IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v315y2025ics0360544225000672.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Thermodynamic performance analysis of steam power plants during deep peak shaving processes: Integrating a novel top turbine system in ultra-low loads

Author

Listed:
  • Sun, Bo
  • Zhao, Yongliang
  • Zhang, Shunqi
  • Zhou, Jinyi
  • Liu, Jiping
  • Zhang, Pengwei
  • Yan, Junjie

Abstract

High-penetration of renewable energy with intermittent nature poses great challenges to safety and stability of the power system. Steam power plants (SPPs), as the main regulation resource for operational flexibility, are frequently required to operate at ultra-low loads (lower than 30 % load) to meet grid requirements, which results in thermal efficiency reduction, higher generation costs, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. To address these problems, a novel top turbine system integrated into SPPs was proposed, and corresponding models were developed to evaluate system performance at all loads, especially for the ultra-low loads. The results reveal that integrating the top turbine system can enhance power generation efficiency at ultra-low loads, and the lower the design flow rate of the top turbine, the more pronounced the efficiency improvement. For a 350 MW supercritical SPP, to enhance efficiency at 20 % load, the optimized high-pressure top turbine (HPTT) design steam flow rate, inlet, and outlet pressures are 90 kg s−1, 24.2 MPa, and 9.79 MPa, respectively. Following these optimizations, power generation efficiency increases from 30.6 % to 35.2 %, accompanied by rises in live steam pressure of 10.28 MPa, reheat steam pressure of 1.74 MPa, and feedwater temperature of 78.2 °C.

