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4 COWI - Operational Flexibility of Vietnamese Power Plants

This document discusses the operational flexibility of two Vietnamese thermal power plants, Quang Ninh unit 4 and Vinh Tan unit 2. It outlines some of the challenges to achieving low load operations with these plants due to their design and use of low-quality domestic coal. Suggested mitigation strategies include optimizing the coal milling and combustion processes, improving maintenance, enhancing monitoring, and potentially upgrading control systems. A roadmap is proposed to test achieving 40% load through burner management and control optimizations, followed by ramp rate testing and evaluation. The overall goals of increasing flexibility are outlined as well.

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37 views17 pages

4 COWI - Operational Flexibility of Vietnamese Power Plants

This document discusses the operational flexibility of two Vietnamese thermal power plants, Quang Ninh unit 4 and Vinh Tan unit 2. It outlines some of the challenges to achieving low load operations with these plants due to their design and use of low-quality domestic coal. Suggested mitigation strategies include optimizing the coal milling and combustion processes, improving maintenance, enhancing monitoring, and potentially upgrading control systems. A roadmap is proposed to test achieving 40% load through burner management and control optimizations, followed by ramp rate testing and evaluation. The overall goals of increasing flexibility are outlined as well.

Uploaded by

uniqlobcca23
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Operational Flexibility of

Vietnamese
Thermal Power Plants
Potential opportunities for increased flexibility in
Vinh Tan 2 and Quang Ninh 4

Søren Hallberg Olsen - COWI


Agenda
Quang Ninh unit 4 and Vinh Tan unit 2
Overview Quang Ninh unit 4 Vinh Tan unit 2
Commision year 2006 2014
OEM (Design / manufacture) Alstom / Shanghai Boiler Works Foster Wheeler/ Shanghai Boiler Works
Firing system Indirect Direct
2 x 16 cyclone burners 2 x 36 cyclone burners
W-downshot W-downshot
Dynamic classifiers Dynamic classifiers
2 x ball mills 6 x ball mills, double in/out
Combustion air system 2 parallel systems (PA, SA) 2 parallel systems (PA, SA)
Flue gas system 2 parallel systems 2 parallel systems
ESP, FGD SCR, ESP, FGD
SH temperature control 2 spray attemperators 2 spray attemperators
RH temperature control 1 inlet spray attemperator 1 inlet spray attemperator
Gross power (RO) 300 MW 621 MW
Minimum load 75 % 70 %
Challenges

➢ Coal quality

➢ Volatiles
➢ Coal dust distribution from mills
➢ Coal dust fineness
➢ Flame scanners
➢ Low flue gas temperature
➢ SH and RH steam temperatures
➢ Controllability
Coal quality challenges
• Anthracite coal quality: high carbon, low volatile content

Mitigation:

➢ Power plants using imported coal are more pliable to flexibility measures.
Volatiles challenges
• Low volatile content makes anthracite difficult to ignite and sustain combustion.
• Low volatile coal leads to shorter, intense flames.
• Uneven heat distribution within the combustion chamber can result in incomplete combustion.

Mitigation:
No direct possibility to change the coal quality.
Optimization of combustion parameters and burner design is necessary for efficiency.

➢ Optimal mill process:


Uniform raw coal feed
Select better grinding balls (number, size and shape)
Regularly inspect and replace worn-out or damaged grinding balls
Optimize mill parameters: mill speed, feed rate, grinding pressure, and classifier settings
➢ Optimal combustion process:
Air/coal ratio
Burner settings (PA/SA/TA)

➢ Maintenance: Increased maintenance (cleaning, lubrication, and inspection of critical components)


➢ Monitoring: monitor flow, grinding pressure, pressure/temperature, and power consumption.
➢ Training and expertise: operators and maintenance personnel must be adequately trained and possess the necessary expertise
to operate and maintain the equipment effectively.
Coal dust distribution challenges
• Varying fuel supply to each burner.
• Variations in flame intensity and heat release rates.
• Uneven heat distribution and low combustion efficiency.
• Flame instabilities, impingement, and flameout.
• Incorrect air-fuel ratios and temperature profiles.
• Uniform distribution allows for optimized combustion conditions.

