August 2024, Issue 8 (842)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BULLETIN OF THE INSTITUTE OF POWER ENGINEERING – NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Jarosław Hercog
Application of the thermochemical water splitting cycles in the low-emission hydrogen production
Krzysztof Jagiełło, Piotr Jóźwiak, Sławomir Chemicz, Beata Glot, Aleksandra Koprowska, Tomasz Derdak, Szymon Wiatr, Arkadiusz Baran
Stand for testing the combustion processes on a quarter-technical scale.
Hydrogen burners – first operational experience
Stanisław Kiszło
Reducing the use of SF6 gas in the power industry – alternative insulation to SF6 gas
Grzegorz Nehring, Bartosz Świątkowski, Krzysztof Jagiełło
Possibility to produce a vitrificate from energy ashes on a 1 MWth semi-industrial stand scale and testing its suitability for economic purposes
Adam Babś, Tomasz Samotyjak
The long-term current capacity of overhead lines determination based on long-term measurements of weather conditions
Bartosz Świątkowski
Conversion to decarbonized heating boilers
POWER ENGINEERING AND PRODUCTION COMPANIES
Konrad Kurek, Piotr Ligas, Łukasz Grzesiak, Tomasz Kawała
Robotic welding of large-size structures made of fine-grained steel S690QL and S960QL
Jerzy Janczyszyn
The potential of photovoltaic panels for medium and large cities in Poland
POLISH POWER ENGINEERS
Bogumił Dudek, Jacek Wańkowicz
Prof. Dr. Eng. Marek Jaczewski (1926-2017) – electrical engineer, long-time director of the Energy Institute, as well as a scout and sailor
Bogumił Dudek
Marek Jaczewski’s scouting days
Jerzy Dąbrowski
Marek Jaczewski’s sailing passions intertwined with professional ones – memories of Jerzy Dąbrowski
Bogumił Dudek
Patron of energy and media Auschwitz
OVERTIME LECTURE…
Bogumił Dudek
Climate crisis?
SUMMARIES
Jarosław Hercog
Application of the thermochemical water splitting cycles in the low-emission hydrogen production
The work compares the three most promising thermochemical water splitting cycles for the production of low-emission hydrogen, which show potential application in industrial processes. These cycles are characterized by high energy efficiency of hydrogen production, relatively low costs of hydrogen production, and additionally show high flexibility in the use of electricity and heat in water splitting processes. Challenges in implementing these solutions include relatively low technological maturity, corrosion of materials and process optimization.
Krzysztof Jagiełło, Piotr Jóźwiak, Sławomir Chemicz, Beata Glot, Aleksandra Koprowska, Tomasz Derdak, Szymon Wiatr, Arkadiusz Baran
Stand for testing the combustion processes on a quarter-technical scale. Hydrogen burners – first operational experience
The paper presents the first operational experience from testing a 150 kW hydrogen burner using oxygen-enriched air, designed at the Institute of Power Engineering – National Research Institute. The burner tests were carried out on a specially adapted stand for testing the combustion processes on a quarter-technical scale. Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier that allows storage of excess power generated by renewable energy sources and the stabilization of the grid. As a fuel, hydrogen combusted with oxygen reaches high flame temperatures, and the resulting exhaust gases are free of soot and carbon compounds. This paper presents the initial operational experiments of testing 150 kW burner, designed by the Institute of Power Engineering – National Research Institute, that combusts hydrogen with oxygen enriched air. The burner test was conducted on a specially adapted test stand for combustion processes at a quarter-technical scale. The burner’s operating parameters were verified at a 0.5 MW test stand, which was appropriately adjusted for fuel and oxygen supply, allowing for a four-hour analysis of the burner nominal operation. Additionally, the test stand was modified to enable nitrogen supply and to test burners with new geometrics. After series of experiments, the burner’s operating conditions, including fuel and oxidizer flow rates, were optimized to achieve the desired temperature conditions. The conducted research allowed for the collection of operational experiences related to the burner’s performance in the extreme conditions inside the combustion chamber, resulting from burning hydrogen in oxygen-enriched air.
Stanisław Kiszło
Reducing the use of SF6 gas in the power industry – alternative insulation to SF6 gas
The first part of the article presents the legal basis and the actions taken by the European Parliament and the Council of Europe to successively restrict the use of equipment with fluorinated insulating gases. The second part of the article describes MV and HV switching equipment with the use of SF6 gas and alternative insulation technologies. The third part of the article presents examples of MV switches in gas insulation and vacuum. Research work carried out in Poland on MV circuit breakers and switch disconnectors using vacuum chambers is described.
