2010 International Conference on Intelligent System Design and Engineering Application

Optimization on Seawater Desulfurization

Efficiency Based on LSSVM-GA
Liu Ding-pingLi Xiao-wei
College of Electric Power South China University of Technology
Guangzhou, 510640, China
lixiaoweigg@163.com
AbstractSeawater flue gas Desulfurization (SFGD) was
adopted in many coal-fired power plants of littoral for its
low cost less influence on sea and high desulfurization
efficiency. Operating Parameters would seriously affect
SFGD efficiency , the desulfurization efficiency can be
improved by reasonably adjusting parameters . With a
seawater desulfurization unit of a 1000MW thermal power
plant, through analyzing the influencing factors, this paper
applied Least Square Support Machine (LSSVM) to build
the studying model of seawater desulfurization efficiency.
The input parameters of the model were sulfur dioxide
concentration at flue gas inlet, net flue gas flow &
temperature, electric current of water booster pump,
seawater flow & temperature of the absorption tower inlet.
Seawater flue gas desulfurization efficiency was used as
output of the model. Then by using the method of genetic
algorithm (GA) to optimize the seawater desulfurization
efficiency, the research obtained the optimizing and
adjusting tactics, which can be used to guide power plant
desulfurization operation adjustment.

the method of genetic algorithm(GA) to optimize the

seawater desulfurization efficiency. Based on all above,
this paper proposed the adjusting strategies of
optimization. The experiment proves that according to the
benchmark, it can optimize operating conditions, seawater
desulfurization.
II.

A. Seawater Desulfurization Principle

Generally, seawater has a pH ranging from 8.0 to 8.2,
therefore, it has natural acid-base buffering capacity and
the ability to absorb acidic gas. Seawater FGD principle is
that seawater which normally is used as cooling water
systems of power plants located along the coast is used as
a desulfurization agent to wash flue gas emissions, the
natural alkalinity of seawater, in terms of carbonate ions
(CO32-) and bicarbonate ions (HCO3-), can be absorbed
sulfur dioxide(SO2) of the flue gas to get SO32- ,resulting
from scrubbing flue gas[2]. In the absorber, sulfur
dioxide(SO2) of the flue gas contacts with seawater, is
dissolved and converted into sulfurous acid, the pH value
decreased for existing a large number of H +.
The whole process of the chemical reaction types as
follows:
O2 + H2O HSO3- + H+
(a)
HSO3- + 1/2O2 H++3 SO42(b)
HCO3- + H+ CO2 + H2O
(c)
(d)
CO32-+ 2H+ CO2 + H2O

Keywords- SFGD; desulfurization efficiency; LSSVM; GA ;

optimization

I.

INTRODUCTION

sulfur dioxide produced by coal-fired power plants

profoundly impacts on the environment, so flue gas
desulfurization systems has become a indispensible part of
the air cleaning of coal-fired plants . For power plants
located in coastal area, utilization of seawater from the
cooling system of the plant to scrub sulfur dioxide has
become a promising and attractive alternative to using
other alkaline chemicals, such as limestone and
magnesium hydroxide. Compared to the conventional wet
limestone system, the seawater FGD system offers many
advantages in terms of process, design, operation and cost
effectiveness[1].

B. Seawater Desulfurization Process

Seawater desulfurization process mainly includes the
seawater conveyance system, flue gas system, SO2
absorption system and sea water recovery system.
Seawater which is introduced the top of the absorption
tower from the cooling water systems by booster pump
and contacts countercurrent with flue gas and absorbs
sulfur dioxide (SO2), and then flow to the bottom of the
absorber. Treated flue gas is discharged from the top of
the spray tower. At last, seawater of the bottom of the
absorber flow to the basin by the Natural fluid pressure
difference. In the basin, Drums compressed air by the
blower , makes sulfurous acid ions change to sulfate ions
and releasing the CO2, so that seawater pH> 6.5, meeting
emission standards into the sea. Figure 1 shows a
schematic diagram of a seawater FGD system[3].

For the 1000MW thermal power plant, the main

operating conditions parameters on the desulfurization
influence are as follows: Inlet flue gas sulfur dioxide
concentration, net flue gas flow& temperature, water
booster pump electric current, inlet seawater flow&
temperature etc.
The paper applied the Least Square Support Vector
Machine (LSSVM) to build the studying model of
seawater desulfurization efficiency through analyzing its
influencing factors with a 1000MW thermal power plant
seawater desulfurization unit system, then the study used
978-0-7695-4212-6/10 $26.00 2010 IEEE
DOI 10.1109/ISDEA.2010.345

SEAWATER PROCESS DESCRIPTION AND

MECHANISM

29

In the above equation Lagrange multiplier a and the

deviation function b can be solved by equation (1) .
In the study, taking RBF kernel function as follows:

Damper
Treated Gas
Stack

K ( x, xl ) exp[ ( x xl

Heat Exchanger

/ 2 2 )]

Accuracy and Convergence rate of LSSVM Function be

Seawater

affected by the different values as , .

