Analysis of operation of Oblkommunergo electric networks of Irkutsk Region

Analysis has been performed of the operation of electric distribution networks of ten branches of Oblkommunenergo (OKE) of Irkutsk Region [1]. Based on the data on the operation of these networks published in public media, algorithms and computer programs for the Matlab graphic editor are compiled, which are used for plotting time diagrams that characterize the operation of the electrical networks under consideration. The balance changes are shown in the transmission of electric energy into the OKE networks and from the OKE networks directly to consumers (high, medium and low voltage networks). The number of failures, the power supply interruption time and the amount of electricity undersupplied in each month of the year for each of the branches are considered. The months of the year are determined, in which the greatest and least damage occurs to the electrical networks of the OKE branches. Data are presented on the dynamics of annual wear of electric networks, planned activities and their annual implementation. The level of reliability is considered according to the established indicators of the average duration of interruptions in the transmission of electric energy in each calculated regulation period. It is shown that the combination of the main causes of failures largely depends on the natural-climatic and terrain specifics of the regions through which the routes of electric networks pass. As an example, data on the causes of failure in the electrical networks of one of the OKE branches are considered. The most and least damaged electrical networks of the considered OKE branches have been established. In conclusion, findings are formulated and recommendations are presented on minimizing outages based on the main types of failure causes for the purpose of increasing the operational reliability of the electrical networks under consideration.

Investigation in characteristics of belt conveyors and their idler rollers for coal-fired power plants

Belt conveyors are highly efficient systems used in mining and other industries to transport bulk materials, mainly brown coal and overburden, over distances ranging from short distances to several kilometres. For technical reasons, their operation is associated with noise emissions. During inspections and maintenance this can lead to increased noise exposure of employees. In the vicinity of residential buildings or in areas needing protection, exceeding the emission limits can lead to a temporary restriction of the operation of these high performance installations. Measures are required to reduce the noise impact primarily at the source or in the immediate vicinity. The acoustic and mechanical parameters are investigated on a test bench at the Technical University of Brandenburg (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg as part of the drive assembly tests in cooperation with LEAG. The stages of these tests are: Run-up test. In this test the supporting roller is accelerated under test load to a circumferential speed of 10 m/s and the sound pressure level is recorded. This makes it possible to calculate the sound emission as a function of the peripheral speed; Recording the geometry of the idler gear. An accurate description of the geometry of the idler housing allows conclusions to be drawn about the possible causes of excitation. The defined characteristics serve to quantify the acoustic effect of the driven rollers and derive specifications for use in belt conveyor systems. Based on the special requirements to the planned belt conveyor system, an adapted selection of low-noise idler rollers can be made at an early stage on the basis of specified parameters and confirmed test results.

Refinement of arrangement of purifying elements of integrated air treatment device for gas transmission systems and power generation based on computational fluid dynamics

Gas pumping units with gas turbine units (GTU) are widely used in gas transmission systems. In recent decades, GTUs are increasingly used in power generation at thermal power plants. The efficiency and reliability of a gas turbine plant largely depend on the quality of air preparation. Integrated air cleaning devices (KVOU) as part of the air intake duct of the GTU have stages of coarse and fine air purification and rather large dimensions. The possibility of using a battery cyclonefilter with cleaning elements, in which both stages of cleaning are combined, in the design of the KVOU is considered. Numerical studies of the movement of a two-phase flow in a multicyclone, which is a model of the first 2 rows of a serial multicyclone, have been carried out. The first two rows of the serial multicyclone TsB-16 of the Biysk boiler plant, consisting of 16 cyclone elements 245 mm in diameter with a semi-coil gas supply, were taken as the initial geometric model. The geometric model was built using the Gambit preprocessor: a two-dimensional 2D model and a finite element mesh based on square elements were built. The finite element mesh of the numerical model generated in the Gambit program was exported to the solver of the ANSYS Fluent software package. Using the methods of computational hydrodynamics, the nature of the movement of a dusty flow in a battery cyclone with a corridor arrangement of cyclone elements has been investigated, their most effective placement has been determined, which provides the maximum inertial capture of suspended particles, in accordance with which a localization scheme for semi-coil entrances to treatment elements has been determined. In numerical studies, the aerodynamic characteristics of the dispersed flow in the multicyclone body are obtained. In accordance with the results of numerical studies, the efficiency of inertial sedimentation of suspended particles from the flow in the first row of elements was 36%, in the second row — 99%.

