Power Plant Optimization

Site C(dd-water pump Warm-water pump Module pump power Total pump power Gross turb/gen power Optimized plant Net power Power output output (nom) (ann.avg) (Investment M )... 

For the electricity utility today operating an existing nuclear power plant, economic optimization means minimizing the costs of producing electricity, based on a high degree of plant reliability, operational flexibility and maximum fuel utilization. This will include the costs of spent fuel management. 

The Secure Transportable Autonomous Reactor - Liquid Metal (STAR-LM) project at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL, USA) was undertaken to develop a modular nuclear power plant for electric power production with optional production of desalinated water that meets the requirements of a future sustainable world energy supply architecture optimized for nuclear rather than fossil energy [XXIII-1], Those requirements include features that facilitate deployment in developing as well as developed countries such as enhanced proliferation resistance, sustainability, economy, nearly autonomous operation, and a range of plant power levels compatible with widely varying extents of national nuclear infrastructure and local electric grid development. 

To avoid major modifications of the power plant, the optimal position of a CO2 capture process seems to be in between the flue gas desulfurization unit (FGD) and the stack. Particulate matter as well as SO and NO concentrations are reduced to a large extent, which lowers the requirements regarding chemical resistance and reduces the risk of plugging. To quantify the flue gas condition subsequent to the FGD unit, a model of a state of the art hard coal fired power plant was developed and implemented in Aspen Plus . The considered power plant features a thermal duty of 1210 MW and a net thermal efficiency of 45% (based on lower heating value of the feedstock). 

When optimizing industrial ventilation, the real consequences for the environment due to decisions made are of interest. Therefore, the marginal effect on the whole energy system is what is required. This is of course difficult. Many practitioners use electricity produced from coal processes as marginal, but some use natural-gas-fired power plants. It depends mainly on the area and time frame that is being considered. 

Silvestri, G. J., Jr. Bannister, R. L. Fujikawa, T. and Hizume, A. (1992). Optimization of Advanced Steam Conditions Power Plants. Transactions of the ASA4E, Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbine and Power 114 612-620. 

Control of emissions of CO, VOC, and NOj, is high on the agenda. Heterogeneous catalysis plays a key role and in most cases structured reactors, in particular monoliths, outperform packed beds because of (i) low pressure drop, (ii) flexibility in design for fast reactions, that is, thin catalytic layers with large geometric surface area are optimal, and (iii) attrition resistance [17]. For power plants the large flow... 

Ikegami, Y. and A. Bejan. On the Thermodynamic Optimization of Power Plants with Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Irrreversibilities. J Solar Energy Engr 120 (2) 139-144 (1998). 

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