memagazine.org
Combustion Diagnostics Raises Efficiency
by Michael Valenti Siemens Power Generation Group of Erlangen, Germany, estimates an improvement of power plant efficiency of approximately 1 percent through use of the company's new combustion diagnostics system. The system has been demonstrated on 10 power plants in Wilhelmshaven, Heyden, and Voilkelengens, Germany, and Vienna, Austria.
In a coal-fired, 1,800-megawatt power plant, this adjustment can reduce coal consumption by almost 7 metric tons per hour, fuel costs by more than $750,000 per year, and carbon dioxide generation by about 20 metric tons for typical coals. Siemens calculates that its diagnostic system will pay for itself in one to two years.
Siemens engineers designed the diagnostics system to facilitate its integration into existing power plant automation. The system comprises a Siemens CD 610 camera that is installed in the boiler wall, a Siemens Teleperm XP software-based data processing and analysis unit, and visualization and data storage software. The camera captures the combustion, and the electronics perform a spectral analysis that evaluates the combustion process. This information is used to make adjustments in the fuel and air fed to each burner to provide uniform combustion in the boiler, resulting in greater efficiency.
The diagnostics system calculates, displays, and stores the flame geometry, the ignition point, temperature distribution, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide formation produced by the burners. This data can be used for control intervention by the existing power plant instrumentation and control systems. |