Grzegorz Nehring, Bartosz Świątkowski, Krzysztof Jagiełło
Possibility to produce a vitrificate from energy ashes on a 1 MWth semi-industrial stand scale and testing its suitability for economic purposes
Power sector in Poland generates approximately 20 million tons of combustion by-products (CBPs) annually, of which about 76% are utilized. They are used in the production of ready-mixed concrete, road construction, mining, gypsum and cement production, land reclamation and ceramics. The Institute of Power Engineering – National Research Institute conducts research on the production of vitrificates from energy ash, which could compete with natural aggregates. The production of vitrificates from energy ashes can be profitable when combined with energy production and the costs of avoiding landfill. Vitrification normally used for the disposal of hazardous waste, can also be economically justified for CBPs, especially in the context of new regulations on CO2 emissions and the circular economy: ETS2 directive (from January 1, 2027, including transport and construction); CPR2 regulation of February 30, 2022. At the Institute of Power Engineering, research was conducted on the production of vitrificates products on a semi-industrial stand with a power of 1 MWth. The efficiency of the installation reached 38.8% for a relatively small reactor and a short experiment duration. The vitrificates products obtained in the tests showed high environmental neutrality and good strength, meeting the standards for aggregates for structural concrete: „Los Angeles” test – LA = 23; crushing strength – Xr = 19.8%. The economic viability of constructing a 40 MW installation with a slag liquid discharge chamber cooperating with a power boiler was demonstrated, with cumulative revenue exceeding 150 PLN/Mg of vitrificate products and a payback period of 5.5 years from the start of production, making this technology an attractive alternative to the landfilling of combustion by-products.
Adam Babś, Tomasz Samotyjak
The long-term current capacity of overhead lines determination based on long-term measurements of weather conditions
The paper describes the method of determining the long-term current carrying capacity (Id) for 110 kV overhead lines with different wire diameters and line design temperatures. The criterion for calculating Id is maintaining the normative distance of wires from crossed objects, and not, as in current practice, which primarily considers the line’s design temperature. The described method assumes determining the capacity individually for each line, using data from the line audit and knowledge of the location of weather measurement stations. The basis for deciding Id is measurement data of atmospheric conditions lines recorded every 15 minutes for several years along with the load on these lines. The adoption of the proposed method of determining Id and the use of these values in power flow analyses performed as part of the analysis of the impact of generation sources on the power system should, according to the authors, significantly reduce the number of refusals to connect RES generation sources for technical reasons, mainly due to insufficient line capacity.
Bartosz Świątkowski
Conversion to decarbonized heating boilers
Transformation of the Polish heating sector is unavoidable and necessary for implementation of climatic goals and compatibility with the EU regulations. This will, however, be a very expensive process and spread over several years. Presented are here prospects and benefits resulting from conversion of heating boilers to decarbonized ones as one of the possible and financially attractive stages of transformation process. Discussed are specific conversion case-studies that can bring significant investment and operational savings. Conversion to decarbonized heating boilers not only reduces transformation costs but also contributes to energy efficiency improvement and can be an important element of sustainable energy development in Poland.
Jerzy Janczyszyn
The potential of photovoltaic panels for medium and large cities in Poland
The article attempts to assess the suitability of solar energy to cover the electricity demand of medium and large cities in Poland using photovoltaic panels. It is known that solar energy does not reach the earth’s surface 24 hours a day and only to a small extent in winter. It can be converted into electricity and stored in batteries, but only for a few hours. For example, for Krakow, the average daily efficiency and the necessary area of photovoltaic panels were calculated to cover the city’s demand in winter, when the demand is the highest. The panel areas in December obtained in two ways would amount to 43 and 64 km2. Comparison with implemented low-power power plants shows that it may be up to several hundred km2. It was considered that an area of this order is practically unrealistic in the city or even in its vicinity. As a result, it was concluded that nuclear energy remained the only option to provide the necessary electricity and heat while abandoning fossil fuels. The latter result from the need to protect the climate and ensure profitability. In practice, it may be a combined heat and power plant storing heat from summer to winter in a large heat storage facility.