Fan
Flue Gas
Electrostatic Precipitator

Absorber
Fan

Basin

seawater desulfurization efficiency can be affected by

the following parameters as follows : inlet carbon dioxide
concentration, net flue gas flow, net flue gas temperature,
water booster pump A electric current, water booster pump
B electric current, inlet seawater flow, inlet seawater
temperature ect.

Figure 1 . schematic diagram of a seawater FGD system

III.

THE LSSVM MODEL OF SEAWATER

DESULFURIZATION EFFICIENCY

In the constant operating conditions, there are strong

coupling nonlinear characteristics between the operating
parameters. The process was so complicated that it could
hardly be described by mechanism model. Least square
support vector machine (LSSVM) showed large advantage
in resolving the problems of nonlinearity and multiparameter coupling[4~5].

All the above-mentioned parameters will be regarded as

the input parameters of the model, meanwhile seawater
desulfurization efficiency as output parameters of the
model. By building a model to study the relationship
between parameters and seawater desulfurization
efficiency.
Optimization model for seawater
desulfurization efficiency be shown in figure 2.

A. Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM )

C. Training and Analyzing of the LSSVM Model

The research object was the seawater desulfurization of
a 1000MW coal-fired power plant. 40 groups of data were
chosen to be researching samples of the LSSVM model
building from the DCS system. The 35 groups of data were
used as training samples, and the other 5 groups were used
as verified samples of the model to verify the accuracy of
the sample. The data were shown by Table 1 (only 5
groups listed validation samples) [6~7]. 25th to 29th will be
used to verify the accuracy of the model.

Suppose the training samples

D {( xi , yi ) | i 1, 2,, l}
In the above equation

xi R l , yi R; xi

was inlet

yi

parameter was outlet parameter l was the number

of samples. In the original space w , the optimization
problem can be described as

min J ( w, e)
w, b , e

1 T
1 l 2
w w ei
2
2 k 1

The LSSVM model totally had 7 input parameters and

1 output parameters[8]. The data were normalized to (0,1)
interval, than model selected the RBF_kernel as the kernel
function. Omalized parameter () was 58, and RBF_kernel
parameter () was 20.The result of LSSVM model training
was shown by Fig.3.

The constraint condition as follow

y i w T ( xi ) b ei , i 1, 2, l.
the corresponding Lagrange function as follow :
l

L J ai {wT ( xi ) b ei yi }i 1,2,, l

The relative error of verified samples in the model was

shown by Table2, and the generalization capability,
convergence rate and stability of the model were analyzed
as follows:

i 1

Then, the issue that seeking optimal solution was

transformed into solving linear equations as follows:
T
0

1
v

b 0
1

kl I a y
1
v

(1)
1

y [ y1 ,, y l ];1v [1, 1]; a [a1 , al ];

kl ( x k ) T ( xl ) K ( x k , xl )
LS-SVM Function estimated as follow
l

y ( x) a k K ( x, xl ) b
i 1

B. Analyzing on In-out Parameters of the LSSVM

Model
The adjusting experiment shows that under constant
load the

2
30

Generalization capability: as to the 35 groups of

training samples and 5 groups of verifying
samples, error of the calculated value of
desulfurization and the actual measured ones is
0.18%, which is far less than the allowed
0.18%. .It fulfills the expectation of
desulfurization.

97.5

N et Flue Gas Flow

N et Flue Gas
Temperature
W ater Booster Pump A
Electric Current
W ater Booster Pump B
Electric Current
I nlet Seawater Flow

Standard Line
Training Samples
Vefified Samples

97
Calculated Value(%)

LSSVM Model of Omptimization on

Seawater Desulfurization Efficience

Seawater Desulfurization Efficience

Inlet flue gas SO2

concentration

96.5

96

95.5
95.5

I nlet Seawater
Temperature

97.5

Figure 3 . Comparison on calculated value and actual value of

seawater desulfurization efficiency

Figure 2 . LSSVM Model of Omptimization on Seawater

Desulfurization Efficiency

TABLE I.

96
96.5
97
Actual Value of Seawater Desulfurization Efficiency(%)

THE DESULPHURIZATION VERIFIED SAMPLES

Verified
Samples

Inlet flue gas

SO2
concentration

net flue gas

flow

net flue gas

temperature

water
pump A
current

water
pump B
current

inlet
seawater
flow

inlet seawater
temperature

Seawater
desulfurization
efficiency

25
26
27
28
29

mg/Nm3
590.21
593.643
623.398
597.076
603.561

106Nm3/h
2021.61
1937.191
1886.032
1953.211
1948.835

81.052
81.052
81.052
81.532
81.532

A
85.608
85.631
85.732
87.145
86.083

A
84.794
86.094
87.371
87.168
87.428

t/h
23852
21839.7
21677.98
20676.65
21583.8

27.702
27.702
28.772
28.772
28.772

%
96.784
96.636
96.688
96.628
96.697

TABLE II.

