A Review of Cryogenics Applications for Power and Energy

Author(s):  
Wajiha Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Farhan ◽  
Fatima Rehman

Abstract Cryogenic technologies use cryogens such as natural gas, nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, argon, and oxygen as main working fluids. These cryogenic technologies and cryogens are emerging in the fields of energy storage, power generation, and eco-friendly fuels. Recently, researchers have proposed to integrate cryogenic systems with power generation systems including Nuclear power plants and wind turbines, to store surplus energy during the off-peak hours and use it during peak hours. The basic idea is to convert air or some other cryogen into liquid during the off-peak hours and expand it during the peak hours to run turbines. Whereas in the shipping industry; LNG is being considered as an alternative fuel to gasoline to meet the future emissions criteria of IMO. LNG not only reduces the vessel’s emissions but it is also cheaper than heavy fuel oils. As every technology has some pros and cons, the efficiency of cryogenics power generation systems is low; about 25%, but work is being done to improve its efficiency and to find alternative applications. This article discusses the applications, advantages, and drawbacks of cryogenics technologies and fuels for energy generation and storage applications. It also focuses on the challenges which are being faced by this technology and possible ways to overcome them.

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 1221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelkader Rouibah ◽  
Djamel Benazzouz ◽  
Rahmani Kouider ◽  
Awf Al-Kassir ◽  
Justo García-Sanz-Calcedo ◽  
...  

The increase of solar energy production has become a solution to meet the demand of electricity and reduce the greenhouse effect worldwide. This paper aims to determine the performance and viability of direct normal irradiation of three solar tower power plants in Algeria, to be installed in the highlands and the Sahara (Béchar, El Oued, and Djelfa regions). The performance of the plants was obtained through a system advisor model simulator. It used real data gathered from appropriate meteorological files. A relationship between the solar multiple (SM), power generation, and thermal energy storage (TES) hours was observed. The results showed that the optimal heliostat field corresponds to 1.8 SM and 2 TES hours in Béchar, 1.2 SM and 2 TES hours for El Oued, and 1.5 SM and 4 TES hours for Djelfa. This study shows that there is an interesting relationship between the solar multiple, power generation, and storage capacity.


Author(s):  
William D. Rezak

One of America’s best kept secrets is the success of its nuclear electric power industry. This paper presents data which support the construction and operating successes enjoyed by energy companies that operate nuclear power plants in the US. The result—the US nuclear industry is alive and well. Perhaps it’s time to start anew the building of nuclear power plants. Let’s take the wraps off the major successes achieved in the nuclear power industry. Over 20% of the electricity generated in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. An adequate, reliable supply of reasonably priced electric energy is not a consequence of an expanding economy and gross national product; it is an absolute necessity before such expansion can occur. It is hard to imagine any aspect of our business or personal lives not, in some way, dependent upon electricity. All over the world (in 34 countries) nuclear power is a low-cost, secure, safe, dependable, and environmentally friendly form of electric power generation. Nuclear plants in these countries are built in six to eight years using technology developed in the US, with good performance and safety records. This treatise addresses the success experienced by the US nuclear industry over the last 40 years, and makes the case that this reliable, cost-competitive source of electric power can help support the economic engine of the country and help prevent experiences like the recent crisis in California. Traditionally, the evaluation of electric power generation facility performance has focused on the ability of plants to produce at design capacity for high percentages of the time. Successful operation of nuclear facilities is determined by examining capacity or load factors. Load factor is the percentage of design generating capacity that a power plant actually produces over the course of a year’s operation. This paper makes the case that these operating performance indicators warrant renewed consideration of the nuclear option. Usage of electricity in the US now approaches total generating capacity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has pre-approved construction and operating licenses for several nuclear plant designs. State public service commissions are beginning to understand that dramatic reform is required. The economy is recovering and inflation is minimal. It’s time, once more, to turn to the safe, reliable, environmentally friendly nuclear power alternative.


Author(s):  
Andrea Ciani ◽  
John P. Wood ◽  
Anders Wickström ◽  
Geir J. Rørtveit ◽  
Rosetta Steeneveldt ◽  
...  

