Insights of the Week
Ultrapure Water IIoT Webinar this Thursday - Join us Thursday, April 27 for the
webinar on IIoT and remote O&M for power, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical
plants You can register at Weekly IIoT Webinars
Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals - You can also register for this
webinar which will be held on May 10. The market is analyzed in N026 Water and
Wastewater Treatment Chemicals: World Market
Chinese air emission limits are now stringent and enforced - We are tracking the
tough power plant emission regulations in China in our market reports on FGD,
DeNox, fabric filters, and precipitators. Details on these reports are accessed
at http://home.mcilvainecompany.com/index.php/markets
Cleanroom market is booming - IIoT is creating the need for billions of new
sensors. This is good news for the semiconductor industry and for cleanroom
suppliers. The use of IIoT in cleanrooms was discussed in a webinar last week.
You can view and listen to recording at Cleanroom IIoT and Remote O&M. There is
also a new video covering the market report. Check it out at N6F World Cleanroom
Markets
Valves for steam service have lots of challenges - Interviews with the experts
reveal lots of problems with valves used for steam service in power plants. The
biggest problems are encountered in gas-fired plants where there is daily
cycling. Zero leakage, flow accelerate corrosion, and bi-directional sealing are
some of the issues. We are reporting on them in High Performance Valves and IIoT
Attemperators are HRSG Problem No.1 - The valve problems and serious problems
with attemperators are related. The broader problems are being assessed in 59D
Gas Turbine and Reciprocating Engine Decisions
Coal-fired Power Generators have Lots of "Clean" Opportunities
In many Asian localities coal will be the only near term solution to create
electricity, prosperity and health. In Japan, the U.S. and Europe coal will
continue to provide much of the electricity for decades to come.
Coal can be greener than any other form of generation. An example would be a
system which uses 70% coal and 30% biomass and is producing CO2 which is
injected to enhance oil recovery. This system is taking CO2 out of the cycle.
This makes it greener than solar or wind.
Here is another example. Let's compare (1) a system using electricity from the
grid with (2) distributed generation from a dedicated coal-fired boiler.
(1) 1)The first plant draws all its electricity from a utility which has a mix
of solar, wind and gas generator sources. The plant needs a reliable power
source which is assured with gas-fired power in the mix. The plant needs process
steam and heat. Therefore, it burns gas for these purposes.
(22) The second plant generates its own electricity using coal. It is a combined
heat and power plant providing steam and heat for local industries or
residences. Its efficiency is over 70% compared to 35% without the credit for
heat and steam. This means that plant number one is using lots of gas to equal
the heat provided by CHP in plant number two.
Plant 1 Plant 2
Total Combined Heat and Power Use (MW) 60 60
MW of Electricity 30 30
MW of Heat and Power 30 30
CO2 from Electricity Generation X 6X
CO2 from Heat and Steam Generation 4X 0
Total CO2 5X 6X
This comparison is based on a generation mix from the central utility of 1/3
gas-fired power. At higher ratios of gas-fired power generation at the central
utility the CO2 is less from the combined heat and power plant. The tremendous
increase in efficiency for combined heat and power has led GE to predict that
distributed generation will be the wave of the future and that large central
1000 MW power plants will disappear.
This comparison could be considered biased by not comparing a gas-fired CHP to
central electricity supply. CO2 emissions would only be 4X. This is the vision
prompting GE's bullish forecast. On the other hand, for much of the world gas is
not available. Even in the U.S. many coal-fired industrial power plant operators
have learned that the cost of a gas transmission line to their plant from the
closest source would be prohibitive.
There is another aspect which will reduce CO2 emissions. CO2 is a plant
fertilizer. The BHE Currant Creek plant pipes CO2 from the power generator to an
adjacent greenhouse which grows 22 million pounds of carbon consuming tomatoes
per year.
This brings up an ethical question relative to the harm from CO2. When you
increase CO2 from 400 ppm to 600 ppm plants grow 40% faster. Shell pipes CO2 to
550 greenhouses in the Netherlands. Forty universities and government
organizations have completed a study using satellite images which show that the
earth is greening. The ethical question would be whether you choose to prevent
starvation of a few in the short-term or reduce the long-term harm to the many.
This is a complex question as covered in Sustainability Universal Rating System.
For countries with both inadequate food supplies, electricity and natural gas
indoor farming with combined CO2 fertilization, heat and power with coal will
save lives. Coal can be as clean as natural gas in terms of all the pollutants.
China has a policy to invest in air and water pollution equipment to ensure that
the entire fleet of power plants has emissions as low as the cleanest gas
turbine plant. In fact, with their zero-liquid discharge policy (ZLD) there is
no discharge of water to streams and rivers. Air cooled condensers (rather than
wet cooling towers) and dry scrubbers (as opposed to wet) can eliminate water
use.
Coal is made even more attractive with by-product flyash and gypsum production.
This eliminates CO2 which would be caused by alternative production processes.
The newest discovery is that the FGD systems can be the lowest cost option for
rare earths feedstocks. HCl Scrubbing and Rare Earth Recovery from Coal-Fired
Power Plants and Gasifiers are the Perfect Marriage.
Despite pressure from environmentalists more money will be spent in the next
decade to build, operate, and maintain coal-fired plants than for any other
generation option. Solar and Wind may very well eliminate fossil-fired
generation someday, but that day is generations away. In the meantime, there is
a big opportunity to make coal-fired power generation:
• More efficient
• Less costly
• Cleaner
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) empowered by the Industrial Internet of
Wisdom (IIoW) provides the route to more efficient, less costly and cleaner
coal-fired generation N031 Industrial IOT and Remote O&M.
IIoW is created by the interconnection of people with actionable knowledge as in
44I Coal Fired Power Plant Decisions. It is further created by interconnecting
people in each plant with the suppliers as in 4S01 Berkshire Hathaway Energy
Supplier and Utility Connect.
The biggest benefits of IIoT will come in the developing countries. Initiatives
such as that between Juniper and India Power to provide O&M support at Indian
power plants and the MHPS remote control center in the Philippines will provide
the world's coal-fired generation wisdom to localities lacking it.
Bob McIlvaine
President
847-784-0012 ext. 112
rmcilvaine@mcilvainecompany.com
www.mcilvainecompany.com