Place and role of rebranding in increasing market capitalization of modern energy companies

The author estimates the impact of the rebranding process on the capitalization of modern energy companies.Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the main theoretical aspects of the brand renewal process have been identified and presented. Examples of the world practice of rebranding in the energy sector are given on the examples of such corporations as AGL Australia, Eversource (formerly Northeast Utilities), Statoil, Gas Natural Fenosa, PJSC Rosseti. The concept of initial brand is studied, and the analysis of rebranding in one of Russia’s largest energy companies, the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, is presented from the concept to implementation. It is estimated that due to rebranding, all subsidiaries and organizations of this company will be united under a common brand name, which should further unite all the separate parts of the holding into a single streamlined system. This will further enhance both the company’s reputation and economic standing on international markets. The potential and authority of the Rosatom brand are forecast to rise, with the corporation becoming more competitive and attractive for investors. In the long term, this will definitely affect the total capitalization of Rosatom. According to all forecasts, this will rise, bringing the company good profits, along with considerable proceeds to the Russian Federation budget.The research methodology is consistent with conventional boundaries, with a full set of approaches typical of research of a social phenomenon, such as the company's rebranding activities. As a hypothesis, a convincing and proven assumption has been put forward that the brand has become as important factor in competitiveness as the tangible properties of company products. Rebranding is therefore taking a leading role in increasing the market capitalization and competitiveness of a company in international markets.

Training systems and simulators in thermal power engineering

The article analyzes reasons of technogenic accidents in the RF. It mentions the key ‘internal’ and ‘external’ reasons of accidents at hazardous production facilities. The article deals with the requirements for ensuring reliable, economical and safe operating modes of the equipment. It sets forth a modern structure for personnel training. Certain scientific and technical requirements and recommendations are offered for simulation of ergatic distribution systems for trainers designed for operation personnel of power generation facilities. The article dwells upon the initial regulations of the power industry in the USSR that set forth the requirements for training and simulator systems.

Project of Counteracting Catastrophic Developments at Nature-Man-Made Objects in Russia

The problem-oriented project to counteract the development of catastrophes (henceforth the CDC Project) was set up as a particular response to two factors:Since the late 1970s, a rapidly advancing worldwide pandemic of technological accidents (catastrophes), highly costly in terms of their consequences, has been emerging (see the data in the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) [1] of the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR).There are no alternatives to the innovative evolution of Russia, with the key role played by systemic technologies [1].At this point, the problem-oriented groundwork has been laid in Russia for many years, including operational prototypes of catastrophe protection systems. The large-scale and fundamental works completed so far within the CDC Project attest to the perception of the critical demand for it. The Project is based on a systemic approach and a new technology of the problem-oriented innovative professional instrumentarium of research on nature-man-made objects (NMMOs). To date, the design of the CDC Project has been practically completed. Moreover, the Project has passed several tiers of critical review analysis at higher authorities, with relevant positive opinions offered in every case. Under the circumstances (just before further rollout of works under the CDC Project), a decision was made to advise appropriate publication of a series of thematically related articles on academic and technological issues, this paper being the first of them.

Research of the energy efficiency of a combined air and water heating of a public building

Combined air and water heating schemes have been actively used recently for heating public and residential premises. They have certain advantages in countries with a warm climate, whereas in a temperate climate, their use may be unfeasible. The most effective regulation of the heating system in the building can be expected, if all the technology specifics are taken into account, in terms of both the purpose of the room and the methods of regulation. A system focused only on weather-based regulation falls short of meeting to energy-efficient control classes: a heat carrier with the same temperature is distributed among rooms with different requirements for temperature and humidity characteristics. The issues of ensuring the energy efficiency of the combined air and water heating system in public buildings for the temperate continental climate of Russia — the academic building (AB) and laboratory building (LB) of the Kazan State Energy University (KSEU) have been considered. Heating devices of the KSEU heating system have manual control valves installed in the premises, or radiator valves with thermostatic heads, but without room controllers, which does not meet the energy-efficient control classes. An experimental survey of the functioning of the heating system of the KSEU buildings during the 2019 – 2020 and 2020 – 2021 heating seasons was conducted. The optical pyrometry method was used to measure the temperature of the surfaces of windows, walls and elements of the heating system, as well as the temperature and humidity of the air in lecture rooms and corridors of the AB and LB of the KSEU. The parameters of heating devices and indoor air in rooms of various purposes were found compliant with the current sanitary and hygienic requirements. At the same time, the need to switch to a higher class of regulation has been revealed, since, under the current situation, the parameters of the indoor air depend on the outdoor temperature: in the abnormally warm winter of 2020, the indoor air temperature was at the edge of the maximum permissible value, while in the normal climate of winter of 2021, it was at the edge of the minimum permissible value.

