Ecological efficiency in thermoelectric power plants

This work evaluates the environmental impact resulting from the natural gas and diesel combustion in thermoelectric power plants that utilize the combined cycle technology (CC), as regarding to Brazilian conditions according to Thermopower Priority Plan JPP). In the regions where there are not natural gas the option has been the utilization of diesel and consequentily there are more emission of pollutants. The ecological efficiency concept, which evaluates by and large the environmental impact, caused by CO2, SO2, NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions. The combustion gases of the thermoelectric power plants working with natural gas (less pollutant) and diesel (more pollutant) cause problems to the environment, for their components harm the human being life, animals and directly the plants. The resulting pollution from natural gas and diesel combustion is analyzed, considering separately the CO2, SO2, NO2 and particulate matter gas emission and comparing them with the in use international standards regarding the air quality. It can be concluded that it is possible to calculate thermoelectric power plant quantitative and qualitative environment factor, and on the ecological standpoint, for plant with total power of 41441 kW, being 27 170 kW for the gas turbine and 14271 kW for the steam turbine. The natural gas used as fuel is better than the diesel, presenting ecological efficiency of 0.944 versus 0.914 for the latter, considering a thermal efficiency of 54% for the combined cycle. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined cycle versus one thousand diesel power plants: pollutant emissions, ecological efficiency and economic analysis

The increase in the use of natural gas in Brazil has stimulated public and private sectors to analyse the possibility of using combined cycle systems for generation of electrical energy. Gas turbine combined cycle power plants are becoming increasingly common due to their high efficiency, short lead times, and ability to meet environmental standards. Power is produced in a generator linked directly to the gas turbine. The gas turbine exhaust gases are sent to a heat recovery steam generator to produce superheated steam that can be used in a steam turbine to produce additional power. In this paper a comparative study between a 1000 MW combined cycle power plant and 1000 kW diesel power plant is presented. In first step, the energetic situation in Brazil, the needs of the electric sector modification and the needs of demand management and integrated means planning are clarified. In another step the characteristics of large and small thermoelectric power plants that use natural gas and diesel fuel, respectively, are presented. The ecological efficiency levels of each type of power plant is considered in the discussion, presenting the emissions of particulate material, sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment and statistics of Brazilian hydroelectric power plants: Dam areas versus installed and firm power

The Brazilian relief, predominantly composed by small mountains and plateaus, contributed to formation of rivers with high amount of falls. With exception to North-eastern Brazil, the climate of this country are rainy, which contributes to maintain water flows high. These elements are essential to a high hydroelectric potential, contributing to the choice of hydroelectric power plants as the main technology of electricity generation in Brazil. Though this is a renewable source, whose utilized resource is free, dams must to be established which generates a high environmental and social impact. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact caused by these dams through the use of environmental indexes. These indexes are ratio formed by installed power with dam area of a hydro power plant, and ratio formed by firm power with this dam area. In this study, the greatest media values were found in South, Southeast, and Northeast regions respectively, and the smallest media values were found in North and Mid-West regions, respectively. The greatest encountered media indexes were also found in dams established in the 1950s. In the last six decades, the smallest indexes were registered by darns established in the 1980s. These indexes could be utilized as important instruments for environmental impact assessments, and could enable a dam to be established that depletes an ecosystem as less as possible.

Thermoeconomic model considering the environment impacts on thermoelectric power plants: Natural gas versus diesel

In this paper a comparative analysis of the environmental impact caused by the use of natural gas and diesel in thermoelectric power plants utilizing combined cycle is performed. The objective is to apply a thermoeconomical analysis in order to compare the two proposed fuels. In this analysis, a new methodology that incorporates the economical engineering concept to the ecological efficiency once Cardu and Baica [1, 2], which evaluates, in general terms, the environmental impacts caused by CO2, SO2, NOx and Particulate Matter (PM), adopting as reference the air quality standards in vigour is employed. The thermoeconomic model herein proposed utilizes functional diagrams that allow the minimization the Exergetic Manufacturing Cost, which represents the cost of production of electricity incorporating the environmental impact effects to study the performance of the thermoelectric power plant [3,4], It follows that it is possible to determine the environmental impact caused by thermoelectric power plants and, under the ecological standpoint, the use of natural gas as a fuel is the best option compared to the use of the diesel, presenting ecological efficiency values of 0.944 and 0.914 respectively. From the Exergoeconomic point of view of, it was found out that the EMC (Exergetic Manufacturing Cost) is better when natural gas is used as fuel compared to the diesel fuel. Copyright © 2006 by ASME.

