Fueled Engine Air Delivery for Coal Plant Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Coal plants face inefficiencies and high emissions due to significant parasitic loads from electrically driven main air blowers and soot blowers, which consume a substantial portion of the generated power and contribute to environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a fuel-driven system for both the main combustion air and soot blower air, utilizing a fueled engine to power the blower systems and inject compressed air into the boiler, reducing the reliance on electric motors and enhancing waste heat utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If electric motors are used to drive main air blowers and soot blowers, then the plant can operate with conventional fuel systems, but parasitic loads increase and plant efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the main air blower and soot blower functions into a single integrated system driven by a dual-fuel engine. This merger eliminates separate electric motor drives for each system, reducing parasitic electrical loads while maintaining all required air delivery functions. The unified system allows coordinated operation of both air streams from a single power source.
Solution Approach 2:
The dual-fuel engine serves multiple functions: it drives the main air blower, drives the soot blower compressor, and can operate on different fuel types (natural gas or diesel). This multi-functionality replaces what would traditionally require separate electric motors and power transmission systems, reducing overall system complexity while eliminating parasitic electrical loads.
2Productivity
If a dual-fuel engine is used to drive both main air blower and soot blower, then plant efficiency increases and parasitic load decreases, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the main air blower drive system and soot blower drive system into a single integrated dual-fuel engine installation. This consolidation reduces the number of separate prime movers and power transmission systems required, simplifying the overall configuration while increasing plant output by eliminating parasitic electrical loads.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If compressed air is injected into the combustion zone, then waste heat is utilized and emissions are reduced, but the system requires additional compression infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The dual-fuel engine's compressor serves multiple functions: it compresses air for the soot blower system and also delivers compressed air to the combustion zone for waste heat utilization. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate compression infrastructure while achieving emission reductions through improved combustion efficiency and waste heat recovery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases plant output by approximately 7% while reducing specific emissions by 7%, allowing for a decrease in coal consumption and substitution with natural gas, thereby improving efficiency and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a fueled engine to power the blower systems and inject compressed air into the boiler
Implementation Method 2
an auxiliary air compression system providing compressed air for a soot blower of the coal-fired steam generator and waste heat to a combustion zone
Data Source
AI summary
Operating coal fired energy systems. A method of operating a coal fired energy system comprises operating a coal fired steam generator comprising a coal feed system and a main air feed system to provide a coal-air mixture as a heating source for a boiler for generating steam. The method includes operating an auxiliary air compression system comprising a fueled engine coupled to a compressor for providing an auxiliary supply of compressed air to a soot blower of the coal-fired steam generator. The method comprises injecting the auxiliary supply of compressed air along walls of the boiler to remove soot and ash buildup from the boiler.