Mitigation:
To achieve proper distribution between coal pipes, various techniques and equipment can be employed.
➢ Optimal mill operation
➢ Flow control dampers, adjustable orifices
➢ Flow splitters / riffle boxes
➢ Classifier optimization, speed
➢ Flow monitoring. Online/offline
➢ Increased maintenance and inspections
Coal dust fineness challenges
• Fine coal particles facilitate combustion of volatile matter.
• Fine coal particles increase surface area for better combustion.
• Proper fineness ensures full combustion within available furnace residence time.
• Optimal fineness promotes stable and well-balanced flames.
• Coarse particles lead to incomplete combustion and flame instabilities.
• Fine coal dust improves fuel-air mixing within the combustion chamber.
• Reduces the occurrence of localized fuel-rich or fuel-lean regions.
• Proper fineness optimizes burner performance.
Mitigation:
➢ Optimal coal mill grinding operation
➢ Monitoring and control of particle distribution
➢ Optimal use of the dynamic classifier
➢ Increased maintenance and inspections
➢ Monitoring of process parameters
Flame scanner challenges
• Reliable flame scanners ensure the safe operation of coal-fired systems.
• Detects flame failure or instability, triggering necessary safety measures, such as fuel cutoff.
• Accurate flame detection allows for optimal control of combustion parameters.
• It enables adjustments in fuel-air ratios, burner settings, and auxiliary systems to maximize combustion efficiency
and minimize fuel wastage.
• Good flame scanners ensure stable and well-controlled flames.
• They help maintain consistent flame shape, size, and position, preventing flame instabilities, impingement, or
flameout.
Mitigation:
➢ Consider position/angle
➢ Increased maintenance and inspections

➢ Install new better scanners


Flue gas temperatures challenges
• Low load will reduce the flue gas temperature
• Which will lower the combustion temperature
• Which will reduce the combustion efficiency
• Increased corrosion in Air Preheaters
• SCR NOx temperature too low (Vinh Tan 2)

Mitigation:
➢ Operate Stream Air Preheaters to increase combustion air inlet temperature

➢ Lower combustion O2 set point

➢ SCR temperature: ECO bypass / Recirculation.


Controllability challenges
• Control system unable to handle low load and ramping
• Fuel/air and fuel/load coordination in lower loads and during ramping
• SA flow control. Maintain SA damper control while lowering the flow
• Furnace pressure control
• Drum level control
• Steam temperature control
• Flue gas temperature control
• Automated start/stop of burners
Mitigation:
➢ Apply new and optimized control philosophies
➢ Work with external specialists, OEM and others
Agenda
Suggestions to obtain low load
Take burners out of operation
40% load is possible for both Vinh Tan 2 and Quang Ninh 4
Reduce load by taking out burners and maintain high burner load in active burners
The center burners is expected to be active, while the outmost burners closer to the sidewalls are turned off

Preconditions:

✓ Combustion equipment working as prescribed by OEM and are well maintained

✓ PA and SA air dampers are able to close of the combustion air

✓ Optimal combustion by controlling p.f. distribution and fineness

✓ Combustion air system is controllable in low load (FD and PA fans)

✓ Flue gas system is controllable in low load (ID fans)

✓ Control system working in low load


Roadmap to obtain low load
1. Perform a low load test with current setup

2. Identify most critical controls

3. Optimize critical control loops

4. Perform low test aiming for 40% load

5. If successful, then perform additional ramp rate tests

6. Document and analyze the test

7. Repeat sequence from item no 2


Optimize critical
controls

Component
upgrades
Roadmap Low load test

for success
Ramp rate test

Evaluate and
document
Flexibility goals

I. Low load

II. Ramp rates 1% 5 %/min

III. Reduce start-up time

IV. Overload

V. Biomass
Thank you

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