On the parameters of performance of combined refrigeration and power plants

Combined Refrigeration and Power (CRP) plants generate power and refrigerate a thermal load simultaneously from the same fuel. The overall efficiency is a parameter based on the first law generally used to quantify the fuel saving, in the sense that a plant that has greater overall efficiency saves more fuel than others to generate the same useful energy. However, the literature shows that the overall efficiency and other parameters of performance are defined in several different ways. This heterogeneity is not desirable when considering a coherent and universally accepted parameter of performance based on the first law. In this work, some parameters found in the literature are critically analyzed in order to indicate the most proper one. The indicated parameter is then formally analyzed in order to verify its mathematical consistency. The primary energy rate is considered the most well-suited parameter based on the first law to characterize the performance of a CRP plant. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and IIR.

Economic and technical feasibility study of a combined-cycle cogeneration system associated with cellulose plants

In this paper, is presented an economical and technical feasibility study of a combined cycle cogeneration system proposed to be used in a pulp plant located in Brazil, where around 95% of country's pulp production is done by the use of Kraft Process. This process allows the use of black liquor and other by-products as fuel. This study is based upon actual data from a pulp plant with a daily production of 1000 tons., that generates part of the energy demanded by the process in a conventional cogeneration system with condensing steam turbine and two extractions. The addition of a gas turbine was studied to compare electricity production level and its related costs between original system and the new one, considering that the former can use industrial by-products and firewood as fuel, when required. Several parameters related to electric generation systems operation and production costs were studied. The use of natural gas in the combined cycle, in comparison with the use of firewood in the conventional system was studied. The advantages of natural gas fuel are highlighted. The surplus availability and the electricity generation costs are presented as a function of pulp and black liquor production.

Sleep complaints and polysomnographic findings: A study of nuclear power plant shift workers

The literature widely recognizes that shift workers have more health complaints than the general population. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of sleep complaints and verify the polysomnographic (PSG) variables of shift workers in two Brazilian nuclear power plants. We carried out a subjective evaluation with a sleep questionnaire. Based on these results, the interviewees that reported sleep-related complaints were referred for polysomnographic evaluation. of the 327 volunteers initially evaluated by the sleep questionnaire, 113 (35%) reported sleep complaints; they were significantly older, had higher body mass index (BMI), and worked more years on shifts than those without sleep complaints. of these 113, 90 met criteria for various sleep disorders: 30 (9%) showed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 18 (5.5%) showed limb movement, and 42 (13%) evidenced both sleep problems and had a significantly higher proportion of sleep stage 1 and arousals compared with the 23 shift workers that had no indices of sleep problems. The present study found that 90 (27.5%) of the evaluated participants met the PSG criteria of some type of clinical sleep disorder. This high proportion should be investigated for associations with other aspects of work, such as working hours, working schedule, years performing shift work, and access to health services. Due to the strong association between sleep disorders and the incidence of fatigue and sleepiness, the evaluation of the sleep patterns and complaints of shift workers is essential and should be considered to be one of the basic strategies of industry to prevent accidents.

