Title: Carbon emission reduction by improving performance of primary air fans in thermal power plants through energy conservation techniques

Authors: Rajashekar P. Mandi; Udaykumar R. Yaragatti

Addresses: School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, REVA University, Yelahanka, Bangalore – 560064, India ' Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal – 575025, India

Abstract: This paper describes various techno-economical energy conservation measures for reducing the carbon emission by improving the performance of primary air (PA) fans in coal fired thermal power plants based on the energy conservation/audit study conducted in 28 of 210 MW power plants in India. The best operating points for pressure gain, flow, pressure drop across hydrodynamic resistive elements, equipment efficiency, power input and specific energy consumption are simulated by using MATLAB and presented in this paper with a case study to validate the results. Optimising the pressure at PA fan discharge, control of excess air, pressure drop across air pre-heater (APH) and mills and maintaining the optimum primary air pressure at mills thereby to maintain appropriate coal-air pressure at burners will help in reduction of auxiliary power of PA fans. The implementation of energy conservation measures in a typical 210 MW coal fired thermal power plant reduces the overall auxiliary power of PA fans by 0.39% of gross energy generation and also reduce the carbon emission by 6,250 t/year.

Keywords: energy efficiency; carbon emissions; primary air fans; excess air; auxiliary power; fan efficiency; thermal power plants; energy conservation; coal fired power plants; India; simulation; CO2; carbon dioxide.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2016.078240

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2016 Vol.8 No.1, pp.54 - 69

Accepted: 10 Apr 2016
Published online: 09 Aug 2016 *

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