Mchugh, Brendan (2017) Quantisation of Coal Slot Bunker Contents. [USQ Project]
Abstract
CS Energy is a government-owned corporation, holding a portfolio of power generation assets across Queensland from Brisbane West to Chinchilla and North to Gladstone. CS Energy owns and operates Wivenhoe, Callide and Kogan Creek Power Stations, and trade the output of Gladstone Power Station. Callide Power Station is a black coal-fired power station, supplied locally by Callide Coal Mine which is owned and operated by Batchfire Resources. Callide Power Station (B & C) has a combined generating capacity of 1,510 MW, with Callide B up to 700 MW and Callide C up to 810 MW.
Declining coal quality at Callide Power Station has introduced several operational, maintenance and marketing complexities; largely revolving around inconsistent calorific value of delivered coal and the excessive build up of clinker as a result of coal combustion. With the current state of the electricity market, plant deficiencies present significant financial risk to CS Energy; average market prices over 2016/17 summer weekends setting plant performance value up to $50,000 per MW.
The aims of this study is to quantify the accuracy and resolution of the volumetric measurement system currently installed within the coal slot bunker at Callide Power Station and propose an alternate system mounted beneath the tripper. Should the current system be determined as sufficiently inferior to modern alternatives, this paper will also seek to determine an appropriate digital measurement system for integration into the slot bunker in replacement of the existing system.
Measurement technologies such as interferometry, photogrammetry has been discredited as being unsuitable for application within the coal slot bunker, while radiometry and ultrasound have been determined suitability for the proposed context with support of comparable industry applications. Ultrasonic and thermal sensors were then installed into an experimental apparatus that included a scaled model of the coal slot bunker for testing purposes. The apparatus was controlled by a PLC and the data stored in a CSV file for processing and analysis. The data was processed for smoothing and analysis using MATLAB r2017a; final test results having mean squared error less than ten (10).
The proposed concept was validated by the results presented Appendix and simulated in Figure 34 and Figure 35, presenting viable opportunities to develop an alternate measurement system for application within a coal slot bunker. The current prototype configuration allows for two-dimensional (2D) modelling, however an array of sensors with calculated configuration could produce three-dimensional (3D) modelling and allow for algorithms to project heat signatures onto surface level profiles to generate accurate digital reconstructions of the slot bunker contents.
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| Item Type: | USQ Project |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Electrical) |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Bowtell, Les |
| Date Deposited: | 06 Sep 2022 22:38 |
| Last Modified: | 06 Sep 2022 22:38 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | coal; energy; volumetric measurement system; accuracy; resolution |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/40833 |
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