Adhesive application equipment + clipping
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The client
Sustainable support for coal combustion in thermal power plants
The Plasma Lance project is the result of the meeting and collaboration of an inventor, Prof. Pavel KOULIK and R&D Technology. The professor’s knowledge and research into plasma, combined with our technical know-how, enabled us to enter the power generation market and to attract the interest of one of its major players with a worldwide reputation.
Passionate about innovation, we analysed the problems and challenges of this energy sector by focusing on fossil fuel power plants. Although this method of production is not the most environmentally friendly, it is still essential today to produce enough electricity. The solution developed in this way considerably reduces the environmental impact by favouring combustion and eliminating the fuel oil used for start-up. The solution is patented.
Project details
Product
Plasma lance
Need
To eliminate the use of fuel oil to start combustion and helping with combustion at low load
Special features
- Promotes combustion by ionising the air
- Uses the electrical energy produced by the power stations
- Reduces NOx emissions
Features
To aid coal combustion by using only electrical energy
Result
Electric “flame” of about 100 kW, 1 m long
Our solution
The first stage in thermal power plants is to burn fluidised coal in a generator and then produce steam, turn turbines and finally generate electricity. Our innovation is part of this first phase. Power stations use fuel oil to start the combustion of coal. This operation lasts a few hours and consumes a few hundred tonnes of fuel oil per hour to bring the steam generator to a temperature that allows the coal to self-combust. Fuel oil is also reused to aid combustion at reduced load, with rather poor profitability.
It is in this context that our plasma lance solution aims to improve the combustion of coal in order to eliminate the use of fuel oil and thus reduce NOx and CO2 emissions.
Blowing an electric arc
Plasma is produced by a medium-voltage short circuit on electrodes. An electric flame of about 100 kW and a length of 1 metre can be produced by blowing the electric arc. This torch is used to start up fluidised coal generators and to aid them in “reduced load” mode. Trials in thermal power plants using biomass are also envisaged…
Innovation for Industry
Innovation for Industry
Discover the equipment on video
