SUPERCRITICAL POWER PLANTS AND THEIR APPLICABILITY IN INDIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The development of conventional thermal power plants has been an evolutionary process characterised by a continuous trend toward lower heat rates. For many years efforts have been made to improve the efficiency and economy of steam power plants. However, for the last few years there has been little economic incentive to continue the efforts and consequently R&D to increase thermal efficiency has been relatively stagnant. The rapid escalation in fossil fuel costs during the lost decade and the increasing need to conserve scarce fossil fuel resources have changed this view and have warranted a re-examination of the potential for improving thermal efficiency. In the light of these considerations, the boiler type to be selected for the coming generation of fossil fired steam generators, sub-critical or supercritical once-through, is an issue which is gaining more and more importance for the utilities all over the world. The purpose of this project was to study the benefit of pursuing higher thermal efficiency, steam power plants. The specific objectives were: * To study the design features and criteria of various supercritical steam generator manufacturers with simultaneous assessment of their relative advantages in specific operating conditions. * To evaluate these plants from availability, cyclic duty, maintainability and economic point of view. * To note the past and present trend of installation of these units and to assess for such trends. * To know about the present R&D work which is continued all over the world and the developments that may take place in the next decade. * To assess the feasibility of adoption of these units in India. The overall objective of this project is to present information on supercritical once-through steam power plants and their application possibility in India.....