Aboño Project Report

2015
Real Improvement Project Aboo

Power Plant
Omar Ghaoud
Jaime Roque
Mariam El Aflej
Alberto Bermejo
Beatriz Urrutia
11/17/2015
Report of the Aboo Power plant

Escuela Politcnica. Academic Year 2015-2016
Content
Introduction: ................................................................................................................................. 2
Power Plant Component Overview ............................................................................................... 5
Boilers ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Improvements of efficiency .................................................................................................. 6
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 7
Generators ................................................................................................................................ 7
Conclusions ........................................................................................................................... 8
Steam Turbines ......................................................................................................................... 8
Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 10
Strategies to amplify electric power generated. ......................................................................... 10
References ................................................................................................................................... 12
Beatriz Urrutia, Jaime Roque, Mariam El Aflej, Alberto Bermejo, Omar Ghaoud
Page 1 of 12

Introduction:
A thermal power plant is a power plant that produces electricity from a heat source, which
could be nuclear, geothermal, solar thermal electric, coal, natural gas
Thermal power plants use water as working fluid. The way energy from fuel gets transformed
into electricity forms the working of a power plant. In a thermal power plant a steam turbine
is rotated with help of high pressure and high temperature steam and this rotation is
transferred to a generator to produce electricity.
The process can be divided into three parts,
according to the transfer of energy:
Chemical to heat energy
Heat to kinetic energy
Kinetic to electrical energy
Chemical to heat energy:

In the case of using coal as a primary
energy, first the coal is crushed, to convert
it in the powder that will be used as fuel.
Once mixed with air, the powder is injected and then combusted in a boiler at a high
temperature. This combustion produces heat to heat the water circulating in the pipes. Under
the effect of heat, the water turns into high-pressure steam.
Heat to kinetic energy:
Steam is then entered into a turbine at high speed, and the turbine blades get rotated by
high pressure and high temperature steam, the steam loses its energy. This in turn will result
in a low pressure and low temperature steam at the outlet of the turbine. Converting, the
high pressured steam into mechanical energy.
Kinetic to electrical energy:
The shaft that comes out of the turbine, allow it to connect to the generator. So when the
turbine turns, the shaft and rotor is turned. And as the shaft inside the generator turns, an
electric current is produced in the wire. And thats how the electric generator is converting
mechanical moving energy, into electrical energy.
The Aboo power station located in the Aboo, generates
enough energy to cover 60 percent of the energy demand of
Asturias. It has two units, one with a capacity of 365,5 MW
and the other 556,2 MW. It uses Spanish coal, imported coal
and the excess gases from blast furnaces and coking ovens
as primary energy. Its singular side is due to this variety of
fuel used in combustion.
Page 2 of 12

The first unit of the power station contains a natural circulation boiler with a capacity of 1
111 Tm/h of main steam at 172 bar and 540, and a 987 Tm/h of reheated steam at 41 bar
and 540C. It has 88% in terms of performance.
In its turbo-alternator it has three-part turbine with forty-two stages and seven steam
extraction units and a 167 bar, 538 C with intermediate reheating and a final pressure of
0.058 bar.
The electricity is generated at 22 000 V, and the apparent power of the generation unit is
423000 KVA.
While the natural circulation boiler of the second unit has a capacity of 1 725 Tm/h of
superheated steam at 168 bar and 540, and a 1 465 Tm/h of reheated steam at 41 bar and
540 C. It has 87.7% in terms of performance.
When the turbo-alternator it has Four part tandem condensation turbine with reheating and
eight extractor units. Where steam enter at 167 bar and 538 C.
In this case the electricity is generated at 19 000 V, and the apparent power of the generation
unit is 639 000 KVA.
The thermodynamic cycle used is Hirn. Which is an improved version of Rankine cycle, the
difference is that the steam leaving the boiler is superheated to a temperature above the
critical temperature while the pressure will remain substantially constant.
It is thus possible to limit, condensation in the turbine. The other advantage of the
overheating is that the work recovered in the turbine which will be more important in some
cases may improve performance. Which is our objective to increase power production till 1
200 MW.
The calculation of the cycle
Group 1
Page 3 of 12

