Thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of complex energy system (steady-state and dynamic process simulation (Aspen plus), exergy analysis, techno-economic evaluation, thermoeconomic analysis, …), covering oxy-fuel combustion, chemical-looping combustion, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, MEA, and pulverized-coal fired power plants; Automation of Electric Power Systems (specialist analysis platform of coal-fired power plants based on web and remote run-time database)

1. Introduction

The coal-fired power plant, carbon capture and storage (CCS) and so on, have the characteristics of being widely involved in different sectors and fields, being widely spanned in time and space, high cost and knowledge intensiveness, strong interaction with society, economics and ecological environment . Therefore it is essential also important to carry out comprehensive evaluation and integrated optimization considering energy-economy-environment effects simultaneously.

2. Research findings
(1) Process simulation of Coal fired power plant

On-line monitoring, system optimization and control, real-time fault diagnosis, reasonable design, safe and economic operation, etc. have become the challenging need of modern large-scale power plant. Remote/local specialist analysis platform of power plant , which is based on Web technology and the advance three-layer structured mode of Browser/Server/Database, has been built to realize the real-time monitoring of power plant operation data, online economic analysis, intelligent search engine, remote simulation, remote fault diagnosis and visualization of thermodynamic calculation.

Web-based real-time monitoring system of coal-fired power plant

(2) Process simulation of complex energy conversion system

The basis of thermodynamic analysis of coal fired power plant (including boilers, turbines, generators and other subsystems) is to setup a mathematical description of the relationship between the input and output variables of internal interconnected components, that is to say, to establish) mass balance, energy balance of the main equipment (being divided into heat transfer equipment, transmission equipment, equipment expansion and compression equipment) and characteristic equations of thermodynamic properties of the device and simultaneously solve these mathematical equations to achieve process simulation. Commercial software was used for steady-state and dynamic process simulations of conventional coal-fired power plants and new oxyfuel power plants, which lays the foundation for energy-economics-environment analysis and evaluation.

Simulation platform of Oxyfuel power plant

(3) Environthermoeconomic evaluation and analysis

Based on detailed information on material and energy flows from process simulation, the exergy analysis, techno-economic evaluation, environthermoeconomic analysis and evaluation, fault diagnosis and operation optimization on the basis of structured theory of thermoeconomics, were successfully conducted for understanding traditional coal fired power plants and oxyfuel power plants. The thermodynamic process and distribution rule of inherent “cost” were clearly explained. These results are able to provide valuable references for optimization design, high-efficiency and low-cost operation, and even technology selection and energy policy making.

Reference

1. Xiong Jie，Zhao Haibo*. Techno-economic evaluation of oxy-combustion coal-fired power plants. Chinese Science Bulletin, 2011
2. Jie Xiong, Haibo Zhao*, Meng Chen, Chuguang Zheng. Simulation study of an 800MWe Oxy-combustion Pulverized Coal Fired Power Plant. Energy & Fuels, 2011,25(5):2405-2415
3. Bo Jin, Haibo Zhao*, Chuguang Zheng. Dynamic Simulation and Analysis of a 600MWe Oxy-fuel Boiler. 9th Asia-Pacific Conference on Combustion 2013 (Oral Presentation)
4. Bo Jin, Haibo Zhao*, Chuguang Zheng. Dynamic Simulation of a Conceptual 600MWe Oxy-fuel Combustion Power Plant. 3rd Oxy-fuel Combustion Conference 2013 (Oral Presentation)
5. Jie Xiong, Haibo Zhao*, Zhaohui Liu, et al. Techno-economic evaluation of O2/CO2 recycle combustion system and mea scrubbing system based on thermoeconomics. Kung Cheng Je Wu Li Hsueh Pao/Journal of Engineering Thermophysics. 2008, 29(10): 1625-1629
6. Jie Xiong, Haibo Zhao*, Chuguang Zheng, et al. An economic feasibility study of O2/CO2 recycle combustion technology based on existing coal-fired power plants in China. Fuel, 2009, 88(6): 1135-1142