Известия Томского политехнического университета: Инжиниринг георесурсов (Aug 2016)
Perspective power plants on aluminum fuel
Abstract
The relevance of the discussed problem is caused by use of aluminum as an intermediate source of energy to produce hydrogen, because aluminum is safe to use, transport and storage cost of aluminum is relatively low, and further use of the produced hydrogen is characterized by ecologically clean products of combustion. The main aim of the study is to determine energy efficiency characteristics of the main constructional elements, investment in installations depending on their thermodynamic parameters and working medium flows. The methods used in the study. The studies of thermal power plants using aluminum as fuel are characterized by a variety of physical and chemical processes, the uncertainty of economic information, etc., therefore, the authors propose the mathematical modeling of these systems using the software package SMPP PC as a method of study and optimization feasibility researches by models. The parameters were optimized in two stages: the first stage is maximization of the plant efficiency, and the second stage is minimization of specific capital investment in the installation when the efficiency is maximum. The results. The authors developed the technological schemes of gas-turbine installation with an aluminum fuel element, steam-gas installation with a hydrogen fuel element, hydrogen gas-turbine installation with exhaust heat boiler. The mathematical models of elements and installations in general based on technological schemes were constructed. Optimizing technical and economic researches on these models were carried out. Energy installations with aluminum fuel cells can provide very high net efficiency - 65 %. Energy efficiency of the combined-cycle installation with the hydrogen-air fuel cell is about 12 % less than the efficiency of a gas turbine installation with aluminum fuel cells, but at the same time in this case the capital investments are lower. Gas turbine installation on hydrogen with the waste heat boiler has relatively low capital investments, but not high enough level of net efficiency.