Point
1
2
3
4
5
6
Enthalpy
Ideal
3396.77
3044.9
3536.36
2211.714
148.9159
165.71
Enthalpy
Real
3396.77
3132.8675
3536.36
2542.87
148.9159
169.653
Entropy
6.41213
6.4121
7.1949
7.1949
0.5125
0.5125
The Efficiency of the turbine is: 75%

The Efficiency of the pump is: 90%
The Efficiency of the cycle is: 35%
The mass flow rate is: 1111Tm/h
The exit net power of the cycle is: 394,464 MW
The net power of the center of the power plant is: 394,464 * 0.94 = 360 MW
Group 2
Point
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Enthalpy
Ideal
3396.77
3382.0506
3410.35
3010.10
3311.86
2123.9808
148.916
165.7
Enthalpy
Real
3396.77
3385.73
3410.35
3110.1625
3311.86
2420.95
148.916
167.56
Entropy
6.41213
6.4121
6.4464
6.4464
6.91069
6.91069
0.5125
0.5125

The Efficiency of the cycle is: 35%
Page 4 of 12

The mass flow rate is: 1725Tm/h

The exit net power of the cycle is: 584.957 MW
The net power of the center of the power plant is: 584.957 * 0.94 = 540 MW
Power Plant Component Overview

Boilers
Aboo Thermal Power Plant vapor is
produced in the boilers lighted on the picture.
The Aboo 1 boiler is the red pipe building,
while the blue one is the higher production
boiler from the second group. Both are
similar and made by the same company,
Foster Wheeler AG. The bigger one, which
belongs to the second group, produce a 50%
more amount of vapor volume flow rate, and
both overheat the vapor to similar specific
enthalpy. Because the boilers are almost the
same, it is only considered the description of
one of them in order to avoid redundancy.
Differences will be detailed below.
Milled coal is the main fuel provided to the
boilers. It comes from two principal suppliers:
Asturias central mining area and foreign
coal, usually from USA and Indonesia,
discharged on the near harbor of Musel.
Frontal burners like the one of the picture,
burn a high pressure mix of coal powder and
air; inside the furnace.
Water inside the boiler is held in a single
container and flow without pumping inside
the chamber. Vapor motion due to natural
circulation is obtained by density differences
between overheat vapor and water.
Once the vapor goes through the high pressure turbine, it returns to the boiler for a reheating
step before passing through the low pressure turbine. Some vapor is taking away in the
meantime, as it can see on the gap between volume flow rates.
Page 5 of 12

Some technical data:
Group I (1974)
1111 tm/h principal vapor 172 bar, 540C
987 tm/h reheated vapor 41 bar, 540 C
88% efficiency rate
Group II (1985)
1725 tm/h principal vapor 168 bar, 540C
1465 tm/h reheated vapor 41 bar, 540 C
87.7% efficiency rate
Current boilers have a good efficiency rate, which shows the amount of energy given to the
vapor respect the total energy provided by the milled coal. For instance, working a single
hour, the boiler of Aboo 1 makes vapor with a total energy of 3500 GJ. Considering the
coal Net Calorific Value of 24453 kJ/kg, during that hour a total amount of 150 tons of coal
are required. The same calculations for Aboo 2: 5525 GJ of vapor that requires 225 tons
of coal.
The whole Aboo Power Plant needs approximately a supply of 375 tons of coal per hour.
Improvements of efficiency
Boiler efficiency depends mainly of three parameters: the amount of fuel unburned, the
amount of hot gases going out and the amount of heat given to the water. A good combustion
air management can increase final plant efficiency by 0.84%. Measuring the Carbon
Monoxide and the oxygen of the flue gases gives information about the combustion.
Therefore, combustion analysers and automatic fuel-air mixers are the key for this matter.
For coal burning, 0.5-2% of air excess over stoichiometric is recommended.
Innovative pulverized coal burners have been
developed using modern computational
technology. These burners reduce the NOx
emissions, unburned carbon and improve the
boiler efficiency and the overall plant heat
rate. Companies like Babcock & Wilcox
commercialize them as Airejet Low NOx Coal
Burners. Using this technology in addiction
with the implementation of an air preheater
can increase the final plant efficiency by up to
2%.
Due to the improvements on NOx emissions applied on burners, the only remaining concern
about the flue gases temperature is the minimum required at the top of the flue-gas stack.
Exhausted gases have to keep a certain shape during their dispersion in order to avoid
pollution concentration which can be harmful to the population living near the thermal power
plant. Some fuel-burning equipment does not rely upon natural draft, using large fans or
blowers. If the improvements over flow gases temperature carries this problem, using
artificial drafts may be a solution.
Low rank coal, such as lignite, despite being abundant over the earth surface, has several
problems related with its moisture and potential safety hazards. New drying technologies
are being developed these days. Therefore, using this kind of coal in Aboo may be a fact.
Page 6 of 12

