Instrumentation and Controls for Coal-fired Power Plants – Hot Topic March 3

David Early of Combustion Technologies Corp. told attendees that combustion optimization at coal-fired power plants can be achieved with the use of various instruments that are available today but did not exist just a few years ago. Low NO_x burners give power plants the ability to control air to each burner - yet most don't have a measurement to tell how MUCH air each burner is getting. Accurate measurement of burner secondary air (SA) is now available for ANY low NO_x burner so that control with the burner SA can be optimized. Likewise, the amount of coal flow to each burner can be continuously measured and controlled for best combustion practices. Combined, these devices can be used for continuous control and provide for significant efficiency increases. Also the CO can be measured and controlled.

 Ravi Jethra, Power Industry Specialist at Endress + Hauser, Inc., covered process instrumentation in power plants, primarily coal-fired power plants. The company has a wide range of liquid and gas instruments for flow, pressure and other parameters. They have service centers in the U.S., as well as mobile units for onsite renovation.

Todd Melick, Vice-president of PROMECON USA, Inc., described the online unburned carbon in ash system that provides direct feedback from the combustion system. He also covered an online particle size analysis for coal fineness monitoring and air flow measurement for hot dusty applications. This measurement system is being used in challenging applications such as co firing of biomass with coal.

The Bios, Photo and Abstracts are linked below.
BIOS, PHOTO, ABSTRACTS - March 3, 2011.htm