Thermal and mechanical improvement of the air supply system of a turbocharged piston engine

A method of thermomechanical improvement of pulsating air flows in the intake system of a turbocharged piston engine is described. The main objective of this study is to develop a method for suppressing the rate of heat transfer to improve the reliability of a piston turbocharged engine. A brief review of the literature on improving the reliability of piston engines is given. Scientific and technical results were obtained on the basis of experimental studies on a full-scale model of a piston engine. The hot-wire anemometer method was used to obtain gas-dynamic and heatexchange characteristics of gas flows. Laboratory stands and instrumentation facilities are described in the article. The data on gas dynamics and heat exchange of stationary and pulsating air flows in gas-dynamic systems of various configurations as applied to the air supply system of a turbocharged piston engine are presented. A method of thermomechanical improvement of flows in the intake system of an engine based on a honeycomb is proposed in order to stabilize the pulsating flow and suppress the intensity of heat transfer. Data were obtained on the air flow rate and the local heat transfer coefficient both in the exhaust duct of the turbocharger compressor (i.e., without a piston engine) and in the intake system of a supercharged engine. A comparative analysis of the data has been carried out. It was found that the installation of a leveling grid in the exhaust channel of a turbocharger leads to an intensification of heat transfer by an average of 9%. It was found that the presence of a leveling grid in the intake system of a piston engine causes the suppression of heat transfer within 15% in comparison with the baseline values. It is shown that the use of a modernized intake system in a diesel engine increases its probability of failure-free operation by 0.8%. The data obtained can be extended to other types and designs of air supply systems for heat engines.

Assessment of technical condition of high-voltage overhead power transmission lines at the stage of their ageing

The organization of operation, maintenance and repair of the basic technological facilities of electric power systems (EPS), which are beyond their designed service life (hereinafter referred to as ageing facilities, or AFs) is one of the problems that determine the energy security of many countries, including economically developed nations. The principal cause of insufficient overall performance of AFs is the traditional focus of the EPS management on economic efficiency and the insufficient attention to reliability and safety of AFs. The tendency to nonlinear growth in the frequency of occurrence of unacceptable consequences in the EPS requires ensuring the operational reliability and safety of AFs. The averaged estimates of reliability and safety used at designing power facilities are not suitable for characterization of overall operational performance. Among the basic and the least investigated (in terms of operational reliability and safety) EPS facilities are overhead power transmission lines (OPL) with a voltage of 110 кV and above. This is for a reason. OPL are electric power facilities with elements distributed along a multi-kilometer line (supports, insulators, wires, accessories, etc.). That is what makes the organization of continuous monitoring of the technical condition of each of these elements, and, consequently, the assessment of operational reliability and safety, so problematic. A method is suggested for assessment of “weak links” among the operated OPL on operative intervals of time along with a method for assessment of the technical condition of OPL at examination of a representative sample.

Electrophysical properties of mixtures of mineral oil and synthetic ester dielectric liquid

Power transformers are key equipment in power generation, transmission, and distribution systems. The reliability of power transformers is based on the performance of the insulation system, which includes solid cellulose insulation and a liquid dielectric. Modern power engineering requires liquid insulation to have excellent insulating properties, high fire resistance, and biodegradability. Mineral oil that has been in use for over 100 years does not meet certain requirements. Therefore, various methods of enhancing the insulating properties of the oil are currently being considered, including mixing it with other liquid dielectrics, which have excellent properties. Synthetic and natural esters are considered as alternative fluids.This article discusses the possibility of enhancing the insulating characteristics of mineral oil with a high content of aromatic hydrocarbons (for example, T-750 oil) by mixing it with synthetic ester Midel 7131. Assessment is given of insulating parameters of the resulting mixtures with an ester fraction in mineral oil from 0% to fifty%. The main characteristics of the mixtures are described, such as density, kinematic viscosity, flash point, dielectric loss tangent, relative dielectric permittivity, breakdown voltage, and moisture content. It is shown that with an increase in the proportion of ester, some parameters of the obtained insulating liquid improve (flash point, dielectric constant, breakdown voltage), while values of other parameters (density, kinematic viscosity, dielectric loss tangent) with an ester content of more than 10% in the mixture do not meet the requirements for mineral oils.