Otherwise, for all types of coal, drying and other pulverized carbon treatments can improve
the overall efficiency over 0.1-1.7%.
Soot is deposited on the furnace tubes of a boiler during combustion, causing serious
problems in terms of heat transfer efficiency and maintenance. Cleaning the surfaces is
critical. Sootblowers systems intermittently inject high velocity jets of steam or air to clean
coal ash deposits. This automatic cleans may improve the overall efficiency by 0.5%.
Turbulators, which consist of small baffles, angular metal strips, spiral blades, or coiled wire,
are inserted into the boiler tubes to break up the laminar boundary layer. This increases the
turbulence of the hot combustion gases and the convective heat transfer to the tube surface.
The result is improved boiler efficiency. Turbulators are usually installed on the last boiler
pass. Boiler efficiency may be improved by about 3.25%, 1% increase of the global
efficiency.
Conclusions:
Modern technologies are available focusing on improving the boiler thermal efficiency rate,
such as innovative burners, turbulators or intelligent sootblowers systems. However, current
Aboo boilers have a good heat trading and local efficiency. Applying the improvements
discussed above, the boiler efficiency increase can be estimated between 4-7%.
Generators
BBC Brown Boberi Company made both AC
generators for Aboo. AC generators, or
alternators, transform mechanical power
supplied by turbine group into electrical
current. Because we considered both groups
equipment the same, features are referred to
one of them in order to avoid redundancy.
Generators usually present high efficiency due
its electrical nature. The main energy losses
are related with the heat produced by coils. Heat
is also the main maintenance problem and all the
technology around generators and alternators
are cooling related. Aboo electric generators
were built more than 30 years ago. However,
their cooling technology isnt outdated today.
Hydrogen and water cooling system is the one
Aboo generators have, and present technology
is similar.
Alternator Capacity over cooling system. Source: Toshiba
Aboo electric generators works in a 20kV range. Rotors of large alternators like those used
in our plant, usually are 2 pole made. Generators technical data are listed below:
Capacity
Rated Voltage
Rotation Speed
Power Factor
(kVA) 300 000-700 000

(kV)
16.5-22
(rpm) 60>
~0.9
Page 7 of 12

Excitation Metod
Cooling Metod
Stator Coil
Rotor Coil
Efficiency
Static
Directly Water Cooling
Directly
H2
Gas
Cooling
~0.96
Despite the current generator efficiency is good enough, roughly 96%, modern generator
technology achieve a rate up to 99% of efficiency.
Toshiba 1.120MVA-2P-60Hz Water-cooled Generator, one of the biggest generators made
by the Japanese company in operation, runs at high efficiency due to its innovative
technology. For instance, to reduce the coil height and electrical losses generated in the
conductors, stator coils are composed of a mixture of hollow and solid strands. For this 1000
MW unit, the temperature rise is the same as that of a 700MW.
Siemens
Hydrogen-Cooled
SGen2000H Generator Series operate
successfully in several power plants
around the world, like in Netherlands or
South Korea around 99% of efficiency.
Conclusions:
Improving 3% current electric generation
may be not a big achieve, neither enough
motivation to replace the equipment.
However, high-eff generator technologySGen-2000H generator. Source: Siemens
makes easier
the long time
running and cheaper the maintenance. While economic improvements are not subject of this
report, purchasing this new technology over the current dated 30 years ago may be a
desirable choice.
Steam Turbines
Steam turbines transforms thermal energy from the vapor into mechanical energy in form of
shaft rotation. High enthalpy vapor expansion moves a huge amount of blades within the
turbine which are joint to the shaft. The theoretical process is isentropic and described by
Rankine cycle. The real process is not truly reversible and the isentropic efficiency rate does
actually matter. This rate is related to how big the gap is between ideal and real turbine.
Mechanical efficiency refers to the losses due to
being a rotational machine, such as friction or
shaft disposal. Thermodynamics limitations to the
process are important in this subject. Even if the
turbine is ideal, there is a limited efficiency value
unbeatable. So, in a simplified glimpse:
Page 8 of 12