Suggested Citation

  • Sun, Bo & Zhao, Yongliang & Zhang, Shunqi & Zhou, Jinyi & Liu, Jiping & Zhang, Pengwei & Yan, Junjie, 2025. "Thermodynamic performance analysis of steam power plants during deep peak shaving processes: Integrating a novel top turbine system in ultra-low loads," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:315:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225000672
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.134425
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544225000672
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2025.134425?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wu, Yixi & Wang, Ziqi & Shi, Chenli & Jin, Xiaohang & Xu, Zhengguo, 2024. "A novel data-driven approach for coal-fired boiler under deep peak shaving to predict and optimize NOx emission and heat exchange performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    2. Hagen, Brede A.L. & Andresen, Trond & Nekså, Petter, 2022. "Equation-oriented methods for optimizing Rankine cycles using radial inflow turbine," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    3. Wang, Zheng & Zhu, Yanshuo & Zhu, Yongbin & Shi, Ying, 2016. "Energy structure change and carbon emission trends in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P1), pages 369-377.
    4. Zhao, Yongliang & Liu, Ming & Wang, Chaoyang & Wang, Zhu & Chong, Daotong & Yan, Junjie, 2019. "Exergy analysis of the regulating measures of operational flexibility in supercritical coal-fired power plants during transient processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Hou, Guolian & Huang, Ting & Jiang, Hao & Cao, Huan & Zhang, Tianhao & Zhang, Jianhua & Gao, He & Liu, Yong & Zhou, Zhenhua & An, Zhenyi, 2024. "A flexible and deep peak shaving scheme for combined heat and power plant under full operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    6. Wu, Tao & Ge, Zhihua & Yang, Lijun & Du, Xiaoze, 2019. "Transient behavior of the cold end system in an indirect dry cooling thermal power plant under varying operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1202-1212.
    7. Kuang, Min & Yang, Guohua & Zhu, Qunyi & Ti, Shuguang & Wang, Zhenfeng, 2017. "Effect of burner location on flow-field deflection and asymmetric combustion in a 600MWe supercritical down-fired boiler," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1393-1405.
    8. Haijiao Wei & Yuanwei Lu & Yanchun Yang & Yuting Wu & Kaifeng Zheng & Liang Li, 2024. "Research on Thermal Adaptability of Flexible Operation in Different Types of Coal-Fired Power Units," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-19, May.
    9. Lin, Xiaolong & Li, Qinlun & Wang, Lukai & Guo, Yifan & Liu, Yinhe, 2020. "Thermo-economic analysis of typical thermal systems and corresponding novel system for a 1000 MW single reheat ultra-supercritical thermal power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    10. Fan, He & Su, Zhi-gang & Wang, Pei-hong & Lee, Kwang Y., 2021. "A dynamic nonlinear model for a wide-load range operation of ultra-supercritical once-through boiler-turbine units," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    11. Zhang, Guozhu & Zhang, Shunqi & Sun, Bo & Liu, Jiping & Yan, Junjie, 2024. "Design on a novel waste heat recovery system integrated with the bypass flue and outside primary air preheater for bitumite-fired power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    12. Wang, Qingxiang & Chen, Zhichao & Li, Liankai & Zeng, Lingyan & Li, Zhengqi, 2020. "Achievement in ultra-low-load combustion stability for an anthracite- and down-fired boiler after applying novel swirl burners: From laboratory experiments to industrial applications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    13. Wang, Zhu & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yongliang & Wang, Chaoyang & Chong, Daotong & Yan, Junjie, 2020. "Flexibility and efficiency enhancement for double-reheat coal-fired power plants by control optimization considering boiler heat storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    14. Miao, Lin & Liu, Ming & Zhang, Kezhen & Zhao, Yongliang & Yan, Junjie, 2023. "Energy, exergy, and economic analyses on coal-fired power plants integrated with the power-to-heat thermal energy storage system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    15. Jonshagen, K. & Genrup, M., 2010. "Improved load control for a steam cycle combined heat and power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 1694-1700.
    16. Taner, Tolga & Sivrioglu, Mecit, 2017. "A techno-economic & cost analysis of a turbine power plant: A case study for sugar plant," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 722-730.
    17. Zhou, Jiayin & Huang, Diangui & Zhou, Lingzhe, 2024. "Modeling and thermal economy analysis of the coupled system of compressed steam energy storage and Rankine cycle in thermal power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    18. Wang, Yanhong & Zou, Zhihong & Lu, Ke & Li, Qi & Li, Liyan, 2024. "Probing of operation economy for coal-fired unit under low loads with two fixed boundary conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    19. Zhang, Shunqi & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yongliang & Zhang, Kezhen & Liu, Jiping & Yan, Junjie, 2022. "Thermodynamic analysis on a novel bypass steam recovery system for parabolic trough concentrated solar power plants during start-up processes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 973-983.
