilization of market price fluctuations for operation and maintenance optimization, participation in ancillary service markets and short term trading to mention a few can contribute to improve significantly the operating margins. By knowing how to approach these opportunities significant higher profits compared to a long term power purchase agreement can be achieved.  To read more click download.

In the design of a highly loaded new or upgraded recovery boiler, the heat absorption profile distribution in the furnace becomes an important design parameter in evaluating the circulation adequacy of the unit.  To enhance the current circulation analysis for recovery boilers, furnace heat transfer results from the computational threedimensional combustion analysis program, COMOSM, have been incorporated into the company’s circulation analysis program.  The evaluation of circulation results for a highly loaded recovery boiler, which incorporated the heat transfer results from the computational combustion model, is compared to calculations generated using typical heat transfer analysis procedures in an effort to offer a less conservative and more accurate evaluation of the unit.  To read more click download.

Competition from deregulation is driving utilities and consumers to seek out alternate means to reduce the cost of electricity. The utility industry is expected to shift generation away from the traditional central station philosophy to dispersed generation with the formerly wasted heat to be recovered and used for industrial steam or to heat commercial buildings.[1] Some experts suggest that the dispersed generation will take the form of cogeneration by locating thermal electric generators with heat recovery steam generators alongside the thermal host. Coincidentally, there are a large number of existing boilers that can serve as waste heat receivers if properly modified.  This could result in substantial capital savings, further reducing the cost of the dispersed electrical generation.  Repowering cold windbox industrial boilers compliments and reinforces the dispersed generation philosophy.  To read more click download.

A Kraft recovery boiler was experiencing steam temperature degradation due to excessive fouling of the convection surfaces, leading to plugging within the generating bank. Build-up of deposits on these surfaces required the unit be taken off line for water wash cleaning after eight to ten weeks of operation.  Numerical combustion modeling was used to evaluate current boiler operation and assess the benefits of changes in operation and hardware required for improved operation. The Babcock & Wilcox Company’s Combustion Model for Process Recovery boiler (COMO-PR™) was used to evaluate the boiler operation and design. This model is based on a fundamental description of interacting processes of turbulent flow, heat transfer and black liquor combustion.[1,2] Modeling of the boiler, as it was operated, showed a strong side-to-side imbalance in the gas flow and temperatures within the furnace, and a large amount of mechanical carryover that was adversely affecting boiler operation.  Boiler testing and operating experience qualitatively confirmed model predictions.  To read more click download.

This paper describes the operation, configuration and performance of integrated flywheel based UPS systems. This family of products is battery-free and incorporates a modular design that allows field capacity expansion and internal redundancy.  To read more click download.

HyRadix small-scale on-site hydrogen generating technology has two very different applications. Both the Adéo™ Hydrogen Fuel Generator and the Aptus™ On-Site Hydrogen Generator are based on the same auto-thermal reforming (ATR) platform. Both provide high-purity hydrogen to the customer, whether the customer is installing a hydrogen refueling station for fuel cell vehicles or requires hydrogen for an industrial process such as metals treating or fats and oils hydrogenation. HyRadix technology provides a low-cost option for hydrogen production with the operational flexibility that both refueling and industrial customers require.To read more click download

IFP and HyRadix are collaborating in the development of a new hydrogen production system from liquid feedstock such as bio-ethanol. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions along with high hydrogen yield are the key objectives. Market application of the system will be hydrogen refueling stations as well as medium scale hydrogen consumers including the electronics, metals processing, and oils hydrogenation industries.  The conversion of bio-ethanol to hydrogen will be performed within a co-developed process including an autothermal reformer working under pressure. The technology will produce high-purity hydrogen with ultra-low CO content. The catalytic autothermal reforming technology combines the exothermic and endothermic reaction and leads to a highly efficient heat integration. The development strategy to reach a high hydrogen yield target with the bio-ethanol hydrogen generator is presented.To read more click download

Numerical flow modeling has become an increasingly important design and analysis tool for improving the air distribution to power plant burners. Uniform air distribution allows the burners to perform as designed to achieve the lowest possible emissions and best fuel burn-out.  Modifications can be made internal to the existing windbox to improve the burner-to-burner and burner peripheral air distributions. These modifications can include turning vanes, flow splitters, perforated plate, and burner shrouding. Numerical modeling allows the analysis of design trade-offs between adding flow resistance, fan power, and windbox modification construction cost.  To read more click download.

Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), through its Power Generation Group, and Air Liquide (AL) have been actively involved in the development of oxy-coal technologies for power generation throughout the past decade. After successful demonstration of oxy-combustion at B&W’s 1.5 MWth Small Boiler Simulator (SBS) and very promising full-scale (300-500 MWe) engineering studies, B&W and Air Liquide initiated a project to scale-up the oxy-combustion technology at B&W’s 100-million Btu/hr (30 MWth) Clean Environment Development Facility (CEDF).   To read more click download.

The case favoring the use of coal as the primary fuel for power generation in the U.S. is overwhelming. Coal is the most abundant domestic fuel and it remains the lowest cost fuel for power generation. A direct relationship has also been shown between electricity cost and the Gross Domestic Product per capita. Current margins between electricity production and demand are at their lowest levels and significant economic growth is projected resulting in a steady increase in the use of coal. Though the severity of the impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) on global warming remains under debate, coal is the most carbon intensive fuel, making an economical means of carbon management essential to ensure coal’s continued use.  To read more click download.

Numerical simulation models have become an increasingly important design and analysis tool for boiler components and auxiliary equipment. Mature numerical simulation programs with affordable high speed desktop workstation computers have resulted in an ever expanding list of numerical applications.  General capabilities accommodate any combination of fossil fuel combustion (coal, oil, and natural gas), non-reacting flows with energy exchange, or isothermal flow problems. Model complexity can be tailored to specific areas of interest. The goal of these numerical simulations is to improve the design of a new or existing boiler component by optimizing the flow distribution.  Burner and port arrangements, flow splitters, turning vanes, and perforated plates can be tested numerically to evaluate their effectiveness for improving the final design.  To read more click download.

The first signs of the incompatibility between conventional building power distribution systems and personal computers became obvious in the mid-1980's as more and more personal computers appeared in the workplace.  One decade later, personal computers, monitors, powerful workstations, laser printers, and other modern electronic office equipment typically form a large portion of the electrial load in a building.  Because these loads are very non-linear, their load currents are rich in harmonics, causing problems for both the power distribution system and for the electronic equipment itself.  To read more click download.