Spinning reserve opportunity cost in hydroelectric plants

Starting from the deregulated process of the Electric Sector, there was the need to attribute responsibilities to several agents and to elaborate appropriate forms of remuneration of the services rendered by the same. One of the services of great importance within this new electric sector is the Ancillary Services. Among the various types of Ancillary Services, Spinning Reserve is a service necessary for maintaining the integrity of the transmission system from either generation interruptions or load variations. This paper uses the application of the Economic Dispatch theory with the objective of quantifies the availability of Spinning Reserve supply in hydroelectric plants. The proposed methodology utilizes the generating units as well as their efficiencies so as to attend the total demand with the minimum water discharge. The proposed methodology was tested through the data provided by the Água Vermelha Hydroelectric Power Plant. These tests permitted the opportunity cost valuation to the Spinning Reserve supply in hydroelectric plants. © 2005 IEEE.

Modelagem de ciclos combinados integrados à incineração de resíduos sólidos municipais

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Análise de ciclo avançado com seqüestro de carbono

The energy is considered one of the most important elements in the human´s life providing the survival as well as the well being. Nowadays, the technologies destined to generate power burn fossil fuels which pour gases (carbon dioxide among them) that contribute to the global warming phenomenon. Several research groups and universities have been studying different methods for generating power with low carbon dioxide emissions, including the possibility of burning zero-carbon fuels. In this text, it has been put attention to the Advanced Zero Emission Power Plants (AZEP) which separate the CO2 (from the gases involved in the power generation), compress it, dehydrate it and store it in appropriate reservoirs. The goal of this study was to find a possible solution to produce CO from CO2, activated by solar energy; the reaction between CO and steam generates a syngas comprised of H2 and CO2, which can be separated by chemical and/or physical processes. The text also contains a study concerning the compressed air energy storage power plant (CAES) and come up with its modification to C[CO2]ES. This power plant stores CO2 directing it to a reverse combustion process to produce CO which is headed to a syngas reactor to produce CO2 and H2. Hydrogen is separated and carried to the thermal cycle to generate power with low carbon emissions

O estudo da usinagem em torneamento da superliga à base de níquel Pyromet 31v

The search for materials with higher properties and characteristics (wear resistance, oxidation, corrosion, etc.) has driven research of various materials. Among the materials that are being studied with such properties and characteristics are super alloys based on nickel which has an important role in the aeronautical, automotive, marine, production of gas turbines and now in space vehicles, rocket engineering , experimental aircraft, nuclear reactors, steam-powered plants, petrochemical and many other applications because besides having all the characteristics and properties mentioned above also have an excellent performance at high temperatures. The super alloy based on nickel studied in this work is the super alloy Pyromet 31v normally used in the manufacture of exhaust valves in common engines and diesel engines of high power by cater requirements such as mechanical strength and corrosion resistance at temperatures of approximately 815 ° C. The objective of this work is to produce results to demonstrate more specific information about the real influence of coatings on cutting tools and cutting fluids in turning and thus promote the optimization of the machining of these alloys. The super alloy Pyromet 31v was processed through turning, being performed with various machining parameters such as cutting speed, feed rate, depth in conditions of Minimum Amount of Fluid (MAF), abundant fluid, cutting tools with coating and without coating in early in his work life and with wear. After turning were obtained several samples of chips and the part generated during the machining process, was measured roughness of the material, subsequently made macrostructural analysis of the tools used order to detect possible wear and microstructural analysis of samples collected being that the latter was used for Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Projeto de recuperação da planta termelétrica do Laboratório de Vapor do Departamento de Energia da Faculdade de Engenharia de Guaratinguetá

Brazil is nowadays the greatest bet of investors for the future due to its stable economy growth. The country has grown side by side with the greatest demand for electrical energy. The international appeal for renewable sources is causing a change in the Brazilian energetic matrix, raising the amount of energy generated by thermoelectric power plants. The construction of new power plants, running on biomass, requires a crescent number of capacitated personnel to run them. The Faculdade de Engenharia de Guaratinguetá – UNESP – has a steam laboratory; witch is deactivated, which has a thermoelectric plant of small capacity. The laboratory reactivation and the return of its activities can be an important tool in order to graduate engineer able to operate on such units. This paper proposes four new experiments to be simulated on the Collage’s Energy Dep. Steam Lab when it gets back to its educational activities