THE COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL VALUE AND CALCULATED VALUE OF LSSVM MODE

1

Samples

10

15

20

25

26

27

28

29

Actual Value

96.520

96.368

96.143

96.696

96.520

96.784

96.636

96.688

96.628

96.697

Calculated Value

96.520

96.320

96.230

96.628

96.597

96.794

96.636

96.678

96.599

96.871

Relative error (%)

0. 05

-0. 09

0. 07

-0. 08

-0. 01

0. 01

0. 03

-0. 18

TABLE III.

Verified
Samples
Original
Value
Optimal
Value

Inlet flue gas

SO2
concentration
mg/Nm3

THE COMPARISON OF PARAMETERS BEFORE AND AFTER PSO OPTIMIZATION

water
pump A
current
A

water
pump B
current
A

inlet
seawater
flow
t/h

inlet
seawater
temperature

Seawater
desulfurization
efficiency
%

2021.610

81.052

85.608

84.794

23852

27.702

96.784

1937.191

80.052

83.631

86.094

21839.7

26.702

98.686

net flue gas

flow

net flue gas

temperature

106Nm3/h

590.210
593.643

(2)

Convergence rate: By solving the linear equation,

LSSVM has a short calculating time. The
average time of the LSSVM model of seawater
desulfurization efficiency was 0.938s, which
indicated that the feasibility of the model.

(3)

Optimum solution: after the initial parameters is

given, the support vector machine can get the
similar results, which means what the support
vector machine get are all optimum solutions.

IV. OPTIMIZED CALCULATION FOR THE MODEL

OF SEAWATER DESULFURIZATION EFFICIENCY BY
GENETIC ALGORITHM
A. Genetic Algorithm
The basic concept of genetic algorithm (GA) rooted in
the characteristic of organic evolution. The characteristic
included reproduction, mutation, competition and selection.
As to be a universal self-adapting and random search tool,
GA was global convergence and strong robustness. GA
had been applied in many scientific and engineering field,
and it was a favorable tool in solving to many favorable
problem[9].
31

convergence and optimum solution. The testing results

show that the research model of the seawater
desulfurization efficiency which is based on the LSSVM is
feasible.

B. The optimized calculation of the LSSVM model

based on GA
After building the LSSVM model, optimum is needed
for a guidance of seawater desulfurization efficiency
optimization. The process of modeling is from input to
output, while the optimum is opposite, i.e. when seawater
desulfurization efficiency reaches the maximum, the
results of each input parameters. The mathematical model
of finding optimized value of seawater desulfurization
efficiency was described as follow:

maxf

stX i Ei
0 X 1
i

(1)
1.

f f ( X i , X l , a , b , )

(2)
(3)
(4)

i 1, 2,3, ,7
j 1, 2,3, ,35
In

the

above

(2) By taking advantage of genetic algorithm (GA) to

carry out optimization calculation of the designed
condition. Simulation results are compared with the actual
value; the results show that genetic algorithm can get the
consistent adjustment strategy of desulfurization
efficiency of optimization. In given conditions, the
optimal adjustment strategy can make systematic
desulfurization efficiency increase 96.784% 98.636%,
which will optimize desulfurization adjustment style,
improve desulfurization efficiency.

equation:

desulfurization efficiency;

Xi

was

(3) With GA optimization of the parameters for

benchmark value of the current load, it can well solve
problem of ascertainableness of the seawater
desulfurization efficiency working parameters of the

seawater

benchmark. Through this method it can also determine the

was input variable of

X l was training samples of LSSVM

E
model; i was limited range; was kernel parameter;
a was lag range multiplier and b was deviation.

other loads benchmark problem, with a good adaptability.

The results of optimized calculation was shown by

Fig.6.Via 3000 calculated steps, the LSSVM-GA model
find a optimized value of the seawater desulfurization
efficiency which was 98.686%,than the corresponding
adjusting tactics under the condition was given in Table 3.

[1]

LSSVM model;

References

[2]

98.7

[3]

98.68

Optimized Value (%)

98.66

[4]

98.64
98.62

Seawater Desulfurization Efficientcy

Average Fitness

98.6
98.58

[5]

98.56
98.54

[6]

98.52
98.5

500

1000
1500
2000
Genetic Generation (times)

2500

3000

[7]
Figure 4 . Self-adapting of GA
[8]

V. CONCLUSION
(1)By experimenting a coal-fired power plant 1000MW
per unit of seawater flue gas desulphurization, the paper
established the LSSVM model of seawater desulfurization
efficiency and analyzed its generalization capability,

[9]

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