Experimental study on the flexible peak shaving with pulverized coal self-preheating technology under load variability

The integration of renewable energy sources into power grids has led to power fluctuations, necessitating coal-fired power units to provide flexible peak shaving. The pulverized coal self-preheating technology can potentially provide broad-load regulation and rapidly respond to load changes. In this study, the impact of the self-preheating technology on fuel preheating modification, combustion characteristics, and NOx emissions are investigated. Load-stabilization bases are proposed based on preheating temperature, preheated coal gas composition, combustion temperature, and flue gas emissions. Load change rates are calculated using these bases to character the load response. The results demonstrate that the preheated fuel has similar properties as the highly reactive gaseous fuel and exhibits excellent ignition and combustion performances at 25 % load. Preheating treatment improves combustion efficiency, and burnout ratio and reduces NOx emissions. The NOx concentration approaches the ultra-low emission standard at 50 % load. Four load-stabilization bases, covering the preheating and combustion sides, comprehensively characterize the load response performance. The rates based on preheating indicators and combustion indicators maximize to 3.30 %/minute and 2.71 %/minute, respectively. The load change rate in the ramp-up phase is higher than that in the ramp-down phase, which is related to the effective internal heat storage carrier and external thermal insulation conditions. The driving force formed by high load step ranges and the deviation from the full load capacity are conducive to increasing the load change rates.