Comparação de junta soldada aço carbono/ aço inox utilizando como metal de adição aço carbono e aço inox

In contemporary industrial, welding processes are widely used, this is the most important process of joining metals used industrially. The welding can be used to build simple structures, like doors and gates for instance, in the same way can be used in situations of high responsibility, such as the nuclear industry and oil industry. Dissimilar welding is a case of welded joints, is characterized by the junction between different materials, for this case, stainless steel and carbon steel that are widely used in steam lines, power plants, nuclear reactors, petrochemical plants. Because their different mechanical and corrosive properties, the join, stainless steel with carbon steel, not only meets environmental requirements and also reduces cost. By using penetrating liquid tests, macrograph, hardness and tensile test was compared the possibility of replacing the current use of 309 rods as filler metal in dissimilar welding between carbon steel and stainless steel by add-on material carbon steel essentially, in this case E7018 coated electrode was used, but without the coating. After analysis of the results and for comparison, was proposed with some certainty that it is possible to replace the addition of materials, thus leading economy in this process widely used in the modern industry

Variabilidade genética de acessos de aguapé coletados no Estado de São Paulo

No presente trabalho foram coletados acessos de Eichhornia crassipes (aguapé) nos reservatórios das hidrelétricas de Barra Bonita, Bariri, Três Irmãos, Ilha Solteira, Salto Grande, Promissão, Ibitinga, Nova Avanhandava, Mogi-Guaçu, Euclides da Cunha, Jaguari, Jurumirim, Jupiá, Paraibuna e Porto Primavera, do Estado de São Paulo. Estes acessos foram submetidos a um estudo de variabilidade genética por meio de RAPD. Os primers utilizados foram OP X02, OP X07, OP X11 e OP P10 (TTCCGCCACC, GAGCGAGGCT, GGAGCCTCAG, TCCCGCCTAG, respectivamente). Dentre os acessos coletados e analisados, 21 apresentaram índice de identidade genética acima de 0,90. O dendrograma gerado com dados entre populações revelou forte coerência com a distribuição geográfica dos reservatórios que continham as plantas de aguapé. A variabilidade genética encontrada entre os acessos coletados nos diferentes reservatórios estudados foi elevada, considerando que a principal via de reprodução dessa espécie é a vegetativa.

Superação de dormência de sementes de Ceratophyllum demersum

Dentre as várias plantas daninhas aquáticas imersas que proliferam nos reservatórios de usinas hidrelétricas, destaca-se em importância Ceratophyllum demersum, devido à sua grande capacidade de reprodução e produção de biomassa. Contudo, apesar de problemática, estudos relacionados com o mecanismo de propagação e persistência dessa espécie em ambiente aquático são bastante escassos no Brasil. Dessa forma, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar diferentes métodos de superação de dormência em sementes desta planta daninha aquática coletadas na Lagoa Vírgula, localizada no rio Tietê-SP. As sementes coletadas foram divididas em dois lotes, sendo um constituído por sementes acondicionadas em um recipiente contendo água destilada e o outro por sementes acondicionadas em sacos de papel em condições de câmara fria (16,8 ºC). Após 650 dias da coleta das sementes, foram realizados os testes de superação de dormência, utilizando os seguintes tratamentos: escarificação manual; imersão em ácido sulfúrico concentrado (98%) por 5, 15, 25 e 35 minutos; imersão em água quente (98 ºC); e testemunha A, constituída pelo lote de sementes acondicionadas em um recipiente contendo água destilada, e uma testemunha B, constituída pelo lote de sementes acondicionadas em saco de papel. Os resultados demonstraram que a espécie C. demersum produz sementes férteis e podem permanecer viáveis no sedimento por vários anos após a fecundação. A escarificação das sementes foi o método mais eficaz na superação da dormência, sendo significativamente superior aos demais tratamentos e apresentando 65,0% de germinação aos 79 DAT. Ficou evidente a necessidade de realização de mais estudos para determinação de uma metodologia mais adequada à avaliação de dormência em sementes de C. demersum.