CHARACTERISTICS

The reliability, availability and heat rate of power plants are critical to profitability of power companies. However, maintaining effective operation of the firing equipment is complex and is often given low priority. Variability of feedstocks, deterioration of pollution control equipment, load swings, startup difficulties, etc. can all lead to poor power plant performance that also leads to poor environmental performance. Also, stokers are fairly inflexible with respect to their performance during load variations, and contribute to low efficiency.

Improving firing equipment–through regular maintenance, ensuring fuel specifications are met, training of operators, proper management attention, etc.–can mitigate these operational and environmental problems. In addition, firing equipment performance can be improved through adjustments to fuel quality, fuel injection systems and other adjustments to boiler operations.

SIZE:
Improvements to existing equipment can be performed on any and all equipment. Retrofitting the firing equipment system can require additional space within the facility to add equipment.

FEATURES:
Significant operational improvements and economic returns have been demonstrated by making firing improvements or by installation of co-firing equipment.¹

COST:
Regular inspection of firing equipment will help to avoid expensive repairs. To install co-firing, costs range from $100,000-500,000 depending on boiler size and other conditions.

CURRENT USAGE:
Many utilities routinely inspect their firing equipment for necessary repairs. For example, the Electric Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) saw boiler improvement when it inspected and repaired firing equipment.

POTENTIAL USAGE:
Opportunities for upgrading equipment to improve its performance exist on all utility boiler operations. The cost-effectiveness of the many options to improve performance need to be assessed at each boiler site to determine the most cost-effective actions to take.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING ACTION

• Improvements in firing equipment can increase production costs that may not be recoverable unless the level of improved efficiency more than offsets the higher costs. Management and operators at power plants need to be up-to-date on the tools and techniques available to improve performance.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT

EMISSION EFFECT:
    

CONDITIONS FOR EMISSIONS MITIGATION:

• By improving the operation of the firing equipment, the amount of emissions produced by the boiler is reduced.

EMISSION ESTIMATE:
N/A

COST-EFFECTIVENESS:
N/A

SECONDARY EFFECTS:
Improved heat rates will reduce emissions of all pollutants emitted from power plants. In addition, improved performance will result in plants being dispatched more often, possibly offsetting emissions from less-efficient plants.

RESOURCES

• The Gas Research Institute (GRI) is participating in demonstration projects on stoker boilers with the City of Dover (Ohio), Oberlin College, and Hoover Company of Canton (Ohio).
• The World Energy Congress maintains a power plant performance committee. Information on the Committee can be obtained from the USEA.

CONTACTS

Association of Energy Engineers
Atlanta, Georgia
Tel: (770) 447-5083
Fax: (770) 446-3969
http://www.aeecenter.org

Gas Research Institute
John Pratapas
Chicago, IL
Tel: (312) 399-8301

World Energy Council
Robert Richwine
Chair, Power Plant Performance Committee
Tel: (770) 379-6982
Fax: (770) 379-7726