Abstract Today gas turbines and combined cycle power plants play an important role in power generation and in the light of increasing energy demand, their role is expected to grow alongside renewables. In addition, the volatility of renewables in generating and dispatching power entails a new focus on electricity security. This reinforces the importance of gas turbines in guaranteeing grid reliability by compensating for the intermittency of renewables. In order to achieve the Paris Agreement’s goals, power generation must be decarbonized. This is where hydrogen produced from renewables or with CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) comes into play, allowing totally CO2-free combustion. Hydrogen features the unique capability to store energy for medium to long storage cycles and hence could be used to alleviate seasonal variations of renewable power generation. The importance of hydrogen for future power generation is expected to increase due to several factors: the push for CO2-free energy production is calling for various options, all resulting in the necessity of a broader fuel flexibility, in particular accommodating hydrogen as a future fuel feeding gas turbines and combined cycle power plants. Hydrogen from methane reforming is pursued, with particular interest within energy scenarios linked with carbon capture and storage, while the increased share of renewables requires the storage of energy for which hydrogen is the best candidate. Compared to natural gas the main challenge of hydrogen combustion is its increased reactivity resulting in a decrease of engine performance for conventional premix combustion systems. The sequential combustion technology used within Ansaldo Energia’s GT36 and GT26 gas turbines provides for extra freedom in optimizing the operation concept. This sequential combustion technology enables low emission combustion at high temperatures with particularly high fuel flexibility thanks to the complementarity between its first stage, stabilized by flame propagation and its second (sequential) stage, stabilized by auto-ignition. With this concept, gas turbines are envisaged to be able to provide reliable, dispatchable, CO2-free electric power. In this paper, an overview of hydrogen production (grey, blue, and green hydrogen), transport and storage are presented targeting a CO2-free energy system based on gas turbines. A detailed description of the test infrastructure, handling of highly reactive fuels is given with specific aspects of the large amounts of hydrogen used for the full engine pressure tests. Based on the results discussed at last year’s Turbo Expo (Bothien et al. GT2019-90798), further high pressure test results are reported, demonstrating how sequential combustion with novel operational concepts is able to achieve the lowest emissions, highest fuel and operational flexibility, for very high combustor exit temperatures (H-class) with unprecedented hydrogen contents.


Author(s):  
Tianxing Cai ◽  
Neha Gupta

Power delivery has become more dissimilar with that of the previous era. Conventional power and energy materials, such as relic fuels, nuclear power, and renewable energy (solar power, geothermal, hydroelectric, wind power, and biomass), are already present. The energy network operation becomes complicated because the integration of power generation, energy conversion, power transportation, and power utilization should be considered. There is an intricate assignment for us to perform swift power transmission for the extremely urgent situations. These situations are the results of regional lack of energy that needs to be brought back as soon as possible. Advanced supercomputing has already been one of the powerful solutions to work out these issues. This chapter initially presents an introduction of some of the supercomputing techniques and then the potential applications and demonstration examples follow to give the readers some hint on the handling of energy network operation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (1B) ◽  
pp. 213-223
Author(s):  
A. Ong’iro ◽  
V.I. Ugursal ◽  
A.M. Al Taweel

A computerized techno-economic model that can be used to predict the thermal, environmental and economic aspects of integrated gasification combined cycles (IGCC) using fluidized bed gasifiers was developed. A brief description of the model is presented and representative applications of the model are demonstrated with a case study. The results verify the favourable characteristics of IGCC systems (i.e. high thermal efficiency, low levelized unit electricity cost, and reduced pollution emissions) and illustrate the effect of various parameters on the performance of IGCC power plants. Models for IGCC with moving bed and entrained bed gasifiers are presented elsewhere.


Author(s):  
David J. Calhoun ◽  
Mark A. Gake

Operating nuclear power plants typically have backup electrical power supplied by diesel generators. Although backup power systems are designed with redundant trains, each capable of supplying the power requirements for safe shutdown equipment, there is a common-mode seismic failure risk inherent in these customary backup power arrangements. In an earthquake, multiple equipment trains with similar, if not identical, components located side-by-side are exposed to inertial forces that are essentially identical. In addition, because of their similar subcomponent configurations, seismic fragilities are approximately equal. In that case, the probability of multiple backup power system failures during an earthquake is likely to be dependent on, and nearly the same as, the individual seismic failure probability of each equipment train. Post-earthquake inspections at conventional multiple unit power stations over the last 40 years identified this common-mode seismic failure risk long before the tsunami-related common-mode failures of diesel generators at Fukushima Daiichi in March 2011. Experience data from post-earthquake inspections also indicate that failure probabilities of diverse sets of power generation equipment are independent and inherently less susceptible to common-mode failures. This paper demonstrates that employing diverse backup power designs will deliver quantifiable improvements in electrical system availability following an earthquake. These improvements are illustrated from available literature of post-earthquake inspection reports, along with other firsthand observations. A case study of the seismic performance of similarly configured electrical power generation systems is compared to the performance of diverse sets of electrical power systems. Seismic probabilistic risk analyses for several system configurations are presented to show the benefit of improved post-earthquake availability that results from designing new backup power systems with greater diversity.


1985 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-379
Author(s):  
Marjorie B. Bauman ◽  
Margery Davidson Boulette ◽  
Harold P. Van Cott

This EPRI-sponsored study reviewed the organizational communications used by nuclear power plants (NPPs) and identified weak links in the chain of coordination and information processing required to effectively perform corrective and preventive maintenance in the plants. Preliminary survey results from four NPPs showed that many communication areas deserve special attention in order to improve the work request process and decrease the time delays involved in the performance of maintenance work. This study evaluates two alternative programs designed to improve the effectiveness of the work request process. One approach involves evaluating an automated work request system as a way of improving interdepartmental communication and job performance as they relate to the implementation of maintenance work requests. Another approach assesses the effectiveness of interdepartmental meetings for supervisors as a method for improving organizational communication. Results of this longitudinal study are reported. Pros and cons of each intervention strategy are also discussed.


Atomic Energy ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-281
Author(s):  
D. N. Babkin ◽  
N. A. Prokhorov ◽  
V. T. Sorokin ◽  
A. V. Demin ◽  
V. V. Iroshnikov

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