Power plant and method for operating a power plant
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of a stationary internal combustion engine with a district heating system for increased efficiency results in higher engine temperatures during idle or inactive states, leading to increased starting times, transient time delays, and higher NOx emissions, necessitating slow starts to comply with emission limits.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of additional cooling devices, such as rooftop coolers or thermal storage masses, which can take over cooling duties when the district heating system is insufficient, allowing for faster transient performance and reduced emissions by cooling the intake manifold and combustion air/fuel mixture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the internal combustion engine operates with increased engine temperature to provide thermal energy to the district heating system, then the overall efficiency of the power plant increases, but the starting time and transient time of the engine increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented into multiple independent cooling circuits: the district heating system circuit and additional cooling devices circuit. This allows selective activation of cooling devices depending on operational requirements, enabling fast starting by activating additional cooling during startup while maintaining district heating functionality during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Additional cooling devices are pre-positioned and ready to activate before startup or transient performance requirements occur. The control unit detects transient conditions and activates additional cooling in advance or immediately, preventing temperature-related delays in engine startup and transient response.
2Loss of energy
If the internal combustion engine operates with increased engine temperature to provide thermal energy to the district heating system, then the overall efficiency of the power plant increases, but the NOx emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system transitions from a static district heating-only configuration to a dynamic multi-circuit system that can adjust cooling capacity in real-time. The control unit dynamically activates additional cooling devices based on transient performance requirements, enabling the engine to operate at optimal temperatures for both efficiency and emission control under varying conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temperature parameter of the engine and charge air dynamically by activating additional cooling devices during transient conditions. This maintains lower charge air temperatures during startup and transient operation, reducing NOx emissions while allowing higher temperatures during steady-state operation for improved efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the district heating system maintains the engine temperature during idle operation, then the engine does not require pre-heating before starting, but the charge air temperature is undesirably high at startup
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is divided into separate circuits that can operate independently. The district heating circuit maintains engine temperature during idle operation, while additional cooling devices connected to the charge air cooling system can be selectively activated during startup to cool the charge air without affecting the engine block temperature maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the engine system are cooled differently: the engine block is maintained at higher temperature by the district heating system during idle, while the charge air and intake manifold can be locally cooled by additional cooling devices during startup. This spatial differentiation of temperature control resolves the contradiction between engine maintenance temperature and charge air temperature.
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 enables faster engine response and power output increase while maintaining low emissions, as the additional cooling devices reduce the charge air/fuel mixture temperature, enhancing engine performance and compliance with emission regulations.
Implementation Method 1
cooling of the at least one internal combustion engine is effected—at least partially—using the at least one additional cooling device
Implementation Method 2
separate additional cooling devices can be provided, e.g. as thermal reservoir, preferably as at least one roof top cooler and/or thermal storage mass
Implementation Method 3
heat exchange between the district heating system and the at least one internal combustion engine wherein on the one hand the at least one internal combustion engine is cooled and, on the other hand, heat is supplied to the district heating system
Implementation Method 4
the at least one internal combustion engine is configured to deliver a mechanical power by burning a fuel
Data Source
AI summary
Method for operating a power plant for generating energy, comprising at least one stationary internal combustion engine (1) and a district heating system (20) connected to the at least one internal combustion engine (1) in a heat exchange relationship,wherein the at least one internal combustion engine (1) is configured to deliver a mechanical power by burning a fuel,wherein on the one hand the at least one internal combustion engine (1) is cooled and on the other hand heat is supplied to the district heating system (20) through a heat exchange between the district heating system (20) and the at least one internal combustion engine (1) andwherein at least one additional cooling device (12) is provided,wherein the cooling of the at least one internal combustion engine (1) is effected—at least partially—using the at least one additional cooling device (12) when a transient performance requirement for the at least one internal combustion engine (1) occurs.