    20. Wang, Chaoyang & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yongliang & Qiao, Yongqiang & Chong, Daotong & Yan, Junjie, 2018. "Dynamic modeling and operation optimization for the cold end system of thermal power plants during transient processes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 734-746.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zhang, Kezhen & Zhao, Yongliang & Liu, Ming & Gao, Lin & Fu, Yue & Yan, Junjie, 2021. "Flexibility enhancement versus thermal efficiency of coal-fired power units during the condensate throttling processes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Miao, Lin & Yan, Hui & Liu, Ming, 2024. "Power increase potential of coal-fired power plant assisted by the heat release of the thermal energy storage system: Restrictions and thermodynamic performance," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    3. Alsanousie, Abdurrahman A. & Elsamni, Osama A. & Attia, Abdelhamid E. & Elhelw, Mohamed, 2021. "Transient and troubleshoots management of aged small-scale steam power plants using Aspen Plus Dynamics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    4. Wang, Zhu & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yongliang & Wang, Chaoyang & Chong, Daotong & Yan, Junjie, 2020. "Flexibility and efficiency enhancement for double-reheat coal-fired power plants by control optimization considering boiler heat storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    5. Zhu, Shujun & Hui, Jicheng & Lyu, Qinggang & Ouyang, Ziqu & Zeng, Xiongwei & Zhu, Jianguo & Liu, Jingzhang & Cao, Xiaoyang & Zhang, Xiaoyu & Ding, Hongliang & Liu, Yuhua, 2023. "Experimental study on pulverized coal swirl-opposed combustion preheated by a circulating fluidized bed. Part A. Wide-load operation and low-NOx emission characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    6. Zhang, Qijun & Dong, Jianning & Chen, Heng & Feng, Fuyuan & Xu, Gang & Wang, Xiuyan & Liu, Tong, 2024. "Dynamic characteristics and economic analysis of a coal-fired power plant integrated with molten salt thermal energy storage for improving peaking capacity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    7. Yin, Junjie & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yongliang & Wang, Chaoyang & Yan, Junjie, 2021. "Dynamic performance and control strategy modification for coal-fired power unit under coal quality variation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    8. Ji, Weiming & Hong, Feng & Zhao, Yuzheng & Liang, Lu & Hao, Junhong & Fang, Fang & Liu, Jizhen, 2024. "A real-time phase transition modeling of supercritical steam cycle and load variation rate enhancement of thermal power plants under deep peak shaving," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 312(C).
    9. Liu, Zefeng & Wang, Chaoyang & Fan, Mengyang & Wang, Zhu & Fang, Fang & Liu, Ming & Yan, Junjie, 2025. "Investigation on the allowable load ramping-up rate and wet-to-dry conversion time of a 660 MW supercritical coal-fired power plant with deep peak-shaving work conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    10. Wang, Yanhong & Zou, Zhihong & Zhao, Yuren & Li, Qi & Zhang, Zhenbin, 2024. "Online model of wellness value for terminal difference of high-pressure heater targeting status diagnosis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    11. Lin, Xiaolong & Meng, Xianchen & Song, Huchao & Liu, Yinhe, 2024. "Efficiency improvement and flexibility enhancement by molten salt heat storage for integrated gasification chemical-looping combustion combined cycle under partial loads," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 303(C).
    12. Hou, Guolian & Ye, Lingling & Huang, Ting & Huang, Congzhi, 2024. "Intelligent modeling of combined heat and power unit under full operating conditions via improved crossformer and precise sparrow search algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    13. Yang, Tingting & Liu, Ziyuan & Zeng, Deliang & Zhu, Yansong, 2023. "Simulation and evaluation of flexible enhancement of thermal power unit coupled with flywheel energy storage array," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    14. Hou, Guolian & Huang, Ting & Huang, Congzhi, 2023. "Flexibility improvement of 1000 MW ultra-supercritical unit under full operating conditions by error-based ADRC and fast pigeon-inspired optimizer," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    15. Gao, Wei & Liu, Ming & Yin, Junjie & Zhao, Yongliang & Chen, Weixiong & Yan, Junjie, 2023. "An improved control strategy for a denitrification system using cooperative control of NH3 injection and flue gas temperature for coal-fired power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    16. Ning Xiang & Limao Wang & Shuai Zhong & Chen Zheng & Bo Wang & Qiushi Qu, 2021. "How Does the World View China’s Carbon Policy? A Sentiment Analysis on Twitter Data," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
    17. Belal, Belal Y. & Li, Gesheng & Zhang, Zunhua & El-Batsh, H.M. & Moneib, Hany A. & Attia, Ali M.A., 2021. "The effect of swirl burner design configuration on combustion and emission characteristics of lean pre-vaporized premixed flames," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    18. Shen, Feifei & Zhao, Liang & Wang, Meihong & Du, Wenli & Qian, Feng, 2022. "Data-driven adaptive robust optimization for energy systems in ethylene plant under demand uncertainty," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    19. Igor Donskoy, 2023. "Techno-Economic Efficiency Estimation of Promising Integrated Oxyfuel Gasification Combined-Cycle Power Plants with Carbon Capture," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-18, February.
    20. Wu, Chunying & Sun, Lingfang & Piao, Heng & Yao, Lijia, 2024. "Adaptive fuzzy finite time integral sliding mode control of the coordinated system for 350 MW supercritical once-through boiler unit to enhance flexibility," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:315:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225000672. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.