# Presentation: 712048

## Energy Systems Research & Testing Activities at INEEL

*** *****Greg Mines**

**March 2003**

## Energy Systems Research & Testing

***Objective:***
**Develop technologies that increase economic viability of power generation**
**Research oriented towards**
**increasing component & process efficiency**
**decreasing capital and operating costs**
**Surface conversion equipment and processes **
**Aligned with DOE’s programmatic goal of reducing the levelized cost of power**

## Increasing Conversion Efficiency

***Importance:***
**Large quantities of fluid **
**Cost/value associated with fluid**
***Impact:***
**More equipment intensive**
**Plant $/kW may not decrease significantly**
**Total project $/kW will decrease**
**Cost of power will decrease**

## Current INEEL Research Tasks

**Enhanced Air Cooled Condenser Performance**
**NCG Removal from Binary Plants**
**Steam Quality Monitor**
**Thermal Spray Coatings – Internal Surfaces**
**On-line Bio-film Monitor**
**Natural H****2****S Abatement - Microbial Sulfur Oxidation**
**Development of Power Plant Costs**
**Improving Existing Plant Performance**

## Enhance Air-Cooled Condenser Performance

**Binary plant air-cooled condensers**
**Installed: 20-35% of plant cost**
**INEEL investigating use of vortex generators**
**Bench scale test results**
**30-40% higher air heat transfer coefficients**
**expect 10-20% higher “U” – same fan power**
**CRADA agreement – McElroy Manufacturing**
**Initiate field test of prototype - 2005**

## Non-Condensable Gas Removal – Binary Plants

**NCG’s not associated with binary plants**
**accumulate in condenser**
**reach threshold - operators vent**
**Membrane separation process for continuous removal: **
**1% ncg level**
**increase power by 2 – 4% **
**WF emissions <100 lb annually**
**Field testing underway (SBGeo, Mammoth)**
**Collaborate with Membrane Technology Research**
**Complete extended field testing - 2004**

## INEEL ESR&T Funding

*             *_***Year***_***                            ***_***Funding***__*  *_
*	**	***FY-98****	****	****	****$   787K**
**	****	****FY-99****	****	****	****$1,157K**
**	****	****FY-00****	****	****	****$1,274K**
**	****	****FY-01****	****	****	****$1,340K**
**	****	****FY-02****	****	****	****$1,195K**
**	****	****FY-03****	****	****	****$1,059K**

## Technology Transfer

**Meet on regular basis with industry **
**Results are reported and presented at industry attended meetings (GRC, ASME)**
**Where appropriate pursue intellectual properties**
**patents**
**licenses for technologies**

## Accomplishments

**Increased conversion efficiency (power output)**
**2 to 4%  with continuous ncg removal**
**up to 8% with mitigation of off-design operation**
**2 to 5% with improved air–cooled condenser design**
**In-plant validation of improved process monitors**
**steam quality and hydrogen sulfide (ppm)**
**bio-film monitors**

## Accomplishments (cont’d)

**Decreased costs**
**decreased capital cost associated with 10-20% increase in air-cooled condenser performance**
**CRADA to develop “tooling” for condenser modifications**
**developed method of applying thermal spray coatings to internal surfaces (pipes, valves); <50% cost of exotic materials**

## Future

**Commercial ncg removal technology - 2004**
**Bio-film monitors incorporated into plant - 2004 **
**Field test of prototype condenser - 2006**
**Tooling commercially available to fabricate condenser tubes with fin enhancements - 2006**
**ASTM specification for applying thermal spray coatings - 2006**
**Continuous H****2****S and HCl (ppb) monitors - 2007**