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Evaluating Electrification of Fossil-Fuel-Fired Boilers for Decarbonization Using Discrete-Event Simulation

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  • Nahian Ismail Chowdhury

    (Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA)

  • Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan

    (Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA)

  • Nishan Adhikari

    (Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA)

  • Hailin Li

    (Department of Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA)

  • Zhichao Liu

    (Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505, USA)

Abstract

Decarbonizing fossil-fuel usage is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change. The burning of fossil fuels in boilers during industrial process heating is one of the major sources of CO 2 in the industry. Electrification is a promising solution for decarbonizing these boilers, as it enables renewable energy sources to generate electricity, which can then be used to power the electric boilers. This research develops a user-driven simulation model with realistic data and potential temperature data for a location to estimate boilers’ current energy and fuel usage and determine the equivalent electrical boiler capacity and energy usage. A simulation model is developed using the Visual Basic Application (VBA) ® and takes factors such as current boiler capacity, steam temperature and pressure, condensate, makeup water, blowdown, surface area, and flue gas information as input. Random numbers generate the hourly temperature variation for a year for discrete-event Monte Carlo Simulation. The simulation generates the hourly firing factor, energy usage, fuel usage, and CO 2 emissions of boilers for a whole year, and the result compares fossil-fuel and electrical boilers. The simulated data are validated using real system data, and sensitivity analysis of the model is performed by varying the input data.

Suggested Citation

  • Nahian Ismail Chowdhury & Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan & Nishan Adhikari & Hailin Li & Zhichao Liu, 2024. "Evaluating Electrification of Fossil-Fuel-Fired Boilers for Decarbonization Using Discrete-Event Simulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-23, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:12:p:2882-:d:1413389
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Li, Zixiang & Miao, Zhengqing & Shen, Xusheng & Li, Jiangtao, 2018. "Prevention of boiler performance degradation under large primary air ratio scenario in a 660 MW brown coal boiler," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 474-483.
    2. Zima, Wiesław, 2019. "Simulation of rapid increase in the steam mass flow rate at a supercritical power boiler outlet," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 995-1005.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nishan Adhikari & Hailin Li & Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan, 2025. "A Bibliometric and Systematic Review of Carbon Footprint Tracking in Cross-Sector Industries: Emerging Tools and Technologies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-30, May.
    2. Haylemar de Nazaret Cardenas-Rodriguez & Yohan Ali Diaz Mendez & Angel Edecio Malaguera Mora & Robson Bauwelz Gonzatti & Rosa Martins & Tiago Diogenes Batista da Silva & Luzivan Da Cruz Moura & Wagner, 2025. "Thermodynamic and Economic Assessment of Steam Generation with Heavy Fuel Oil and Electric Boilers in a Brazilian Thermoelectric Power Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-14, May.

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