Overall efficiency for a steam turbine, thermal efficiency:
Thermodynamic restrictions
Isentropic efficiency
Mechanical efficiency
A report from Department of Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and

Transportation University of Petrosani, Romania; show how influent each parameter from
above is in the whole process. Mechanical efficiency tends to be high, 98-99%, and
responds kindly with good lubrication and maintenance. Isentropic efficiency is over 74-86%.
The overall efficiency for the turbines analyzed moves around 31-42%. Researchers
conclude that most of the energy is lost in the condenser. In addition, the study shows that
turbines running for over 30 years, expected efficiency degradation is approximately 5%,
roughly the time Aboo turbines have been operating. Aboo turbines are different for each
group. Both were made by Brawn Boberi and the specifications are listed below:
Group I (1974)
Tandem three stage turbine
Single reheat
35% efficiency
75% isentropic efficiency
7 extractions
Group II (1985)
Tandem compound four flow (TC4F)
Double reheat
35% efficiency
75% isentropic efficiency
8 extractions
Sectional Arrangement of TC4F-40 1,000-MW Steam Turbine. Source: Development of Tandem-Compound

1,000-MW Steam Turbine and Generator
Interesting approaches were recently reported by Dresser-Rand Company. Structural
elements of steam turbines, their performance and the improvement field were studied.
Casing Body Design, Nozzle Ring Design, Exhaust construction, Blade profileand more
elements whose innovative design raise in small steps overall efficiency by reducing exhaust
losses.
Blades and better seals to prevent leakages are the main lines of development of Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries high efficiency steam turbines.
The increase of efficiency due to all this innovations since 1990s can be measured with a
close look of high efficiency steam turbines currently operating. This article analyses the
performance of the best catalogued turbines around the world. Although some turbine
designs are based on supercritical generation technology, which exceeds our aims for
Page 9 of 12

improvement; the development of new materials such as new heat-resistant highchromium-percentage ferritic-class steels that enable steam turbines to reach elevated
steam temperatures without resorting to austenitic steels
can be enthusiastically
considered for our business.
Conclusions:
Steam turbines have changed a lot in thirty years. The new approaches on design and
materials allows efficiency rates up to 45-48%. World known manufacturers such as
Siemens, ALSTOM or Toshiba; have supplied with high efficiency steam turbines the last
decade demands. Therefore, increasing 5-7% on turbine efficiency is affordable.
Strategies to amplify electric power generated.
The main goal of this research is to give solutions to the challenge of reaching 1200 MW.
Current power production is set around 900 MW, which is a 30% below of the one
demanded. The following proposals offered to EDP are what the company is looking for.
One of them is the best, which would be describe with more details.
Adding a 350 MW new group similar to Aboo1. Probably the most expensive
solution because all the devices have to be purchased new: coil boiler, turbine
groups, alternator, etc. More equipment means more maintenance, larger space
required and further problems.
Using a combined cycle solution. Despite being popular among electric generation,
in order to close the power gap, it may not be the best solution. A new pair of gas
turbines would be required which are expensive. Also, new gas technology would
have to be developed, attending to all the regulation about gas treatment, transport
and storage.
Duplicating optimized group 2 into group 1. This is the best way. Using efficiency
improvements- which have been discussed in this report- over group 2 will increase
its net generated power by a 10-15%, exceeding 600 MW net power generated.
Then, using the same space and most of the devices, copying it over the oldest group
place. Deep knowledge of the technique, regulation and procedures related with
conventional coal thermal plants are usual between workers and suppliers, which
represent a huge advantage and the main feature of this solution.
Efficiency improvements over group 2 are summarized below:

1. Improvements of the boiler would allow an increase of the steam volume flow rate.
The first assumption about the boiler was its full operational condition. It means that
the burners cannot hold higher amounts of coal powder flow rate. Because no more
coal can be burned inside, improvements of the boiler will result on a steam volume
flow rate increasing. Same coal, more steam, more power. Efficiency improvements
effects over boiler were estimated in over 5-8%, reaching an overall boiler efficiency
of 94-95%. Same magnitude steam volume flow rate would be noticed when
improving boiler efficiency (5-8%)
2. Improvements of the turbine would reduce its isentropic losses. Getting a better
turbine performance is crucial because turbine exhausted steam represent the
Page 10 of 12

biggest losses of the whole plant power balance. Isentropic efficiency would
increase a 5-7% with modern turbine designs.
3. Other equipment efficiency improvements, such as alternator improvements, would
help to reach the required power.
A report of US Department of Energy set in around 27% the lowest global efficiency of all
the coal thermal power plants fleet. The report contain many technical options aiming to
reach the 36% global efficiency, a very conservative value in its own words. Highest value
of the fleet is around 37-38%, and a few modern plants are near to 40%. Aboo global
efficiency (whole power plant) is around 29-31%. So, the power increase we are aiming is
realistic.
Once enough power is ensured in group 2, it has to be duplicated over group 1. The new
reheat cycle would be added purchasing the required devices, which are similar to those
used in group 2. Boiler would have to be resized. Boiler size increase would be technically
and economically the hardest part of this solution.
Group 2 efficiency improvement simulation were done considering a 5% increase on steam
volume flow rate and a 7% on turbine performance.
Point
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Enthalpy
Ideal
3396.77
3382.0506
3410.35
3010.10
3311.86
2123.9808
148.916
165.7
Enthalpy
Real
3396.77
3384.7
3410.35
3082.145
3311.86
2337.798
148.916
167.56
Entropy
6.41213
6.4121
6.4464
6.4464
6.91069
6.91069
0.5125
0.5125

The Efficiency of the cycle is: 39.8%
The mass flow rate is: 1811.25Tm/h
The exit net power of the cycle is: 651.894MW
The net power of the center of the power plant is: 584.957 * 0.94 = 612.780 MW
Page 11 of 12

References
Net Calorific Value

Increase final plant efficiency
Innovative coal pulverized burners
Babcock & Wilcox
Airejet Low NOx Coal Burners
Air preheater
New drying technologies
Sootblowers systems
Turbulators
Toshiba 1.120MVA-2P-60Hz Water-cooled Generator
Siemens Hydrogen-Cooled SGen-2000H Generator Series
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Transportation
University of Petrosani, Romania
Development of Tandem-Compound
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Article analyses
Aboo
US Department of Energy
Page 12 of 12

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2015

Real Improvement Project Aboo

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Chemical to heat energy

Heat to kinetic energy

Kinetic to electrical energy

Chemical to heat energy:

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Report of the Aboo Power plant

The Efficiency of the turbine is: 75%

The Efficiency of the turbine is: 75%

Report of the Aboo Power plant

The mass flow rate is: 1725Tm/h

Power Plant Component Overview

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Alternator Capacity over cooling system. Source: Toshiba

(kVA) 300 000-700 000

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Report of the Aboo Power plant

A report from Department of Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and

Sectional Arrangement of TC4F-40 1,000-MW Steam Turbine. Source: Development of Tandem-Compound

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Efficiency improvements over group 2 are summarized below:

Report of the Aboo Power plant

The Efficiency of the turbine is: 82%

Report of the Aboo Power plant

Net Calorific Value

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